Burn Injuries

Each year in the United States, 1.1 million burn injuries require medical attention, according to statistics of the American Burn Association. These injuries range from burns that cause blistering and scarring to life-threatening injuries that affect a person’s ability to move and breathe.

If you have suffered a burn injury, it’s important to find out if you have a legal claim or any option to seek compensation. Burn injuries can be one of the most painful injuries to sustain—and may require expensive treatment. Consulting with a burn injury lawyer as soon as possible after your injury can ensure you protect your right to fair financial recovery.

If you’re in Westchester County, White Plains, or anywhere in the lower Hudson Valley or the area surrounding NYC, and you’ve suffered a burn injury, contact The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel at any time for a free consultation. Find out whether you have the option of seeking financial recovery, get answers, and get an honest evaluation of how much your injuries may end up costing you.

What Are Burn Injuries?

Defined as tissue damage caused by a variety of agents, including heat or chemicals, a burn is most commonly the result of:

• Industrial Accidents
• Car Accidents
• Explosions from Gas and other Flammable Liquids
• Scalding/ Hot Water
• Defective Electronic Devices
• Chemical Exposure
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Electrical Accidents
• Lighters & Matches
• Gasoline Spills
• Building Fires
• Defective Candles

There are three main classifications of burns:

• First-degree burns. These occur when top layer of skin (epidermis) is injured. First-degree burns usually cause redness and pain but heal on their own. 
• Second-degree burns. These injuries affect the epidermis and deeper layers of skin (dermis). In addition to pain and redness, patients can experience blisters and swelling.
• Third-degree burns. These injuries go even deeper, affecting the tissue and even bone under the skin. Third-degree burns are a medical emergency. The affected skin may be red, black, or white, with a thickened appearance. While the injury itself may not hurt (because the nerve endings have been damaged), the injury can affect mobility and can be life-threatening.

In addition, doctors consider the location and extent of the injury when determining severity. Burns that cover over 10% of the body or that affect sensitive areas of body, such as the face, for example, are considered more severe.

Should you suspect that you have a moderate to severe burn, seek medical attention. Doctors can help diagnose the injury and start a treatment plan to manage pain, reduce the risk of infection, and work to reduce scarring and mobility problems. In cases of a severe burn, you may be referred to specialists at a burn center.

Why Should You Contact The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel?

In addition to being painful and potentially leading to scarring, burn injuries are also expensive to treat. These injuries may require a stay in the hospital, which can cost anywhere from thousands of dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition, ongoing treatment, pain management, and visits to burn centers can add up.

A common problem occurs when doctors and specialists recommend debridement, grafts, excision, or reconstruction surgery. Specialists may deem these necessary to increase range of motion, relieve pressure, improve blood flow, and increase functionality of the affected area. Yet, in these cases health insurance companies sometimes try to deny claims by arguing that burn surgeries are “cosmetic,” even if they are recommended by a medical professional.

The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel can help you seek any options you may have for compensation, so you can pay for the treatment you need and replace income you’ve lost if your injuries have required you to spend time away from work. If your injuries were caused by the negligence of another party, you may be eligible for compensation that covers your incidental costs, such as the cost of travel to medical appointments, pain and suffering, lost income potential, current and future medical costs, the costs of mental health support, and more.

The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel can also help you negotiate with your insurance company. We can address any denials of claims and can make sure your insurer treats you fairly. If your doctors have recommended a treatment as medically necessary, we will fight to make sure that your insurer covers that treatment, in accordance with your policy.

At The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel, with offices in White Plains and in Peekskill, New York, we have extensive experience representing the victims of burn injuries in the State and Federal Courts of New York. Our litigators recognize that in addition to the physical manifestations of burns, often the psychological injuries and effects can be more devastating, particularly when the injuries are visible to other people and cannot be covered by clothing or hair, for example.

We have represented a model whose face was scarred, resulting in a tremendous loss of income, in addition to the physical, emotional and psychological impacts. In another case, a client who went for a facial suffered facial injuries and burns due to the application of an agent which should not have been used. In a third case, a client who went to a pizza parlor with her grandkids suffered second and third degree burns to her thigh when a careless waiter dropped a pizza on her leg while she was wearing shorts.

In each case, we worked closely with our clients, supporting them as we aggressively pursued compensation. For these clients, we were able to secure court wins or settlements that allowed our clients to pay for therapy, medical bills, and the many other expenses they faced.

When we work with any new client, we always offer a free consultation, which lets you see if we’re a good fit for your needs. During your consultation, you’ll get a case evaluation that lets you understand whether you have a claim and gives you information about the type of compensation you may be eligible for. Your free consultation also gives you the opportunity, with no cost and no obligation or risk, to ask questions and to find out more so you can make a decision about whether you want to pursue a claim.

If you decide to work with us, we can guarantee we’ll offer your case customized attention. We also work on a contingency fee basis, so you will not pay any fees until and unless we recover a court win or a settlement for you. This arrangement allows you to pursue a claim without worrying about the upfront costs.

How Can a Burn Injury Lawyer Help If You’re Injured?

Liability insurance companies and their defense counsel often attempt to minimize or fail to appreciate the severity of burn injuries. They request what is known as a “scar review”, during which the insurance company will retain an investigator to take photographs of the burns to evaluate the extent of any healing and the amount of scarring. The frequent refrain from these companies is: “It doesn’t look that bad”, or something to that effect. We make it abundantly clear to the claims adjusters and defense attorneys that if they do not make a settlement offer which encompasses all of the effects of the injuries, including the financial impact on those whose careers are directly related to their physical appearance, we will litigate the case to trial and let a jury make the determination.

In burn cases, it is essential that the attorneys representing the victims recognize what their clients are enduring, and where necessary, assist the clients in obtaining the experts necessary to alleviate the physical and psychological pain and suffering. We understand that in addition to recovering the maximum amount for pain and suffering, our clients also want to ensure that their medical and hospital bills are paid, that future medical expenses are covered, any lost wages are reimbursed, and that loss of future earning capacity is taken into account where applicable.

Contact Us Today

We have the experience and expertise necessary to aggressively, effectively, and quickly litigate our clients’ cases in order to obtain the maximum possible compensation from all liable parties and insurance companies.

The Law Office of Mark A. Siesel represents clients in the Bronx, Westchester County and throughout the Hudson Valley. If you or someone you know has suffered a burn injury, contact us online or call (914) 428-7386 to schedule a free consultation.