Burns are one of the most serious types of injuries you can suffer in an accident. Not only are they one of the most painful injuries, burns can be very dangerous, with a high risk of complications and a long recovery process.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious burn injury, a San Diego burn injury lawyer can help you by managing your case, gathering evidence, and pursuing the compensation you deserve while you focus on recovery. Berman and Riedel, LLP, is a San Diego burn injury law firm that has recovered more than $100 million on behalf of our clients. Our experience in handling burn injury cases allows us to work closely with medical treatment facilities and our experts to ensure every effort is made for a chance at a full recovery.
Contact our law office today to schedule a free consultation with a San Diego burn injury attorney to discuss what we can do to help you.
Types of San Diego Burn Injuries
Burn injuries are soft tissue injuries to the skin and underlying structures caused by heat, electricity, sunlight, and more. They are categorized by severity and type or cause. All types can lead to severe burn injuries.
Here are the types of burns and their causes.
- Thermal burns – Exposure to heat sources such as flames, hot liquids, steam, or hot objects.
- Electrical burns – Contact with electrical currents from power sources, lightning, or faulty wiring.
- Chemical burns – Contact with corrosive substances like acids, alkalis, or solvents. Alkalis (or bases) are more likely to cause catastrophic burn injuries than acids because they cause liquefactive necrosis and penetrate deeper into tissues. Acids cause coagulative necrosis which actually limits further tissue damage.
- Friction burns – Abrasion combined with heat generated by friction. A common example is road rash from a bicycle accident or motorcycle crash.
- Radiation burns – Exposure to radiation from sources like the sun, medical treatments, or industrial equipment.
- Frostbite (cold burns) – Exposure to freezing temperatures or direct contact with extremely cold substances like dry ice.
First Degree Burns
These minor burns affect only the first layer of skin, or epidermis. A sunburn is the most common type of first degree burn. While considered a minor burn, first degree burns can still cause scarring and pain.
Second Degree Burns
When a burn penetrates the underlying epidermis and damages the dermis, it's considered a second degree burn. These burns often produce blisters. They are also known as partial thickness burns.
Third Degree Burns
Third degree burns affect all layers of the skin and involve the underlying tissue. These serious burns, called full thickness burns, affect the nerves and fat beneath the skin.
Fourth Degree Burns
These severe burns affect the deeper tissues including the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and bones. They are the deepest and most serious type of burn injury with a high risk of infection and complications.
Burn Injury Treatment & Recovery
Treatment required depends on the severity of the burn. Superficial, or first degree burns, require little more than pain relievers and aloe. Major burns may require prolonged treatment and care at specialized burn centers. More severe third degree burns usually require surgical treatments such as skin grafting or reconstructive surgery.
According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, you should seek medical attention for a burn injury if you experience one or more of the following: fever, pus-like or foul-smelling drainage, excessive swelling, redness of the skin, a blister filled with green or brown fluid, or a burn that does not heal in 10 to 14 days.
Specialized Burn Centers in California
There are about 150 burn care centers in the U.S. which treat more than half of all burn injuries. There are 13 American Burn Association (ABA) verified facilities in California including:
- UC San Diego Health Regional Burn Center which has been treating fire and burn victims in San Diego and Imperial counties since 1973
- Orange County Burn Center in Santa Ana
- UCI Health Regional Burn Center in Orange
- Torrance Memorial’s Burn Center
- Los Angeles General Medical Center Regional Burn Center
- UCLA West Valley Medical Center in West Hills
Burn centers offer specialized burn treatments for patients with severe injuries including burns covering more than 10% of body surface area, burns involving the face or major joints, and third degree burns. These centers have a team of specialists who provide interdisciplinary medical care.
How Long Do Burn Injuries Take to Heal?
The healing time for a burn injury depends on the depth or severity of the burn, the location, how fast proper medical attention is received, the victim's age and health, and wound care.
- First degree burns usually heal within days with skin peeling, redness, and usually no scarring
- Second degree burns take several weeks to heal and may scar
- Third and fourth degree burns take months to heal, may require skin grafts, and usually cause extensive scarring
Long-Term Consequences & Complications From a Burn Injury
Burn injuries often cause extreme pain and require a lengthy recovery process. Unfortunately, many burn victims are left with long-term effects. Our San Diego burn injury attorneys often see victims who suffer from serious and life-threatening complications such as:
- Contractures, or scars that tighten skin, tendons, and ligaments, restricting movement. This scar tissue may require surgical correction.
- Chronic and severe pain. Many burn survivors experience persistent pain and neuropathy due to nerve damage.
