Long Island Burn Injury Lawyer
Helping Burn Injury Victims Hurt in Car Accidents on Long Island and in New York City
Burn injuries rank among the most painful injuries to endure, and they often leave permanent marks on their victims through scarring, disfigurement, disability, and deep emotional and psychological wounds. Burn injury victims require a high level of costly medical care, rehabilitation and ongoing medical and emotional support. At Giuffré Law Offices, we take the time to listen to you and understand your needs. We tailor our representation to the specific facts of your case and fight to see that you are taken care of. If you’ve suffered severe burns in a car accident, construction accident, nursing home negligence, or defective product injury or other incident caused by another’s negligent, careless, or reckless conduct, call our offices in Stewart Manor, Brooklyn or Bayside. We serve clients throughout Nassau County, Long Island and New York City, and we’ll come to you if you can’t make it out to our offices.
Recovery for auto accident burn injuries in New York
Over a million people nationwide need medical treatment for a burn injury every year. In a serious car accident, burns can be part of a catastrophic injury requiring extraordinary medical care. Car crash victims are at risk of burns from any of the following:
- Fuel-fed fires, getting trapped inside a burning car
- Explosions
- Thermal burns (contact burns) from coming into contact with superhot pieces of the engine or liquids, such as oil
- Chemical burns from exploding batteries
New York insurance law anticipates burn injuries as a “serious injury” which authorizes the crash victim to pursue a tort claim for negligence against the at-fault driver. In a tort claim, you can recover the full amount of your legal damages, including past and future medical expenses, lost wages or disability, pain and suffering, and more. “Significant disfigurement” is one of the injuries which crosses the serious injury threshold and takes you outside of New York’s no-fault system, where recoveries are limited and lawsuits are prohibited. Even without significant disfigurement, other criteria may be met after a burn injury that allows you to file a civil claim. We’ll meet with you at no cost to evaluate your situation and let you know whether we think you have a strong claim for damages.
Burn injuries can present a lifetime of challenges and expenses
Our experienced New York personal injury and wrongful death lawyers understand the significant difficulties and costs a person faces after a severe burn in a major crash. Victims most often require emergency medical treatment and acute, intensive care, followed by a lengthy period of wound care and rehabilitation. During this healing period, patients face risks from hypothermia, infection and septic shock. Even after the wounds have healed, many burn victims must undergo long-term care or continuous treatment in areas such as the following:
Skin grafts. Skin grafting involves transplanting healthy skin onto the area damaged by the burn. It can be done for cosmetic or structural reasons or to help increase or restore motor function. Patients may need many skin graft operations over the years, especially when the victim is a growing child.
Prosthetics. Burn injuries sometimes require surgical amputation and replacement of the lost limb with a prosthetic device. Prostheses wear out over time or must be replaced as the victim grows, representing a long-term cost. The injury victim may also require one more adaptive devices to maximize independence, self-care and quality of life.
Vocational Rehabilitation. Physical and occupational or vocational therapy might be in order to help regain functioning or learn new adaptive skills, such as using a non-dominant hand or arm or training for a different occupation.
Scarring and disfigurement. Scarring from a burn can limit mobility and function, and patients may suffer nerve damage as well. These injuries present physical challenges and can also cause emotional or psychological harm, affecting the individual’s quality of life, social life and self-esteem. Depression, PTSD and anxiety disorders may need to be treated.
At Giuffré Law Offices, our experience with catastrophic injury victims helps ensure that we will consider all relevant lifetime costs and build a persuasive case for the full measure of damages the negligent driver or insurance company owes. We’ll negotiate a fair settlement that meets your needs or take your case to court if necessary.
Call Giuffré Law Offices After a Burn Injury in Long Island or New York City
If you or a loved one has suffered a severe burn in a car accident in Nassau County or throughout Long Island or New York City, call Giuffré Law Offices at 516-802-9912. Your consultation is free, and we don’t charge any fee until after we have obtained compensation on your behalf.
