Have you or a loved one suffered a burn injury in Houston, Texas? If you’re injured through no fault of your own, Ellzey & Associates, PLLC can help you fight for compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. 

We’ve earned our respected reputation through more than 34+ years of combined experience helping injured victims. And we’ve won some of the top verdicts in the state in the process. We’ve recovered millions of dollars in compensation for clients who have been harmed by someone else’s wrongdoing.

We offer free consultations, so don’t wait. Let our Houston burn injury lawyers get started on your case today.

How Ellzey & Associates, PLLC Can Help After a Burn Injury in Houston

Burn injuries can often subject victims to extensive medical treatment and long recovery times. You’ll need this time to take care of yourself, not fight with an insurance company for the much-needed funds to pay for your treatment and cover missed wages.

Let our Houston personal injury lawyers handle the heavy lifting while you get back on your feet.

When you hire Ellzey & Associates, PLLC, you can count on us to:

  • Get your full account of your accident
  • Collect evidence to support your case
  • Identify and interview witnesses
  • Locate all documentation related to your injury, including police reports, accident reports, or maintenance records
  • Review your medical records to make sure you have received the complete care you need
  • Handle all communication with insurance companies and at-fault parties
  • Negotiate aggressively on your behalf for a fair settlement
  • Send a top-tier trial lawyer to fight your case in court if necessary

You don’t have to face this difficult time on your own. Let our Houston personal injury lawyers take care of what they do best so you can concentrate on getting better.

Initial consultations are always free, so call today. We put up all the resources to aggressively pursue your case.  We’re confident that we can win. And if we don’t, you don’t owe us anything. 

What is a Burn Injury?

A burn is an injury that causes damage to tissue due to heat, friction, chemicals, electricity, radiation, or sunlight. Burns are classified into degrees by how deep into your tissue they extend. They are generally considered minor if they affect less than 10% of your body. Major burns will usually affect 25% or more of your body.

We Represent Victims of All Burn Injuries

You may initially associate a blazing flame with a burn injury, but burns can happen in many ways other than an open flame.

We represent victims injured by:

  • Friction burns, such as road rash
  • Chemical burns
  • Thermal burns, such as from hot liquid or metal
  • Radiation burns
  • Electrical burns

If someone caused you to suffer a burn injury, we can help you fight to hold the responsible party financially accountable.

Signs and Symptoms of Burns

Burns typically fall into one of six categories, based on the seriousness of the wound.

First-Degree Burns

These are the least severe. They affect only the outer layer of skin and are considered superficial burns. A sunburn is a type of first-degree burn.

Some symptoms of first-degree burns are:

  • Red skin
  • Short-term pain

These usually heal on their own with first-aid you can administer at home.

Second-Degree Burns

These affect the outer layer of skin as well as the dermis—the layer underneath. The extent to which the dermis is affected can vary. Superficial partial-thickness burns may be painful, require treatment, and leave a scar. They generally won’t require surgery.

Deep partial-thickness burns are actually less painful, but that’s because they may partially destroy pain receptors.

Symptoms can include:

  • Blisters
  • Deep reddening of skin
  • Swollen or blistered skin

These may require surgery. They also have a risk of infection that could cause more severe injury or illness.

Third-Degree Burns

These are full-thickness burns which means they burn completely through the dermis. The nerve endings are damaged, so although more serious, they may not be painful.

Symptoms may include:

  • Skin may appear black, brown, or white
  • Skin may look dark red, dry, and leathery

These usually require skin grafts and meticulous attention to infection risks.

Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth-Degree Burns

These are the most serious and damage fat, muscle, or bone. Extensive treatment is required, including surgery, skin grafting, and measures to prevent infection.

Symptoms include:

  • Charred, white, or missing skin
  • Possible exposed bone

These can cause permanent damage to the body, amputation, organ damage, or death. Close monitoring and follow-up care are essential.

How Common Are Burn Injuries?

More than 450,000 people are seriously injured by burns each year in the United States. That’s over 1,200 per day.

Sadly, burn injuries often affect children.

According to recent data, burns or fire injuries: 

  • Result in about 300 child fatalities each year
  • Send more than 100,000 children to a hospital for treatment
  • Are the fifth leading cause of death for children 19 and under in the U.S. 

What is My Burn Injury Case Worth?

Each case is unique. To get an idea of how much your case could be worth, consult an experienced Houston burn injury attorney. We’ll be able to look at the specific facts of your case to evaluate your current, past, and future expenses.

