Burn Injury Lawyers in Michigan

Key Takeaways

• Severe burns are often life-altering injuries requiring significant medical treatment, leading to high medical expenses.
• Burn victims frequently suffer permanent scarring and disfigurement, causing them pain and mental anguish.
• Personal injury cases stemming from burn injuries are treated similarly to other types of injury cases. Whether they are caused intentionally or accidentally, negligence must be proved.
• Working with an experienced Michigan burn injury attorney can help you build a strong case to prove the extent of your injuries to obtain the compensation you need to cover your medical expenses and move forward with healing.

Experiencing a severe burn injury can be a life-altering event that demands significant medical care and financial resources.

Victims often struggle to navigate the complex legal and insurance processes while trying to focus on recovery. A dedicated Michigan burn injury lawyer can provide legal guidance and help victims fight for the compensation they deserve for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Do Burn Injuries Qualify for Personal Injury Claims?

When filing a personal injury claim, burn scars are considered disfigurement. In Michigan, you can make an injury claim if your injury:

• Meets threshold for severity of injuries and how it affects your life
• Causes serious permanent disfigurement
• Results in death

Most burns will leave a mark even if the injury will heal. In this case, the victim must demonstrate how the burn scar affects their lives.

Defendants will often argue a healed burn does not affect a person’s life because the victim can cover the scar with clothing. A skilled personal injury lawyer can present a strong case for why this isn’t necessarily true.

Common Burn Injury Lawsuits in Michigan

Most burns occur in the workplace or the home. Common causes of burn injury lawsuits include:

• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Truck accidents (e.g., tanker explosions)
• Scalding water and pipes
• Electrical fires
• Gas explosions
• Defective products (e.g., heaters or work-related equipment)
• Locked fire exits
• Chemical fires at work

This list is not comprehensive but provides an overview of the many types of burn injuries people suffer, many of which are due to negligence.

What Percentage is Considered a Major Burn Injury?

A burn covering over 20% of the body surface is considered a major burn injury. Other severe burns, including those involving complications, such as chemical burns, high-voltage electrical burns, inhalation injuries, and other major traumas, can also be classified as major injuries.

Cases Study

Consider the experience of a Reddit user who sustained second and third-degree burns from the seemingly simple task of washing a mug in the sink when things unexpectedly went wrong.

Factors That Influence Settlement Amounts for Burn Injuries in Michigan

Like any personal injury case, settlement amounts for burn injuries will vary significantly from case to case. Courts and insurance companies consider several elements of the case, including:

• How and where the burn occurred
• The severity of the burn
• The permanence of the injury
• Total medical bills
• Level of pain and suffering
• Visibility of the scarring (e.g., face vs. arms or stomach, which can be covered with clothing)

Client Story: Matz Injury Law recently represented a 17-year-old male client suffering significant scarring all over his arms from shattered glass in a car accident. Our law firm was able to recover $200,000 for him. In this case, he did not need surgery, and he suffered minor issues, but he still will need to go through life with permanent, substantial scarring. While not a burn injury, his case demonstrates the type of settlement available when your injury results in lifelong scarring.

Unfortunately, insurance companies often attempt to undermine the severity of burns. Additionally, the compensation offered may be biased by whether the victim was male or female. Working with a personal injury attorney who is well-versed in Michigan laws and has experience coming up against insurance companies can make a big difference in whether you receive compensation and how much of a settlement you will receive.

How Burns Are Classified in Michigan

Burn injuries are classified into specific categories based on their severity. The amount of compensation awarded is often directly tied to the seriousness of the injury, its duration, and how it affects the victim’s life.

Different Degrees of Burn Injuries

First-Degree Burns

First-degree burns are the mildest of burns. They are superficial and impact the outer layer of skin (epidermis). Victims suffer redness, pain, and dryness. Blisters are usually not present. Long-term damage from first-degree burns is rare, but scarring is a strong possibility.

Second-Degree Burns

In a second-degree burn, the top layer of skin and the dermis (lower layer of skin) are injured. Victims experience redness, blisters, swelling, and pain. Some second-degree burns may result in nerve damage or require skin grafts.

