Severe burn injuries cause devastating physical, emotional, and financial consequences. When flames, scalding liquids, chemicals, or electrical current damage your skin and underlying tissues, recovery becomes long and painful. Medical bills mount quickly—emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, and ongoing treatment can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Beyond the financial burden, you face lost income, permanent scarring, and the emotional trauma of adapting to a changed body.
At Dordick Law Corporation, we represent burn injury victims throughout Riverside, California, who have suffered thermal, chemical, electrical, or radiation burns due to someone else’s negligence. Our attorneys investigate your case thoroughly, work with medical experts, and fight to recover the maximum compensation you deserve. We handle your case on a contingency fee basis—you pay nothing unless we recover damages for you. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your burn injury claim.
Understanding Burn Injuries and Their Severity
Burn injuries are classified by depth and severity. The deeper the burn penetrates your skin and tissues, the more serious the injury and the greater the long-term consequences. Understanding burn severity helps explain why your case has significant value and why you deserve substantial compensation.
First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of skin (the epidermis). Your skin appears red and painful but does not blister. These burns typically heal within a few days without scarring. While painful, first-degree burns are generally minor injuries.
Second-degree burns penetrate deeper into the dermis layer beneath the epidermis. Your skin blisters, swells, and appears red or blotchy. These burns cause intense pain and take weeks to heal. Second-degree burns often result in scarring and may require skin grafts if the burn covers a large area.
Third-degree burns destroy the entire thickness of your skin, extending into the fatty tissue beneath. The burned area appears white, charred, or leathery. Paradoxically, third-degree burns may cause less pain initially because the heat destroys nerve endings. However, the tissue damage is catastrophic. Third-degree burns require hospitalization, surgery, and skin grafts. Survivors face permanent scarring, disfigurement, and loss of function.
Fourth-degree burns are rare but most severe. The burn extends through skin and fat into muscle and bone. These injuries are life-threatening and typically result in permanent disability or death. Survivors require extensive reconstructive surgery and face lifelong complications.
Long-Term Complications from Burn Injuries
Beyond the initial injury, burn victims face serious long-term complications. Scarring and contractures (tight scar tissue) restrict movement and cause permanent disfigurement. Infection is a constant risk during healing. Psychological trauma—including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress—affects many burn survivors. Some victims develop chronic pain that persists for years. Others require multiple surgeries for reconstruction and functional improvement. These complications drive up lifetime medical costs and justify substantial compensation for burn injuries.
Types of Burn Injuries We Handle
Burn injuries occur in many contexts, and we handle all types. Understanding the cause of your burn helps establish liability and identify all responsible parties.
Thermal burns result from contact with flames, hot liquids, steam, or hot surfaces. These are the most common burn injuries. Scalding from hot water or cooking liquids causes many thermal burns in home and workplace settings. Open flames from fires, explosions, or defective products cause severe thermal burns. We pursue claims against property owners, employers, product manufacturers, and others whose negligence caused thermal burns.
Chemical burns result from contact with corrosive substances like acids, bases, or industrial chemicals. Chemical burns often occur in workplace settings where employees handle hazardous materials without proper protection. We hold employers accountable for failing to provide safe working conditions and proper safety equipment. We also pursue product liability claims when chemical products lack adequate warnings or safety features.
Electrical burns result from contact with electrical current. These injuries occur at construction sites, in homes with faulty wiring, and in workplaces with inadequate electrical safety measures. Electrical burns can cause internal tissue damage that isn’t visible on the skin surface. We pursue claims against property owners, contractors, and employers whose negligence exposed you to electrical hazards.
Radiation burns are rare but serious. These injuries result from exposure to intense heat radiation from fires or explosions. We handle radiation burn claims arising from workplace accidents, vehicle fires, and other negligent incidents.
