Did you recently sustain severe burn injuries in an accident in Orange County, California? You don’t have to struggle with the costs and consequences of your injury on your own. Call Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian and discover how our experienced Orange County burn injury lawyers can help you fight to get the compensation you need to cover the costs of your medical treatment, loss of income, and trauma.
For more than 30 years, Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian has fiercely advocated for burn injury victims and devastated families across Orange County. Our award-winning legal team has 75+ years of courtroom and litigation experience and has led clients to over $1 billion in financial settlements and jury awards.
You deserve the best results. Let our top-rated California trial attorneys fight to get you every cent you deserve. We offer a free consultation, so call our Orange County law office in Newport Beach, CA to begin today at (949) 831-6611.
Why Choose Us?
- We have recovered over $1 billion on behalf of our clients. Our personal injury attorneys know how to work relentlessly and get real results when it matters most.
- We put our clients first and communicate often with them throughout a case. We will never leave you in the dark about the status of your burn injury claim.
- Our attorneys have a reputation for excellence after decades of providing top-quality legal representation to burn victims and their families throughout California.
- Our Orange County personal injury lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis, which means you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case and secure financial compensation on your behalf.
Why You Need to Contact a Burn Injury Lawyer in Orange County
Filing an insurance claim after a burn injury is a difficult process. Unfortunately, even when accident victims are badly injured, insurance companies put their profits first. You may struggle to receive a settlement offer that is fair and reasonable based on the extent of your injuries and losses when going up against an insurance corporation. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you get through the financial recovery process.
A Orange County burn injury lawyer can offer many important services during your case, such as:
- Investigating the accident and injury.
- Identifying the accused party or defendant.
- Collecting evidence, including interviewing witnesses.
- Hiring experts to strengthen the claim.
- Filing the paperwork to initiate a case.
- Meeting all applicable requirements and deadlines.
- Negotiating with an insurer for a fair settlement.
- Representing you during a court trial, if necessary.
A law firm will have the resources, attorneys and personnel to build a strong burn injury claim on your behalf. You can trust your lawyer to protect your legal rights and advocate for your best interests during conversations with an insurance claims adjuster. You can also count on an attorney to go to court on your behalf if a settlement cannot be reached. In the meantime, you will have the peace of mind to focus on your recovery.
What Causes Burn Injuries?
A burn is an injury to the skin, tissue, and/or underlying muscle that occurs when the body is exposed to fire, high levels of heat, chemicals, electricity, or radiation.
While any traumatic accident can potentially cause burns, some of the leading causes include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Construction accidents
- Workplace accidents
- Industrial accidents
- Fires and explosions
- Accidents involving defective products
- Medical malpractice
- Nursing home abuse
There are different levels of burns, ranging from first-degree (least serious) to fourth-degree (most serious).
- First-degree burns: Superficial burns that only affect the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin. The affected area tends to be red and painful.
- Second-degree burns: These burns affect the epidermis and part of the dermis, which is beneath it. The affected area tends to be red and blistered and can be incredibly painful.
- Third-degree burns: Both the epidermis and dermis are damaged by third-degree burns. Subcutaneous tissue can also be affected. The affected area tends to look white or charred.
- Fourth-degree burns: These burns destroy all layers of skin, and underlying tissue, and can begin to damage muscle and/or bone. Many victims do not experience pain due to nerve damage.
It’s important to seek immediate medical attention if you or a close family member has sustained burn injuries due to another person’s negligence or intentionally harmful actions. Prompt care can help to limit the chances of complications, such as infection, wrongful death, or amputation in Orange County. If you have lost a loved one due to a burn injury, speak to our wrongful death attorneys. You may be entitled to a wrongful death claim in Orange County.
Long-Term Effects of a Burn Injury
Burn injuries can inflict severe physical and emotional damage. Burns can irrevocably destroy the affected tissues, including the epidermis, dermis, and deeper muscles and tendons. This can result in permanent disability, scarring, disfigurement and various health complications, such as nerve damage and thermoregulation disorders.