- Intense itching or pruitus, especially after skin grafts
- Permanent scarring, disfigurement, and uneven skin tones
- Reduced mobility and dexterity that can limit the ability to perform daily tasks or work
- Increased risk of life-threatening infection
- Increased risk of cardiovascular disease caused by systemic inflammation
- Endocrine disorders and metabolic issues
- Loss of bone density and muscle mass
- Skin graft failure
- Sepsis
- Organ failure
What Is the Survival Rate For Burn Injuries?
According to the American Burn Association (ABA), the survival rate for patients admitted to burn centers in the United States is almost 98%. There is an increased risk of mortality for patients who are older, have preexisting conditions, have an inhalation injury. THe total body surface area (TBSA) affected is a major factor affecting mortality. The mortality rate with less than 10% TBSA is under 1%, but the mortality rate increases to 85% with burns over 90% TBSA.
How Much Does it Cost to Treat Burns?
The cost to treat a moderate burn with complications can cost more than $200,000. A severe burn, even without complications, has an average cost of $1.6 million. With complications, these severe injuries can cost over $10 million to treat.
Skin graft failure and delayed wound healing happen in about 32% of serious burn injury cases, adding anywhere from $37,000 to $110,000 in medical expenses. Serious infection like pneumonia, sepsis, and organ failure add an average of $58,000 to $120,000 in medical costs. The average hospital stay for a burn is $24,000 on average, or twice the cost of hospitalization for other reasons.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries in San Diego
There are up to 2 million reported cases of burn injury in the United States alone every year, including over 4,500 fatal burn injuries. According to a 2007 study conducted by the American Burn Association, 40% of burn injuries with a known cause occur by fire or flame contact, 30% by scalding, 8% by contact with hot objects, 4% from electrical injury, and 3% from contact with corrosive chemicals. Children and older people are most at risk for suffering a burn injury, and older people are more likely to die from a serious burn injury.
While not the most common injury type, burn injuries are certainly one of the most devastating. Below are the most common causes of serious burns our San Diego accident lawyers see.
Household Accidents
About 48% of burn injuries occur in the home, mostly to children and the elderly. These injuries are usually sustained in a household accident such as scalding while cooking or touching a hot stove.
Chemical burns can be caused by household chemicals like bleach (sodium hypochlorite), ammonia, drain cleaners (sulfuric acid or sodium hydroxide), oven cleaners (sodium hydroxide or lye), toilet bowl cleaners (hydrochloric acid), mold and mildew removers (sodium hypochlorite).
Home Fires
In 2021, there were 3,800 fire and smoke inhalation deaths in the U.S. About 3,010 were due to structure or home fires. There were 13,250 injuries from home fires in 2022 alone. Leading causes of home fires include:
- Cooking which caused almost 48% of home fires in 2022
- Portable heaters which cause 3% of home fires but 41% of fatal heating fires
- Other heating-related fires involving fireplaces and wood stoves
- Dryer fires usually caused by dryer lint buildup. Lint is highly flammable and may build up in the dryer and the exhaust vent.
- Electrical malfunctions caused 7% of residential fires
- Unattended candles or candles placed near flammable materials
- Cigarettes left unattended or discarded improperly. Sometimes victims fall asleep while holding a cigarette.
Automobile Accidents
In 2021, 680 of the 3,800 fire and smoke inhalation deaths involved motor vehicle fires. Victims in a car accident may be badly burned from fuel leaks that cause a fire or explosion, or due to contact with hot surfaces. Even airbag deployment can cause chemical burns.
Friction burns or road rash are common injuries from motorcycle and bicycle accidents.
Workplace Accidents
About 8% of burns occur in industrial or workplace settings. In 2011, nearly 17,500 people suffered thermal burns in workplace accidents and another 3,500 suffered chemical burns. These injuries led to 3-5 median days of missed work.
- Thermal burns are common in food service, manufacturing, and firefighting. These burns are often caused by exposure to hot oils, steam, or boiling water.
- Chemical burns are most common among HVAC installers, plumbers and pipefitters, maintenance workers, janitors, housekeepers, laundry workers, dishwashers, and industrial workers
- Electrical burns are most common on construction sites and among electricians, maintenance workers, and HVAC technicians
Burn injuries that occur in the workplace can be caused by dangerous conditions allowed to exist by the employer or by the negligence of third parties. A San Diego burn injury lawyer can help you file a workers' compensation claim or seek damages through a third-party lawsuit.
Defective Products
Defective products can also be a source of burn injuries, particularly with children’s clothing and toys. The Consumer Product Safety Commission works in conjunction with many national organizations, including the American Burn Association and the National Association of Fire Marshalls, to make products safer in order to prevent burn injuries.
In 2020 alone, there were about 28.5 million injuries caused by defective products that required treatment.
Here are just a few recent examples of defective products that cause many burn injuries:
- Colsen tabletop fire pits: 90,000 tabletop fire pits were recalled in October 2024 after reports of flames shooting out that caused severe burn injuries. Two of the 19 burn victims suffered burns over 40% of their bodies.