Workplace Burn Injuries
Many burn injuries occur at work. Industrial equipment, chemical exposure, electrical hazards, and fires cause workplace burns. If you suffered a burn injury at work, you may have workers’ compensation benefits and a third-party liability claim. Workers’ compensation covers medical expenses and lost wages but typically provides limited compensation for pain and suffering. A third-party claim against a negligent employer, contractor, or equipment manufacturer can provide additional recovery. We evaluate both options and pursue maximum compensation through all available channels.
Causes of Burn Injuries and Liability
Burn injuries result from negligence—someone’s failure to exercise reasonable care. California law holds negligent parties accountable for injuries they cause. Identifying the cause of your burn injury is essential to establishing liability and pursuing compensation.
Common causes of burn injuries in Riverside include workplace accidents at industrial facilities, construction sites, and manufacturing plants. Vehicle fires from defective fuel systems or collision impacts cause burn injuries. Fires in homes and businesses result from faulty wiring, unattended cooking, or defective appliances. Explosions from gas leaks or chemical reactions cause severe burns. Scalding injuries occur when hot water or cooking liquids spill on someone. Chemical exposure happens when workers handle hazardous materials without proper protection.
Negligence occurs when someone fails to exercise reasonable care and causes injury. In burn injury cases, negligence might involve failing to maintain safe working conditions, failing to provide proper safety equipment, failing to warn about hazards, or failing to maintain property in safe condition. Property owners have a duty to maintain their premises safely. Employers have a duty to provide safe working conditions. Manufacturers have a duty to design safe products and warn about hazards.
Who Can Be Held Liable
Multiple parties may be responsible for your burn injury. Property owners and managers can be held liable if they failed to maintain safe conditions or failed to warn about hazards. Employers can be held liable for workplace burns caused by unsafe conditions, inadequate safety equipment, or failure to follow safety regulations. Product manufacturers can be held liable if a defective product caused your burn. Contractors and third parties can be held liable if their negligence caused your injury. In many cases, multiple parties share responsibility, and we pursue claims against all of them to maximize your recovery.
Damages and Compensation Available
California law allows burn injury victims to recover substantial compensation for their injuries. The value of your claim depends on the severity of your burn, the extent of scarring and disfigurement, your medical expenses, your lost income, and the impact on your quality of life.
Economic damages compensate you for quantifiable financial losses. Medical expenses include emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, skin grafts, wound care, and ongoing treatment. Burn injuries often require multiple surgeries over months or years. Rehabilitation and physical therapy help restore function and mobility. Some victims require adaptive equipment or home modifications to accommodate permanent disabilities. We recover all past and future medical expenses related to your burn injury.
Lost wages compensate you for income lost while recovering from your injury. If your burn injury causes permanent disability, you may recover lost earning capacity. This is the difference between what you would have earned and what you can earn with your disability. This can represent substantial compensation for serious burns that prevent you from returning to your previous occupation.
Non-economic damages compensate you for the non-financial impact of your injury. Pain and suffering damages address the physical pain of the burn injury and the pain of medical treatment and recovery. Scarring and disfigurement damages compensate you for permanent changes to your appearance. Emotional distress damages address anxiety, depression, and psychological trauma resulting from your injury. Loss of enjoyment of life damages compensate you for the inability to participate in activities you previously enjoyed.
California law does not cap pain and suffering damages in burn injury cases. Unlike medical malpractice cases, which have damage caps, burn injury victims can recover unlimited compensation for pain and suffering. This means serious burn injuries can result in very substantial settlements and verdicts.
Punitive damages are available when a defendant’s conduct involves malice, oppression, or fraud. Malice includes conduct intended to cause injury or despicable conduct carried out with willful and conscious disregard for others’ rights or safety. Oppression involves intentional and deliberate infliction of injury. Fraud involves intentional misrepresentation or concealment. Punitive damages punish the conduct and deter similar behavior by others.
The Burn Injury Claim Process
Understanding the legal process reduces anxiety and helps you know what to expect. We guide you through each stage of your burn injury claim.
