Portland Burn Injury Attorney

Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC is a personal injury trial law firm based in Portland and representing clients throughout Oregon and Washington. The firm stands ready to advocate on behalf of burn injury victims and their families. If you or someone you love was involved in an accident and sustained serious burns, we invite you to contact our firm today for a free review of your case. Our Portland burn injury attorney is prepared to fight for you or your loved one.

Portland Burn Injury Resources

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Leading Causes of Burn Injuries
Burn Injury Statistics
Treatment Methods for Burns
Type of Burn Injuries
Possible Compensation in Your Case
Why Hire a Portland Burn Injury Attorney?
Speak to a Lawyer Today

Leading Causes of Burn Injuries in the United States

Burn Injuries in Car Accidents

Many burn injuries occur because of car accidents. In the event of a severe crash, vehicles can ignite with passengers still inside. Cars can catch fire after accidents for a number of reasons. In some cases, a defect in the vehicle’s design puts a vehicle at a higher risk of fire in the event of an accident, often because of gas tank placement. More common is a damaged crumple zone. Even the
best-designed cars can leave the engine, gas tank, and other dangerous components vulnerable in the event of an accident. A car accident lawyer in Portland can investigate the root cause of the fire and work to secure compensation for your injuries.

Faulty Wiring

Wiring can be deemed “faulty” for a few reasons – most commonly, wires are either faulty due to wear-and-tear, they are faulty by design, or they were installed incorrectly. Faulty wiring in homes, vehicles, and other structures is a common cause of fires and burn injuries in the United States.

Defective Portable Heaters

Defective heaters, particularly portable heaters, are a common cause of fires and burn injuries. While in some cases these heater accidents are caused by human error (i.e. putting the heater too close to another object), others are issues of product liability.

Defective Smoke Detectors

Smoke detectors fail to perform their functions for a number of reasons – missing batteries, dead batteries, improper installation, and defective design/manufacturing of the device itself. Landlords are responsible for installing and maintaining a working smoke detector – homeowners maintain this responsibility on their own. Either type of individual can have a valid injury claim, but renters may have a claim against their landlord, rather than the smoke detector manufacturer.

Missing or Defective Sprinkler Systems

While burn injuries aren’t caused by a missing/defective sprinkler system, they can be worsened by it. Older buildings manufactured pre-sprinkler requirements may not be equipped with these systems. Faulty installation or manufacturing could result in sprinklers not going off at a critical time.

What Are Some Important Burn Injury Statistics?

The following statistics were compiled by the American Burn Association’s National Burn Repository.

• The average burn injury victim is male, aged 32
• 20% of burn injury victims are children aged five and under
• 6.2% of fire/flame injury victims die from their burns
• A majority of burn injuries happen in the home or place of residence, about 72%

Nearly half of all burn injury victims sustained their injury due to open fire or flame exposure. The second most common origin of burn injuries was scalding by hot liquid – about 33.5% of all victims included in the study. Coming into contact with a hot object was the third leading cause of burn injury, but only accounted for about 8.9% of occurrences.

What Are Treatment Methods for Portland Burn Injuries?

Treatment after a burn injury depends largely on the type, severity, and surface area of the burn injury. Some common types of treatment that burn injury patients require include:

• Skin grafting – Plastic surgery and other types of skin grafting are common treatment options for burn injury victims. Typically, skin grafting involves reconstructing the surface by removing the burned skin and replacing it with a graft from another area of the body.
• Amputation – The most severe burns require amputation of the affected body part. Usually, this is only reserved for cases of fourth degree burns that extend through all layers of the skin down to the muscle, ligaments, and bone.
• Rehabilitation – Some burns are severe enough to damage the underlying nerves and muscles, causing loss of movement or impaired movement. Sometimes, mobility can be restored – albeit partially – through rehabilitation.

Many burn injury victims also develop pneumonia (ventilator-associated pneumonia) and other types of respiratory failure due to smoke and ash inhalation. This is usually treated with antibiotic therapy.

Burns are among the most traumatic injuries that a person can sustain. These devastating injuries can be extremely painful and lead to intense medical interventions, scarring, disfigurement, and even death. You may be entitled to compensation if you or a loved one has been burned due to someone else’s negligence. 

A Portland burn injury attorney with Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC can help you to navigate the legal system and fight to recover the damages you are entitled to. 