- Ambiano single serve coffee makers: 28,000 Ambiano coffee makers sold at ALDI were recalled due to a burn hazard when hot water is expelled from the top of the machine.
- Black & Decker clothing steamers: 2 million garment steamers were recalled in April 2024 after 317 hot water expulsion incidents caused 82 burn injuries.
If you are burned by a dangerous or defective product, you may have a product liability claim against the manufacturer. Our San Diego burn injury attorneys can help you explore your options.
Compensation for Burn Injuries in California
Burn injuries cause intense pain, and they can be debilitating physically and financially. Treatment for burn injury victims is intensive, can be years long, and is very expensive. When burn injuries are severe, they may cause permanent disfigurement and scarring, loss of limb, or permanent bodily harm, or loss of function.
Burn injuries are extremely painful and may prevent a person from being able to return to their normal way of living, including preventing them from being able to work. A burn injury victim may also suffer from psychological harm as well; a burn injury can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, or/and depression.
If you have suffered a burn injury in San Diego, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your injuries through a personal injury lawsuit and/or workers’ compensation claim. Many parties can be held liable for a burn injury, depending on how it happened. For example, the victim of a burn injury that is caused by a defective product – like an exploding e-cigarette – will likely file a personal injury claim against the product’s manufacturer.
There is a deadline to file your claim for compensation. In California, there is a two-year statute of limitations. You must file your claim within two years of your injury to recover damages.
A San Diego burn injury lawyer at Berman & Riedel, LLP, can help you understand your legal options for pursuing the compensation you deserve.
Types of Damages Burn Victims Can Recover in a Personal Injury Lawsuit
When a victim files a personal injury lawsuit for a burn injury, they have the right to seek damages for all losses that they have suffered. This includes economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are easier to calculate and refer to the actual value of financial losses such as:
- Medical bills
- Future medical expenses
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Lost wages
- Future lost wages
- All other costs related to the injury such as medical devices, adaptations to the home, home health care, and transportation to treatment.
Non-economic damages are more challenging to calculate as they refer to intangible and often emotional losses such as:
- Physical pain
- Suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of quality of life
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement
An experienced San Diego burn injury lawyer will work with medical and financial experts to carefully assess your damages. At Berman & Riedel, LLP, we will gather the evidence necessary to prove the losses you have suffered and hold the negligent party responsible.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Severe Burns in San Diego? – Recovering Damages for a Burn Injury
Burn injury victims have many legal rights and avenues to help them on the long road to recovery. Depending on the circumstances of your injury, you may have options to recover compensation regardless of negligence or liability. You may also be able to pursue compensation from an at-fault party whose negligence or intentional wrongdoing caused your injuries.
Potential options to recover damages for burn injuries include:
- Government benefits such as unemployment compensation, Social Security disability payments, and medical treatment payments through Medicaid
- Workers’ compensation benefits if the burn injury occurred at work
- Auto insurance if the burn injury happened as a result of a car accident
- Personal injury lawsuit if another party’s negligence caused your injury. A lawsuit can provide compensation beyond the options above to ensure you receive the money you need to get quality treatment and recover.
Experienced San Diego burn injury attorneys can help you explore your legal options for pursuing fair compensation from all sources available to you. Contact Berman & Riedel, LLP, today to discuss your case with a San Diego burn injury lawyer.
How a San Diego Burn Injury Lawyer Can Help
After suffering a serious burn injury, your focus should be on your recovery, not fighting for compensation and trying to hold the responsible party accountable. Experienced burn injury lawyers in San Diego can help you by:
- Offering sound legal advice and guidance
- Investigating the cause of your accident
- Explaining the legal options available to pursue compensation
- Gathering and assessing evidence to prove your damages and causation
- Working with specialists to document your damages and prove liability
- Negotiating on your behalf with the insurance company
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit and taking your case to court when a fair settlement cannot be reached
At Berman & Riedel, LLP, we understand just how devastating a burn injury can be and how quickly your life can be turned upside-down. While we cannot guarantee that a settlement will change your life, we can promise to work hard on your behalf to help you recover the money that you deserve. Contact our law office today to discuss your case with a San Diego burn injury lawyer during a free case review.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a San Diego Burn Injury Lawyer at Berman & Riedel, LLP
After a life-changing accident, you deserve an advocate who will fight for you. Berman & Riedel, LLP, is a San Diego burn injury law firm serving injury victims throughout California. We are prepared to aggressively pursue the compensation you deserve to preserve your quality of life and get the medical care you need. We work on a contingency fee basis: you pay nothing out of pocket for the legal representation you need to level the playing field with the insurance company.
Contact our law firm today to schedule a consultation with a San Diego burn injury lawyer. We will listen to your story and help you take the next steps.
