Burn injuries can change a person’s life in an instant. Severe burns are painful and costly and often lead to long-term complications. Whether caused by a workplace accident, defective product, or negligence, those who suffer from burn injuries may face a long road to recovery.
If you have been injured in Pittsburgh, consulting a Pittsburgh burn injury lawyer can help you seek compensation for your losses and understand your legal rights under Pennsylvania law. Burn injuries can result in medical bills, lost wages, and physical and emotional suffering.
For many victims, the consequences are life-altering. Beyond the immediate medical care, recovery often involves skin grafts, surgeries, and ongoing therapy. When another party’s negligence caused your injuries, pursuing legal action can help secure the financial support needed for your recovery and future needs.
Why Choose Pribanic & Pribanic for Your Pittsburgh Burn Injury Claim
Pribanic & Pribanic has decades of experience helping individuals who have suffered catastrophic injuries, including severe burns. The right legal representation ensures that you hold the responsible party accountable and seek the compensation you deserve.
Here’s how Pribanic & Pribanic stands out for clients in Pittsburgh and beyond.
Focused on burn injury cases
The team at Pribanic & Pribanic has successfully handled cases involving varying degrees of burns caused by negligence. Whether it’s a third-degree burn or a chemical burn, they have the knowledge and skills to address these cases’ unique medical and legal challenges.
This preparation helps them build strong cases tailored to each client’s needs.
Personalized attention
Clients at Pribanic & Pribanic receive personalized attention at every step. Each injury case is approached carefully and diligently, ensuring victims feel heard and supported throughout the legal process. They are at your side, from the initial consultation to trial or settlement discussions.
Pennsylvania law knowledge
Burn injury cases involve complex issues surrounding negligence, liability, and damages. The attorneys at Pribanic & Pribanic are well-versed in Pennsylvania law and use this knowledge to their clients’ advantage.
They dig deep to uncover evidence, calculate damages accurately, and ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to under the law.
Proven results
Pribanic & Pribanic has a long history of securing successful results for injured clients. Their approach focuses on building strong, well-documented cases that hold negligent parties accountable and secure significant compensation for medical care, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
No fees unless you win
Legal fees should never stop you from pursuing justice. Pribanic & Pribanic works on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t pay anything unless your case is successful. This allows injured individuals to focus on recovery while the team handles the legal complexities.
Types of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries fall into several categories, each with varying levels of severity. A Pittsburgh burn injury lawyer can guide you and help determine the legal steps to take, depending on the type of burn you’ve suffered.
Thermal burns
Thermal burns result from exposure to heat, often from fires, hot liquids, or scalding steam. These burns are one of the most common and can range from mild first-degree burns to severe third-degree injuries that destroy skin, tissue, and nerve endings.
Chemical burns
Chemical burns occur when harmful substances, such as strong acids or alkalis, come into contact with skin. These burns often happen in industrial or workplace settings where hazardous materials are used. Chemical burns can penetrate deeply and may require specialized treatment.
Electrical burns
Electrical burns are caused by contact with electricity. Workers exposed to live wires, faulty equipment, or unsafe environments are at risk. These burns damage the skin, internal tissues, and organs after the electricity travels through the body.
Radiation burns
Radiation exposure, whether through medical treatments or industrial accidents, can result in burns. Radiation burns may develop slowly over time or appear immediately following overexposure.
Friction burns
Friction burns happen when the skin rubs against a hard surface with enough force to remove layers of skin. These injuries often occur in high-speed auto accidents or workplace incidents involving machinery.
The Long-Term Effects of Burn Scarring on Physical Health
Burn injuries often leave lasting scars that go far beyond appearance. Severe burns can damage not only the skin but also the underlying muscles, nerves, and tissues. Scarring from burns can create physical challenges that affect daily life and require ongoing care.
Restricted mobility
Burn scars can tighten over time, a condition known as contracture. This happens when scar tissue pulls on the skin and limits movement in the affected area. Contractures often form over joints, such as knees or elbows, making it difficult to bend or stretch.
Surgery and physical therapy are sometimes necessary to regain flexibility and reduce restrictions.
For deep burns, scar tissue may also replace healthy skin, causing reduced elasticity. This makes it harder for surrounding muscles and joints to function properly. Patients often experience stiffness and awkward movements that interfere with routine activities, from lifting objects to walking.
Chronic pain
Scar tissue can press against nerves, leading to persistent pain long after the initial burn has healed. This pain may feel sharp, throbbing, or like a constant ache in the affected area. Nerve damage caused by the burn itself can intensify the discomfort, creating a condition called neuropathic pain.
For some people, scars become hypersensitive to touch or changes in temperature. Even light contact with clothing or exposure to cold air can trigger discomfort. Pain management often involves medications, therapies, or surgical interventions aimed at easing these symptoms.
Increased risk of skin and tissue problems
Severe burns can leave scar tissue that lacks essential functions of healthy skin, such as regulating temperature or producing oils. The scarred area may become dry or prone to cracking, increasing the infection risk.
Deep burns often damage or destroy sweat glands, limiting the body’s ability to cool itself in hot conditions. This lack of sweating in the scarred area forces other body parts to work harder to regulate temperature, which may cause complications during physical activity or in extreme weather.