In addition, suffering a burn injury can be psychologically traumatic. Many survivors suffer from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, for example, as well as emotional distress from scars and permanent disfigurement. Many burn injury survivors require ongoing physical therapy, rehabilitation and mental health counseling.
At Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian, we are sensitive to the trials and tribulations of burn injury victims in Orange County. As your lawyers, we will work hard to achieve the case outcome that you deserve. We are aggressive litigators who will fight for fair compensation for all past, current and future estimated losses you have sustained from a burn caused by someone else’s negligence.
Proving Negligence in a Burn Injury Case
The legal definition of negligence is the failure to exercise the level of care that a reasonable person would have under the same or similar circumstances. An individual’s actions and omissions can both be considered negligent. During a personal injury case that is founded on the argument of negligence, the victim or plaintiff’s attorney will need to establish four elements as more likely to be true than not true, which is known as a preponderance of the evidence.
The four elements of negligence are:
- Duty of care: the defendant had an obligation to act in a reasonable manner to prevent foreseeable harm to the plaintiff. The specific duties of care can vary depending on the relationship between the parties.
- Breach of duty: the defendant’s actions or failure to act fell short or violated the required duty of care, meaning the defendant demonstrated a level of care that fell below what a reasonable person would have used to prevent harm to the plaintiff.
- Causation: the defendant’s breach of the duty of care was the actual cause (cause in fact) or proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injuries. In other words, the plaintiff’s burns were a foreseeable consequence of the defendant’s conduct.
- Damages: the plaintiff suffered actual damages as a result of the defendant’s action or inaction. Compensable damages may include physical harm, medical expenses resulting from the burns, emotional distress, property damage and lost wages.
Each of these elements must be proven as true with at least a 51 percent certainty for the plaintiff’s side of the case to establish negligence. While this is a lower burden of proof than “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” in a criminal case, it can still be difficult to meet on your own as an injured victim. A burn injury lawyer can help you establish the elements of negligence during your claim to hold one or more parties responsible.
What’s My Orange County Burn Injury Case Worth?
When you file a burn injury lawsuit in Orange County, CA, you’ll generally be able to recover compensation for damages related to:
- Medical bills
- Rehabilitation
- Surgery
- Disability
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
No two burn injury cases are the same. Every victim will have a unique experience, so the value of their claims will vary. Important considerations include your age, the location and severity of the burn injury, changes in earning capacity, and the injury’s overall impact on your life.
Our personal injury attorneys in Orange County will work hard to secure maximum compensation on your behalf.
You’ll Have a Limited Time to File a California Burn Injury Lawsuit
In California, a law known as the statute of limitations places a deadline on your right to file a burn injury claim. If you wish to pursue compensation through a personal injury lawsuit as a burn survivor, you will have no more than two years to take legal action. This is the legal time limit under Section 335.1 of the California Code of Civil Procedure.
In general, the two-year deadline starts counting down on the date of the burn injury accident. However, there are limited exceptions to this rule. If you were under the age of 18 when you suffered a burn, for example, you may have two years from the date of your 18th birthday to file a claim instead.
Do not risk missing your statute of limitations by waiting to explore your legal rights and options.
Don’t hesitate to call Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian for help if you’ve sustained burn injuries in an Orange County accident. You’ll have just two years to pursue compensation, and it can be important to get a jumpstart on your case.
Contact Our Orange County Burn Injury Lawyers Today
Many disasters that result in severe burn injuries can be avoided with due care by one or more parties involved. If someone else made a careless or reckless mistake that resulted in the burn injuries that you or a loved one recently suffered in Orange County, California, you may be entitled to financial compensation from the responsible party. Contact the attorneys at Bridgford, Gleason & Artinian to tell your story and receive legal advice during a free case consultation.
Our Orange County burn injury attorneys have the experience, resources, and reputation you’ll need to get the results you deserve. Contact our Orange County law office to set up a free case assessment now.