Burn Injury Lawyer in Centennial, CO
Severe burns are catastrophic injuries that can leave a victim with pain, disfigurement, and debilitating lifelong consequences. Recovery often requires prolonged and painful medical treatment, physical therapy, and reconstructive plastic surgery.
Burn survivors are prone to Post-Traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and extreme emotional distress. The trauma of surviving a horrendous burn injury can be life-altering resulting in a total withdrawal from society, family, and friends. When burns leave permanent skin damage, limit a victim’s range of motion, and cause physical and emotional pain and suffering, victims often need lifetime medical care.
The law firm of Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC’s Centennial Burn Injury Lawyer has decades of combined experience helping victims of burn injuries caused by someone’s negligence pursue justice and compensation in Centennial and surrounding areas. We believe that providing exceptional service leads to exceptional outcomes for our clients. Our firm’s commitment to personal service and excellence has earned us a stellar reputation.
We will gather and review:
- Medical records
- Police and fire department reports
- Safety inspection records
- Witness statements
- Photographs and video surveillance recordings
We move quickly victims should document accident scene evidence before it degrades and must interview witnesses while the incident is fresh in their minds.
Table of Contents
- Possible Compensation After a Burn Accident
- What Determines the Value of a Burn Accident Claim In Centennial?
- The Main Causes of Burn Accidents In Centennial
- Statute of Limitations for Filing a Burn Accident Claim
- Protect Your Rights After a Burn Injury in Centennial
Possible Compensation After a Burn Accident
A severe burn is expensive and painful to treat. The circumstances of each case are unique, but you may be eligible to receive compensation for economic and non-economic damages. In cases where the defendant’s actions are egregiously wrongful, you may seek punitive or exemplary damages.
Possible economic damages
Economic damages have a definite dollar value and include past and current medical expenses, like prescription medications, physical, occupational, and mental health therapies, assistive devices, home modifications, and expected or projected future medically related costs.
Additional economic damages may also include:
- Lost wages
- Loss of future wages
- Job retraining
- Repair or replacement of personal property
- Household and childcare service costs
Non-economic damages
These damages are subjective losses that result from a burn accident, such as:
- Pain, suffering, mental anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Inconvenience
- Humiliation
- Disfigurement
In Colorado, plaintiffs may win punitive damages. This outcome can happen if the defendant’s actions were fraudulent, intentional, or malicious. A judge and/or a jury will consider these punitive damages to punish the at-fault party for egregious behavior and help prevent similar actions in the future.
The attorneys at Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC are here to help you and your family navigate this difficult, confusing, and painful time. We understand the complexity of burn injury cases and are client-centric and results-oriented. Take back your future call us today for your no cost, no obligation consultation.
What Determines the Value of a Burn Accident Claim In Centennial?
Burn injuries are a type of personal injury often preventable with care and caution. In a civil claim, the plaintiff must show the defendant’s negligent conduct caused the accident and that the accident resulted in the injury.
Whether the injury resulted from someone acting recklessly or from a failure to act at all, the monetary value of a claim depends on:
- The severity of the injuries
- The credibility of the evidence
- The extent of the victim’s pain and suffering
- The required and expected medical treatments
- The effect the injury has on the victim’s daily life
- The amount of actual lost wages
- The projected value of future lost wages
- The defendant’s culpability
Hiring a lawyer following an accident gives the victim many advantages when seeking compensation. Deadlines and documents must be met and filed correctly and timely. A burn injury attorney understands how to value non-economic damages and knows the importance of showing insurance claims adjusters, juries, and judges how these injuries impact the whole family.
At Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC, we understand how debilitating catastrophic burns can be for our clients and their families, and we know how to explain the devastating economic toll they take. Our results speak volumes.
Who Can I Hold Liable for a Burn Accident?
Who is in danger of a burn accident? Anyone near heat, open flames, steam, electrical currents, or chemicals is at risk of a burn injury.
Those responsible for a burn depend on where and how the injury happened. Although not all burns are severe enough to warrant a lawsuit, those that are catastrophic and life-changing (typically third and fourth-degree burns) bear a thorough investigation. You may hold multiple parties responsible for severe burn injuries.
The American Burn Association reports 486,000 yearly burns requiring emergency room treatments and hospitalization.
Annual statistics report:
- 2,745 deaths from residential fires
- 310 deaths from vehicle accidents
- Every two hours and 41 minutes, someone in the U.S. dies as the result of a fire
- The odds of dying in a fire-related accident are one in 1,442
Data from The United States Fire Administration reports that 59.4 percent of Colorado fire-related casualties stem from residential fires and 21.9 percent from vehicle fires.
Owners and landlords of private homes, apartments, mobile homes, cabins, vacation rentals, and Airbnbs are responsible for maintaining a safe environment for guests and visitors. The same safety standards apply to hotels, motels, restaurants, nightclubs, retail shops, and public buildings and meeting places.