Burn scars are more fragile than normal skin, making them vulnerable to injury. A minor bump or scrape on a scarred area can lead to bleeding or infections that require medical attention. Preventive care and vigilant hygiene are critical for avoiding complications.
Long-Term Skin Growth Challenges in Children
When children suffer serious burns, scarring can interfere with normal growth. Because scar tissue does not expand as a child grows, contractures may worsen over time. Children may require additional surgeries, such as skin grafts or tissue expansions, to accommodate their developing bodies and maintain mobility.
Impact on muscle strength and function
Burn scars extend beyond the skin’s surface in severe cases, affecting underlying muscles and tissues. This can reduce strength in an affected limb or area and make physical exertion more difficult.
For patients recovering from electrical burns, internal muscle damage may be especially severe, requiring long-term physical rehabilitation.
Medical treatments for long-term scarring
Ongoing medical care is often necessary to manage the physical effects of burn scars. Treatments like laser therapy, pressure garments, and silicone sheets can help minimize scar formation or improve existing scar tissue. Surgical procedures, including contracture release or skin grafts, may restore mobility and reduce discomfort.
Physical therapy also plays a critical part in addressing long-term complications caused by scarring. Exercises can restore strength and flexibility, helping patients regain functionality and prevent further tightening of the scarred skin.
Living with long-term scarring
Severe burns fundamentally change the way skin and tissues function. Scars from these injuries create various challenges, from physical pain to restricted movement. Long-term medical care and rehabilitation are essential to improving the quality of life for those living with these effects.
Addressing these challenges often requires a combination of medical treatments, therapies, and proper self-care to reduce the burden of scarring.
When Is Someone Liable for Burn Injuries?
Not all burn injuries are the result of another person’s negligence. However, many cases involve preventable mistakes or unsafe conditions that hold someone else responsible. A Pittsburgh burn injury lawyer evaluates the circumstances of each case to determine who is at fault and whether a legal claim is appropriate.
Workplace accidents
Burns caused by fire, chemicals, or electricity often occur in the workplace. Employers are responsible for creating safe environments, including providing protective equipment and addressing known hazards. Failing to do so can make them liable for employee injuries.
Defective products
Faulty products, such as household appliances, malfunctioning machinery, or defective electronics, often cause burns. Product manufacturers may be held accountable for failing to ensure the safety of their goods or for neglecting to warn consumers about potential risks.
Car and truck accidents
Burn injuries in auto accidents are sometimes caused by leaking fuel, fires, or explosions. Negligent drivers or faulty vehicle designs may contribute to these dangerous situations, making insurance claims or lawsuits possible.
Property owner negligence
Property owners are obligated to maintain safe conditions in their buildings or homes. If fires, scalding water, or dangerous chemicals on the property result in injuries, the owner may be held accountable.
Legal Steps for Burn Injury Victims in Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania residents have specific rights when it comes to filing a burn injury lawsuit. Understanding these steps can help you or a loved one seek compensation.
Gathering evidence
Strong cases begin with thorough evidence collection. Photographs of the scene, medical records, workplace incident reports, and witness statements all help establish the cause of the injury and prove liability. A lawyer can also work with investigators and forensic specialists to uncover additional information.
Filing a claim
Pennsylvania law limits how long victims can file personal injury lawsuits. Burn injury cases must be filed within two years of the injury. Acting quickly ensures the case is filed within the statute of limitations and avoids unnecessary delays.
Proving negligence
Most burn injury claims rely on proving another party’s negligence. The case needs to show that the responsible party failed to take reasonable precautions, which directly caused the injury. For example, a landlord who neglects fire safety measures or an employer who skips safety training may be at fault.
Calculating damages
Burn injuries have wide-ranging consequences. Compensation accounts for medical bills, physical pain, emotional suffering, lost wages, lost earning potential, and even future care costs. An attorney evaluates both current and long-term expenses to secure a fair settlement or award.
Long-Term Costs of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries often require long-term medical care and lifestyle adjustments. Compensation covers a range of expenses to help victims regain normalcy.
Hospitalization and treatment
Severe burns may require lengthy hospital stays, skin graft procedures, or reconstructive surgery. These costs add up quickly, making compensation vital for recovery.
Physical therapies
Burns often result in limited mobility or scarring. Victims may require physical therapy to regain movement, occupational therapy to relearn daily activities, or therapy to deal with the emotional strain of the injury.
Prosthetics OR assistive technology
Electrical burns and other severe injuries sometimes lead to amputations. Burn victims often need prosthetics or adaptive technology to maintain their independence and quality of life.
Lost income
Recovering from a burn injury can mean time off work or permanent inability to return to certain types of employment. Settlements compensate for lost wages and potential future income losses.
Pribanic & Pribanic Helps You Take the First Step Toward Justice
Burn injuries can disrupt life in countless ways, but you don’t have to face these challenges alone. A Pittsburgh burn injury lawyer can help you pursue compensation, advocate for your rights, and hold negligent parties accountable.
Contact Pribanic & Pribanic at (412) 281-8844 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can assist with your burn injury case. Acting quickly preserves your legal options and gives you the best chance to secure the compensation you and your family need.