Anyone who has spent too much time in the sun or touched a hot pan while cooking knows how shocking and painful even a minor burn can be. However, if you have suffered serious burns due to another person’s negligence—events involving exposure to open flame, superheated materials, caustic chemicals, or radiation—you unfortunately also know how much damage a severe burn can inflict on every aspect of your personal and professional life.
While civil compensation cannot undo a life-altering injury, pursuing fair recovery with the help of a skilled Wilmington burn injury lawyer can protect your long-term best interests. Working with our dedicated catastrophic injury attorneys at Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz, & Bhaya, you will have a better chance of successfully holding the responsible parties accountable for your injury than if you try to file a suit on your own.
Understanding the Degrees of Burn Injuries
Medical professionals classify burn injuries into degrees based on how many layers of skin are damaged and the expected duration of the injury’s negative effects. A Wilmington attorney specializing in burn injury cases can help file a claim for any of the following types of trauma and pursue compensation for the unique losses associated with each.
First-Degree Burns
Affecting only the outermost layer of skin, first-degree burns are generally red, dry, and mildly painful. They typically do not cause blistering or scarring and heal completely with minimal first aid.
Second-Degree Burns
Second-degree burns damage both the outer layer of skin, known as the epidermis, and the inner layer, called the dermis. This causes significant pain, blistering, swelling, and sometimes long-term scarring.
Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns destroy both the epidermis and dermis layers. These burns result in severe discoloration, permanent scarring, and various complications that require immediate emergency care.
Fourth-Degree Burns
Some physicians refer to burns that completely penetrate the skin to damage muscles, tendons, and bones as fourth-degree burns. These destroy nerve endings in the affected area and are almost always life-threatening.
How Long Do You Have To Sue Over a Burn Injury?
Many severe burn injuries caused by the negligence of others can have lifelong effects, which may be both disfiguring and disabling. However, even if you have sustained permanent harm from this type of injury, you have a limited amount of time to seek restitution for all the damages experienced.
Under Delaware Code Title 10, §8119, you and your attorney have a maximum of two years to sue over a personal injury, starting from the date the injury occurred. Our Wilmington lawyers can answer further questions about deadlines that may apply to your potential burn injury claim and help you construct a comprehensive lawsuit or settlement demand promptly.
Contact a Wilmington Attorney After a Severe Burn Injury
No matter the cause, a severe burn can result in intense physical and emotional suffering, lead to thousands of dollars in medical expenses, force you to miss months of work, or even permanently limit your ability to earn a living. These losses and others can factor into a lawsuit or settlement against the person responsible for your injury, but only if you can prove their liability to the satisfaction of a civil court.
Our team at Doroshow, Pasquale, Krawitz, & Bhaya can help by providing the customized legal support you need. Call today to learn how a Wilmington burn injury lawyer can help you move forward.