Owners and management companies may be liable for burn injuries if:
- Water heaters explode
- Blocked emergency exits are blocked
- Improperly working fire extinguishers
- Faulty electrical wiring
- Fire code or safety measures violations
- Failed smoke detectors
- Malfunctioning kitchen equipment
- Building codes violations
- Public buildings without a posted fire evacuation plan
- Improperly set water heaters
Debilitating burns happen in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident when:
- Airbags fail to deploy or deploy for no apparent reason
- Victims come in contact with hot metals
- Gasoline tanks explode
- A cyclist encounters harsh road surfaces and gravel
- An accident victim comes into contact with caustic fluids
Beauty salon operators and estheticians may cause facial burns when:
- Using untested or dangerous products
- Employing untrained staff members
- Using too much product
Maintenance workers may encounter strong chemicals or corrosive liquids and solvents, and burns can happen during surgical procedures. Burn accidents can happen in daycare centers, summer camps, gas stations, during a fireworks celebration, and on or near construction sites. With the possible exception of a burn from a lightning strike, burn accidents are almost always the result of negligence.
You can hold any person responsible for heat, electrical, chemical, or even a radiation source liable when they fail to use reasonable caution or follow accepted safety standards.
The Main Causes of Burn Accidents In Centennial
Burns happen accidentally or intentionally. There are many potential burn injury causes in Centennial, and everyone is at risk. Age or occupation does not limit these injuries, which can stem from heat, cold, friction, and chemical or electric sources.
Causes of burn injuries include:
- Motor vehicle/car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Premises liability accidents
- Explosions
- Caustic chemicals
- Building fires
Burn Accident Consequences
The multiple complications of severe burns frequently mean a prolonged recovery period, long-term treatments, and physical and occupational therapy. Unfortunately, some burn victims may have problems for a lifetime, and some may succumb to their injuries.
Immediate burn injury concerns include:
- Dehydration
- Fluid imbalance
- Smoke inhalation
- Asphyxiation
- Respiratory distress
- Shock
- Problems regulating body temperature
- Heightened risk of systemic infections
- Sepsis
- Bone and joint problems
- Organ damage
Once out of imminent danger, burn victim recoveries frequently find themselves with:
- Multiple surgeries
- Skin grafts
- Limited mobility
- Ongoing physical therapy
- Permanent physical impairment
- Scarring
- Nerve damage
- Respiratory issues
- Organ damage
- Chronic pain
- Disfigurement
- Emotional pain and suffering
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The National Center For Biotechnology Information states:
“Of great importance is that the injury affects not only the physical health, but also the mental health and quality of life of the patient. Accordingly, patients with [a] burn injury cannot be considered recovered when the wounds have healed; instead, burn injury leads to long-term profound alterations that must be addressed to optimize quality of life.”
Statute of Limitations for Filing a Burn Accident Claim
Statutes of limitations are state-specific deadlines detailing the time a plaintiff must file a suit. Considering the evidence required to prove negligence and the time it may take to get a definitive medical prognosis, the window of opportunity can be shorter than one may think. Sooner than later is the optimal time to seek legal counsel following an accident.
With very few exceptions, Colorado limits the filing deadlines:
- For personal injury claims for accidents involving a motor vehicle at two years
- For personal injury claims other than from a motor vehicle accident at three years
- For claims against the county, city, or state, 180 days to file a claim and a lawsuit within two years
Is There a Limit on the Compensation Amount for a Burn Injury?
With few exceptions, Colorado does not limit economic damages. The dollar amount requested is what the victim spends or loses. You can verify these expenses with receipts and other records.
Additionally, there is no cap on pain and suffering damages for plaintiffs who have suffered permanent physical impairments.
Protect Your Rights After a Burn Injury in Centennial
Centennial Burn Injury Attorney, Lauren Varner
At Varner Faddis Elite Legal, LLC, our burn injury lawyers provide legal representation to those suffering thermal, chemical, electrical, or radiation burns. We are a staple in the local legal community, and we fully understand what is necessary to file a successful burn injury claim.
Burn accident victims have a right to seek financial compensation, and we are here to protect your rights. We combine cutting-edge technology and creative solutions to honor the depth of our clients’ injuries. We strategically tell your story to insurance investigators and juries. We stand ready to help you and your family. Reach out to a Centennial personal injury lawyer.
Contact our attorney or call us at 720-710-9073 (VFEL) or submit an electronic request for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
Client Testimonial
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Star Review
“Lauren Varner and her staff collected all the necessary information, did the necessary research and procured a nice settlement for my case. They were able to keep me from having to appear in court. I am very grateful for their diligence and keeping me informed. I strongly recommend that practice.” -Rob W.
Office
6025 South Quebec St.
Suite 100
Centennial, CO 80111
Phone: 720-710-9073