Type of Burn Injuries in Portland 

When assessed by medical professionals, burn injuries are classified by degrees. First-degree being the least serious and fourth-degree being the most severe. Below are a list and descriptions of each burn type:

• First-degree burns are the mildest category of burn. First-degree burns do not require medical treatment and only affect the outermost layer of skin, causing redness, pain, and minor swelling.
• Second-degree burns may require medical attention. They affect the outer layer of skin and the layer of skin beneath it. Expect severe pain, blistering, and swelling from second-degree burns.
• Third-degree burns are very severe types of burns since they extend through all layers of the skin. They are characterized by their black or white appearance and can leave the burned victim with substantial scarring and disfigurement.
• Fourth-degree burns are the most serious type of burn, extending beyond the skin to the muscles, bones, and tendons. These types of burns can be fatal.

Usually, depending on the severity of the injury, the victim could be treated in a hospital or burn center. Burn centers specialize in caring for burn injuries. Burn technicians clean and change bandages while the entire medical team inspects the wound and watches for problems they can head off before they become more severe.

Possible Compensation Available to You Following a Burn Injury

If you or someone you care for has suffered a burn injury caused by someone else’s egregious conduct or blatant neglect, you may be entitled to recover damages for your injuries. These damages may come as economic, non-economic, or punitive damages. 

Economic Damages You May Seek For Your Burn Injury

Economic damages are more simple to calculate since they directly correlate to monetary damage. Below are a few possible economic damages that may be available to you.

• Medical expenses beginning with the initial ambulance ride, emergency room visits, diagnostic tests, procedures and treatments, therapy, skin grafts, pain relief measures, prescriptions, cosmetic procedures, hospital stays, doctor visits, and follow-up visits can be included in your damage claim.
• Loss of income can be sustained if the injury prevents you from being able to attend work. Being unable to work due to the burn injury may entitle you to compensation for your lost wages.
• Vocational rehabilitation may be necessary and included in the damages you may seek.
• Burns are painful and traumatic and may cause the injured mental anguish. Mental health counseling may be applicable for many burn victims.
• If the claimant loses their job because of their burn injuries, it is likely that they also will lose the benefits that came with the job. 
• Transportation to and from medical and mental health appointments is another expense incurred by the injured party.
• Loss of educational opportunities is another unfortunate issue caused by a burn accident, for instance, not completing a class they are enrolled in because of their injury. 
• Loss of future income may be another damage recovered following a burn accident. An example of loss of future income could be if the injured party were a surgeon, but nerve damage from the burn could cause a loss of sensitivity and the dexterity needed to continue that career path.
• The need for household help is another economic damage that should be considered. The injury may cause the victim to need hired help with household chores they once did for themselves. 

Non-economic Damages Potentially Available to Burn Victims

Non-economic damages can be slightly more complicated to calculate but are no less valid than easily calculated economic damages. Your Portland burns injury lawyer will review your case and ensure you request all damages you may be eligible to receive.

• The pain and suffering from a burn injury can take a toll on the victim physically and emotionally. Your attorney will most certainly pursue compensation for that in your burn injury claim. 
• Disfigurement is often a side effect of a burn injury, leaving the victim permanently scarred and disfigured. This lasting injury can often significantly reduce a person’s quality of life as they may face shame, embarrassment, and multiple surgeries to try to correct the physical problems.
• Burns can result in the death of the victim. The deceased’s family may be entitled to damages due to their wrongful death.

Punitive Damages Available to Burn Victims in Portland

Occasionally burn victims in Portland are awarded punitive damages. This typically happens if the injuries exist due to egregious conduct. They are awarded so that the defendant is punished and to discourage the kind of behavior that caused the injuries.

Why Hire a Portland Burn Injury Attorney?

Dealing with a severe injury is difficult. It can be further complicated when the legal process is involved. A Portland burn injury attorney can be of assistance:

• A Portland burn injury attorney will use their resources and experience to investigate the causes of your burn injury properly.
• They can determine the amount of compensation that you should be entitled to recover.
• They will negotiate with the responsible party’s insurance company to ensure you are fairly compensated.
• If negotiations are unsuccessful with the other party’s insurance agency, your attorney can pursue a lawsuit on your behalf.
• If your case must go to trial, your burn injury lawyer in Portland will be at your side while representing you in court. 

The lawyers with Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC tick all of these boxes and can offer you legal representation that is tenacious, compassionate, experienced, and successful. We are dedicated to our clients and will work hard to ensure that you are awarded the maximum compensation possible. 

Everyone Deserves a Passionate Advocate – We’ve Got Three

At Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC, practicing law isn’t just a business. It’s a way of life. To be a Portland personal injury attorney, you have to be competitive to the core while simultaneously a compassionate advocate. We believe it’s these qualities that have helped us help so many people recover the compensation they deserve after a wrongful injury. If you or someone you love sustained a serious burn injury, we invite you to contact us today for a free review of your case.