Burns are among the most painful injuries you can face. On top of that, they can be expensive and time-consuming to treat and leave you with permanent scars. If you believe someone else is responsible for your burn injury, you may be able to take legal action, such as filing a personal injury claim.
Let’s look at when you might have a case.
1. Negligent care of property. Property owners are responsible to keep their premises free from hazards for invited guests. This means that they need to perform routine maintenance and correct any situation that could cause injury. At the very least, a property owner should block or warn others until the hazard can be fixed.
For example: the owners of an apartment complex was advised by the fire department to install working smoke detectors and sprinkler systems, but the owners delayed in getting this taken care of. As a result, several residents were severely injured during a fire. In this situation, the residents may be able to sue the apartment owners.
2. Malicious acts. If someone deliberately burned you as an act of violence, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. Note that your claim for civil damages would be separate from the criminal charges the defendant would most certainly face. A civil trial gives victims that opportunity to receive a monetary award to address the medical expenses, missed work, and pain you’ve faced.
3. Lack of appropriate supervision. If a child is burned at a daycare or school, you may be able to take legal action. A childcare facility is responsible for maintaining adequate supervision and a safe environment for kids. While accidents can and do happen, some accidents should never happen.
For example, a day camp has offers a campfire time, where elementary-aged children can sing songs. After the activity, staff extinguish the flames, but fail to ensure that all children have left the area. A curious youngster hangs back and trips, falling onto the still smoldering logs. In this case, the parents of the minor child may be able to file a claim against the day camp for failing to supervise.
Of course, these are just a few examples. The important takeaway is that if a party who owed you a duty of care failed and you were injured as a result, you may be able to seek compensation.
The best way to know for sure is to call a personal injury lawyer. Our team at Ladenburg Law Injury Attorneys offer free case evaluations. Please reach out to us and see if we can help!