Burns are serious injuries that can leave a person permanently disfigured and disabled. Each burn injury is different, so it is difficult to generalize about the value of the claim. Some burns are limited in size and are relatively shallow, perhaps damaging only the outer layer of skin. Other burns cause major injury to bones and skeletal muscle. Call McCravy, Newlon, Sturkie & Clardy to talk about your case with a Greenwood workers’ compensation lawyer. We can estimate the value of a burn injury at work and strategize how to increase the compensation you receive. Our consultations are free.
How Workers Suffer Workplace Burn Injuries
Burns have many causes, including fire, steam, electricity, chemicals, and friction. Workers in any industry could suffer serious burns. Some common causes at work include:
- Electrical burns: A worker might touch a live wire or get electrocuted by faulty equipment at work. Construction workers are at high risk of suffering electrocution, but anyone in a modern office could be electrocuted by a defective product.
- Thermal burns: High temperatures cause thermal burns. A worker could suffer a burn when there is a fire at work or when batteries catch on fire.
- Chemical burns. Corrosive chemicals like bleach, ammonia, sulfuric acid, and lime can burn a person. Workers in many industries are at risk, including those who work in construction and commercial cleaning. Workers should receive personal protective equipment like gloves or aprons, but PPE might fail and expose skin to chemicals.
- Radiation burns. Anyone who works around radiation can suffer a burn. Medical workers who take X-rays are at risk, as are people who work at nuclear power plants.
- Friction or contact burns. Workers can suffer a friction burn whenever their skin rubs forcefully against something, such as a piece of manufacturing equipment.
Often, burns are a result of improper safety features or defective protective equipment. Workers might have received insufficient training for how to limit their risk.
What is the Average Settlement for Burn Injury?
The National Safety Council gathers information about workers’ compensation claims around the country. According to the most recent data, the average burn settlement was $63,119 for 2021-2022. Burn injuries had the second highest average, behind only motor vehicle accidents.
When broken down, workers received the following in workers’ comp benefits:
- Medical benefits: $44,099
- Indemnity benefits if you can’t work: $19,020
Medical benefits are for treatment of the burn, including ongoing treatment like physical therapy. Burns might also lead to complications, such as infection. A serious infection requires immediate treatment so that it does not progress to sepsis.
Indemnity benefits cover days a worker cannot go to work. Typically, second-degree burns require at least temporary rest, and workers can request temporary total disability (TTD) benefits.
How Much Is Your Injury Worth?
The average is just that—an average. The National Safety Council adds up all the settlements and divides the total by the number of settlements. Your injury could be worth much more than this or less.
Consider a major third-degree burn which goes all the way through the layers of the skin. This type of burn can leave someone with contractures which limit mobility in their joints. You could require multiple surgeries and physical therapy to loosen the skin and regain a normal range of motion.
A more serious fourth-degree burn can damage underlying tissue, including nerves, muscle, ligaments, and bone. Many fourth-degree burns require amputation of the affected limb, so victims need an extended stay in the hospital. Many amputees will not return to work.
One day in the hospital can lead to a $10,000 bill. Someone who needs to spend a week in the hospital to recover will incur much more in medical bills than the average burn injury victim, and the hospital stay does not include all other potential medical care—rehabilitation, skin grafts, and medication to control pain and infection.
Contact McCravy, Newlon, Sturkie & Clardy to meet with a Greenwood workers’ compensation lawyer. We can go over your case and estimate the value of your claim. Share information, including medical bills and insurance statements, with your attorney to help with the valuation of your burn injury.
Limitations on Settlement for a Burn Injury at Work
Unfortunately, workers might not receive full compensation for their losses. For one thing, workers’ compensation doesn’t pay anything for pain and suffering or emotional distress. A worker who suffers a large burn on a visible part of their body can suffer intensely. Workers’ compensation won’t pay anything for this distress or pain.
Further, you receive only a portion of your average wages as indemnity benefits. That means many workers have uncompensated losses.
Call our law firm. We can review whether you can also bring a personal injury claim. You cannot sue your employer, even if they were lax when it came to safety. But you might sue the manufacturer of defective equipment or PPE. Someone whose gloves fail to protect them from caustic chemicals might sue the manufacturer for a defect and the injuries that result.
A personal injury claim is a good way to maximize the compensation you take home. Unlike with workers’ comp, however, we need to prove fault.
Did You Suffer a Burn Injury at Work? Call Us to Speak with an Experienced Attorney
Workplace accidents are devastating, and any burn injury at work can cost someone thousands in lost wages. Our experienced attorneys at McCravy, Newlon, Sturkie & Clardy will gladly step in and handle all aspects of your claim. Our seasoned workers’ compensation lawyers know how to shepherd a case through the system, and we can fight to get the maximum benefits. Many workers see their claims denied, but we can bring an appeal.
Our deep knowledge of personal injury also allows us to see if you can bring a claim for negligence or product liability against a non-employer. That is an excellent way to increase the compensation and receive something for your emotional distress. Contact us to schedule a free consultation.