Our Dallas Burn Injury Law Firm Fights to See Justice Served
Burns might be one of the most difficult types of catastrophic injuries a person can experience. They often require extensive medical treatment and, in the worst instances, can change the rest of a person’s life. That’s why those with burn injuries deserve answers and compensation from those who could have prevented their suffering. When the negligence of another party causes people to sustain serious injuries, Arnold & Itkin steps in to fight for justice on their behalf.
No one deserves to suffer because of the careless actions of others.
Our Dallas burn injury lawyers focus on the recovery of our clients and help them in surrounding areas—such as Fort Worth. We never settle for less than they deserve and we never back down on their behalf, making sure corporations and their insurance companies pay for their wrongdoing.
Call (888) 493-1629 today to learn how our Dallas burn injury attorneys can fight for the compensation you deserve. Get a free case consultation today.
Burn injuries rank among the most costly injuries in American hospitals. Generally, burn trauma units are staffed entirely with high-cost specialists, and the nature of these injuries requires 24-hour care. Additionally, the initial stay for burn injury survivors is longer than other injuries. That’s why our firm fights for the absolute maximum our clients need.
Our results for burn injury survivors speak for themselves:
$222 million verdict for the widow of a plant worker struck with fatal steam burns
$177.5 million settlement in burn injury claim against multiple defendants
$125 million settlement for the widow of a dredge worker with fatal burns
$92.7 million settlement for a workplace accident victim that set a statewide record for burn injury claims
$87 million settlement who suffered life-threatening burns in a refinery accident
$49 million settlement for a plant worker who survived an explosion with severe and widespread burns
$39.7 million verdict for a worker burned in a preventable dust explosion at a plywood plant
The above list is far from exhaustive, as we have successfully represented clients in many other burn injury and catastrophic injury cases. When you're looking for the right attorney, you need to be confident that you're working with an advocate who can secure the compensation you need to move forward with your life.
Recent Combustion-Related Claims Filed by Dallas Burn Injury Lawyers
A significant number of the tens of thousands of serious burn injuries every year are caused by work accidents, defective products, and vehicle accidents—all related to negligence. As burn injury attorneys in Dallas, it's our job to investigate these accidents on behalf of plaintiffs, advocating for them against reckless companies and their insurers.
These are just a few of the cases we’ve brought forward recently for burn injury victims:
There are three common types of burn injuries: thermal, chemical, and flash burns. While many people associate burns with making direct contact with a hot surface or flames, they can happen from many other sources.
Thermal burns occur when a person is exposed to hot liquids, gases, or surfaces.
Chemical burns occur when a person makes contact with a dangerous substance. Heat isn’t always involved with chemical burns, like in cases involving hydrofluoric acid or other corrosive substances.
Flash burns occur when a person sustains injuries because of their proximity to a heat source or electricity. For example, some people might sustain burn injuries if they are close to an explosion.
Inhalation Injuries: One of the Most Dangerous Aspects of Burns
One of the most dangerous aspects of burns are co-occurring injuries. Those with burns often experience inhalation injuries because of the smoke and vapors they inhale during accidents. Inhalation injuries can cause lasting damage to the respiratory system, eyes, and other parts of their body. Inhalation injuries are one of the deadliest aspects of combustion events. Some studies attribute 60–80% of burn victim fatalities to inhalation injury.
Symptoms of inhalation injuries include:
Coughing up phlegm
Irritated sinuses
Pain or tightness in the chest
Running nose
Scratchy, irritated throat
Shortness of breath
Stinging eyes
Headaches
Other studies have found that sepsis, largely caused by bacterial infection, is one of the leading causes of death during a burn injury victim's initial hospitalization. Severe burns put the human body into a deeply vulnerable state, not least because burns destroy the first line of defense against infection: the skin.
Thousands of Burn Accidents in Dallas Every Year
According to the American Burn Association, burns are one of the most common types of serious injuries. The organization estimates that about 486,000 burn injuries that require treatment happen each year. It got this information by examining federal surveys that track hospital admissions and emergency room visits. Parkland Health, the largest and oldest burn center in Dallas, provides medical treatment for roughly 2,000 burn accident victims every year.
Other facts about burn injuries include:
Approximately 3,257 people die from fire and smoke inhalation each year.
One person dies from fire-related injuries every 2 hours and 41 minutes.
Approximately 8% of burn injuries are occupational.