Third-Degree Burns

When the epidermis and dermis layers of skin are burned deeper, it is a third-degree burn. The burn may go into the skin’s innermost layer and appear white or black with charring. Victims will often never fully heal and need to undergo skin grafts, surgeries, and other types of treatment. Even still, they may endure permanent scarring and disfigurement.

Fourth-Degree Burns

Victims suffering fourth-degree burns suffer injury to the epidermis, dermis, and deeper tissues, potentially reaching muscle and bone. Often, a person will lose feeling in the area since these serious burn injuries destroy nerve endings.

Can I Sue For a Burn Injury in Michigan?

Yes, you can file a burn injury claim in Michigan. Burns can occur accidentally or intentionally. Either way, the victim must prove another individual or entity was negligent in their decision-making or behaviors that directly led to the burn injury.

It is important to assemble evidence to back up your claim, but generally speaking, most burn injuries are preventable, so there will likely be some level of liability involved.

Different Types of Pain and Suffering Damages for Burn Injuries

Pain and suffering refer to the physical discomfort and emotional distress victims endure due to injury.

• Physical pain and suffering
• Mental anguish
• Humiliation
• Loss of enjoyment of life

These and other types of losses a victim suffers due to their burn do not have a receipt attached, but they still come at a high cost to their lives.

How Comparative Negligence Impacts Your Michigan Burn Injury Case

To be eligible to file a personal injury claim in Michigan, the injury must meet specific criteria based on state law. A victim must prove that the negligent party’s actions led to the injury. In some cases, a defendant will agree to a settlement, while others may dispute, and the case will go to court.

Since Michigan operates under a comparative negligence philosophy, a victim who is found partially responsible for their own injury will have their compensation reduced based on their percentage of guilt. For example, victims who are found 20% responsible for their injuries will only receive 80% of the compensation for their injuries.

_{When burns disrupt your life, turn to Matz Injury Law to fight for compensation.}

How to File for a Burn Injury Lawsuit in Michigan

Suffering a burn leads to both physical and emotional distress. It can be overwhelming to determine what to do after experiencing such a traumatic injury.

1. Document your physical injuries.
2. Receive medical treatment for your injuries.
3. Call an experienced Michigan burn injury lawyer.
4. Investigate the cause of the accident.
5. Gather evidence of the incident, such as police reports, witness statements, photos, videos, and any other potential supporting documentation.
6. Negotiate with insurance companies to attempt a fair settlement.
7. File a lawsuit if you cannot reach a settlement.
8. Present your case in court.

You should call a personal injury attorney as soon as possible. They can help you with the rest of the steps so that nothing important is inadvertently overlooked.

Related Resources

• Head & Brain Injury Lawyers in Michigan: Head and brain injuries are unlike most types of injuries because they often result in permanent changes in physical, emotional, or cognitive abilities. Many victims suffer permanent disability, changes to their personality, or face other challenges.
• Wrongful Death In Michigan Due To Negligence: Losing someone to negligence is traumatic under any circumstances. Loved ones may be eligible for compensation.

Why Clients Partner With Matz Injury Law

When you choose to work with a Matz Injury Law attorney, you will receive complete transparency, strong and regular communication about your case, and the ability to work with your attorney directly. You will never feel as if you are another case number to us. You and your family matter to us!

Testimonials

“Always happy, very personable, and always pleasant to speak with. Steve goes above and beyond for his clients and for this, I am very grateful to have worked with him.” — Jessica D.

“Steve was outstanding from the first telephone conversation all the way through until he settled my case. I would highly recommend him if you ever find yourself in need of a personal injury attorney.” — Sharyn G. 

Start Healing Today With a Burn Injury Attorney

Matz Injury Law is committed to providing personalized legal services to our clients. Since 1977, the experienced attorneys at our law firm have dedicated themselves to representing Michigan’s injured. We have earned more than $300 million for our clients, traveling to all regions across Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas to meet with clients.

If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury, you will need compensation to cover your medical bills, lost wages, emotional distress, and other costs you incur. Take action now for your recovery with a free consultation from a Michigan personal injury lawyer at Matz Injury Law. Call us today at 1-866-22Not33 or fill out our online contact form.