Some factors that can affect the value of your case include:

  • The severity of your injuries
  • Whether you suffered a disability or disfigurement
  • The extent of expected ongoing medical treatment
  • Whether you missed work
  • Whether you can return to the same job (if at all)
  • Whether you were in any way at fault for the accident

Long-lasting injuries, disfigurement or disability, or fatal accidents tend to result in higher awards.

What Kind of Damages Are Available to Burn Injury Victims? 

There are generally two categories of damages available in personal injury cases—economic and non-economic.

Economic damages include compensation for monetary losses like:

  • Medical expenses
  • The impact of past and future lost wages
  • Rehabilitation
  • Property damage
  • Other out-of-pocket expenses related to your injuries

These are usually fairly straightforward to calculate.

Non-economic damages compensate you for intangible losses such as:

  • Emotional trauma
  • Disability
  • Disfigurement
  • Loss of consortium
  • PTSD
  • Loss of ability to enjoy life activities

We know that these more subjective losses are often just as important—if not more so—than the direct financial losses. The legal team at Ellzey & Associates, PLLC works hard to include compensation for every way your life was affected by your burn injury.

In some cases, exemplary damages may be awarded. These are only available in rare instances when you can prove the defendant’s conduct was particularly dangerous or outrageous.

What Causes Burn Injuries?

Burn injuries can occur in various types of accidents. Burns are often just one of many injuries in a catastrophic accident.

Some common causes of burn injuries include:

  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Car accidents
  • Explosions 
  • Fires and explosions
  • Electrical equipment malfunctions
  • Kitchen accidents
  • Scalding accidents
  • Defective products
  • Slip and fall accidents, particularly in the restaurant industry
  • Frostbite
  • Fireworks
  • Skin contact with chemicals
  • Inadequate product warnings

We do a thorough investigation to pinpoint the cause of your injury. Some cases may involve holding a manufacturer of a product liable. Or, maybe a company responsible for maintaining safety protocols at a concert venue is responsible. The at-fault party might not always be obvious.

What Are the Long-Term Effects of Burn Injuries?

Beyond the immediate pain, treatment, and recovery involved, burn injuries can cause long-term and even permanent damage.

Some possible long-term consequences of burn injuries can include:

  • Infection
  • Constant itching
  • Organ failure
  • PTSD
  • Loss of strength
  • Nerve damage
  • Scarring
  • Limited mobility due to hardening of tissues, muscles, and tendons

Severe burn injuries often trigger an immune or inflammatory response and other complications that can lead to organ failure. Our Houston burn injury attorneys often hire experts to help accurately predict the long-term effects of your burn injury. We account for all future medical treatment you may need.

Can I Still Recover Compensation If I’m Being Blamed for A Burn Injury?

It’s possible. Texas follows a modified comparative fault rule when it comes to sharing blame. Texas law imposes a 51% bar to recovery. Even if you are eligible for compensation, the at-fault party only has to pay for the portion of the injury they caused.

This means that if you are less than 51% at fault, you can still recover compensation. Your total award will be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you. As a practical example, say your total damages equal $100,000, but you are deemed to be 30% at fault. You’ll receive $70,000 as your compensation.

Having an experienced catastrophic injury lawyer who knows how to fight back against unfair blame can make all the difference in your case. Once you reach the 51% blame threshold, you won’t get anything.

Our founding attorney has extensive training and a winning track record going up against big insurance companies and big businesses. He’s passionate about standing up for the rights of individuals in cases where they’ve been wronged.

How Long Do I Have to File a Burn Injury Lawsuit in Texas?

In Texas, you must file your lawsuit within two years. That’s the statute of limitations to seek compensation for personal injury and for wrongful death. 

Burn victims often need extensive treatment. Your time after your accident will likely be filled with medical appointments and rehabilitation. Time passes quicker than you think. Contact a reputable Houston personal injury attorney as soon as possible after your injury so that you don’t risk missing a deadline.

Your Trusted Houston Burn Injury Lawyers

We know this may be one of the most difficult times in your life. We dedicate our practice to helping people who deserve to stand on equal footing with insurance companies and at-fault parties.

If someone caused you to get hurt, let us help you pursue justice and peace of mind for your future. We’ll fight for every dollar you deserve.

Don’t wait—call our Houston burn injury lawyers today for a free consultation.