The worst part of burn injuries is the fact that nearly all of them are preventable. Our Dallas burn lawyers have seen people burned at home because of negligent gas companies, workers injured because their employer didn't make a simple fix, and families struggle because someone didn't operate a vehicle safely. When burns happen, they often should never have occurred. We fight to for the answers that survivors and families deserve.
Degrees of Burn Injuries
The skin has multiple layers and burns are categorized according to which ones are damaged. For example, burns that happen from accidentally touching a hot pan usually only harm the first layer of skin and are minor and require no professional help. Yet, burns for prolonged exposure to fire can burn through multiple layers and require extensive medical treatment, reconstructive surgery, plastic surgery, and rehabilitation.
First-degree burns are the most common and only affect the first layer of skin. They result from quick contact with heat or a friction-causing surface. A first-degree burn only causes mild discomfort and will heal with minimal care.
Second-degree burns are slightly more serious than first-degree burns because they damage more than the first layer of skin. However, they don’t always require extensive medical care. A second-degree burn can be differentiated by a first degree burn because they cause a deep redness of the skin and make it appear wet or shiny.
Third- and fourth-degree burns are very serious, require immediate medical attention, and might change the rest of a person’s life. They extend past multiple layers of skin and, if severe enough, can even damage a person’s muscle tissue, nerves, and bones.
Dallas got its first boost of economic growth in the 1870s with the construction of railroads that passed through the area, along with local production of cotton, grain, and leather. Oil began to dominate the Dallas economy in the 1930s with the discovery of petroleum in nearby Kilgore and additional discoveries in the Permian Basin, along the Texas Panhandle, and the Gulf Coast. Dallas quickly became an epicenter for transportation and the oil and gas market.
Dallas is culturally diverse and boasts a stable economy, thanks to the myriad industries that call the city home, including defense, financial services, telecommunications, transportation, and manufacturing. Since 2008, the unemployment rate in Dallas has remained below the national average. Leading employers in the area include AT&T, Texas Instruments, Southwest Airlines, Energy Transfer Equity, and Tenet Healthcare. The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex serves as headquarters for a whopping 22 Fortune 500 companies.
Call Our Dallas Burn Injury Attorneys for Help: (888) 493-1629
When you call Arnold & Itkin, you’re turning to a burn law firm that’s known nationwide for getting the results that clients need. In fact, we’ve recovered billions of dollars for clients by never backing down from a fight. We know people come to us during some of the most difficult moments of their lives, and we refuse to accept anything but the best for them. For us, winning a case means helping a person rebuild after they’ve lost everything.
This depends on the situation. For example, employers who fail to provide a safe work environment can be responsible for burn injuries caused by workplace accidents they didn’t prevent. In other instances, a person who drives negligently and causes a car accident can be liable for the burn injuries others suffer because of it.
What Can a Burn Injury Law Firm Do to Help?
Our burn lawyers are focused on helping accident survivors secure the finances they need to move forward after their accident. Common losses a burn injury lawsuit can help recover include medical debt, lost wages, and the cost of future care. Often, those with severe injuries also deserve compensation for the loss of the ability to work, future care, and emotional suffering.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire Your Dallas Burn Injury Law Firm?
Hiring a Dallas burn injury lawyer from Arnold & Itkin costs nothing. Our firm works on contingency fees. This means that we cover all upfront costs associated with a case and only collect a payment if we obtain results for a client. This makes our services attainable and risk free, and it helps clients have the peace of mind that we’re fighting for the best results possible.
What Is the Most Painful Burn Injury?
Strangely, intense pain is a favorable sign when it comes to burn injuries. First- and second-degree burns hurt more than third-degree burns because the damage hasn’t destroyed any nerve endings. Third-degree burns are more serious, in part, because they hurt less—at least directly. The tissue surrounding a third-degree burn is likely to be in severe pain.
What Is the Leading Cause of Death for Fatal Burn Injuries?
A 20-year study of pediatric burn injuries published in Critical Care found that the most common cause of fatality following a burn event was sepsis. The majority of these deaths were caused by drug-resistant bacteria. The study illustrated an often-misunderstood aspect of burn injuries: that they leave survivors in a medically vulnerable state for a long period, which inflates the cost of treatment.
What Is the Largest Burn Unit in Dallas?
The Parkland Burn Center not only leads the care and treatment of burns in Dallas, but it ranks among the largest civilian burn units in the country. It’s also the first burn center in North Texas to receive verification from the American Burn Association. It treats more than 2,000 burn victims annually—a significant portion of the estimated total burn injuries that happen every year.