Initial consultation and case evaluation begin when you contact us. We meet with you to understand what happened, review your medical records, and assess your legal claims. We explain your rights, potential remedies, and realistic outcomes. This consultation is free and confidential. We never pressure clients into retaining our services.
Investigation and evidence gathering are critical to building a strong case. We investigate the accident scene, gather witness statements, and preserve evidence before it disappears. We obtain your medical records and work with medical experts to document the full extent of your injury. We review safety regulations, building codes, and industry standards to establish negligence. We investigate the defendant’s history to identify prior similar incidents or safety violations.
Medical expert coordination strengthens your case. We work with burn specialists, plastic surgeons, and rehabilitation experts to document your injury, prognosis, and lifetime care needs. Expert testimony is essential to establishing the severity of your injury and the value of your claim.
Insurance negotiation is where most cases resolve. We present your claim to the defendant’s insurance company, demand appropriate compensation, and negotiate on your behalf. Insurance companies often undervalue burn injury claims. Our experience and knowledge of case values help us negotiate fair settlements.
Settlement vs. trial considerations arise as your case develops. Most burn injury cases settle through negotiation. However, we prepare every case for trial to maximize settlement leverage and protect your interests. If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, we take your case to trial and present your claim to a jury.
Statute of limitations is critical. California law provides a 2-year statute of limitations from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Acting quickly preserves evidence and strengthens your case. If you wait too long, you may lose your right to recover compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a burn injury claim in California?
California law provides a 2-year statute of limitations from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline is critical. If you wait longer than 2 years, you lose your right to recover compensation. We recommend contacting an attorney immediately after your injury to preserve evidence and protect your rights.
What if I was partially at fault for my burn injury?
California follows comparative negligence rules. You can recover damages even if you were partially at fault for your injury. However, your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you were 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you can recover $80,000. This rule encourages injured people to pursue claims even if they bear some responsibility for the accident.
How much is my burn injury case worth?
Burn injury values vary widely based on the severity of the burn, the extent of scarring and disfigurement, your medical expenses, your lost wages, and the impact on your quality of life. Minor burns might be worth $10,000 to $50,000. Moderate burns with scarring might be worth $50,000 to $250,000. Serious burns with permanent disability can be worth $250,000 to over $1 million. We evaluate your specific circumstances and provide an honest assessment of your claim’s value. Review our case results to see examples of settlements and verdicts we’ve secured.
Will my case go to trial?
Most burn injury cases settle through negotiation. Insurance companies often prefer to settle rather than risk a jury verdict. However, we prepare every case for trial. If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, we take your case to trial and present your claim to a jury. Our trial experience and willingness to go to court strengthen our negotiating position and help us obtain better settlements.
Do I have to pay attorney fees up front?
No. We work on a contingency fee basis. You pay no attorney fees, no hourly charges, and no costs unless we recover compensation for you. If we win your case through settlement or judgment, we receive a percentage of your recovery as our fee. We advance all litigation costs, including investigation, expert witnesses, and court costs. You pay nothing out of pocket.
Can I recover damages for scarring and disfigurement?
Yes. California law allows recovery for permanent scarring, disfigurement, and the emotional distress they cause. Scarring and disfigurement damages can be substantial, especially for burns on visible areas like the face, neck, hands, and arms. We work with medical experts to document scarring and disfigurement and present compelling evidence of the emotional impact to juries.
Contact Dordick Law Corporation for Your Free Consultation
If you suffered a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, you deserve experienced legal representation. Dordick Law Corporation provides comprehensive legal services to burn injury victims throughout Riverside and Southern California. We investigate thoroughly, identify all liable parties, and pursue fair compensation on your behalf.
Contact us today for a free consultation. Call (310) 341-7176 or complete our online contact form to schedule your appointment. Our attorneys are available to discuss your case and answer your questions about the legal process. We’re ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.
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