Burn injury intake

Estimates only. Burn injury damages depend on highly specific medical and surgical facts. This tool provides a general range. Always consult a personal injury attorney. See our full disclaimer.

Burn injury damages intake

Burn degree classification

Total body surface area (TBSA) burned Use the rule of nines: each arm = 9%, each leg = 18%, front torso = 18%, back torso = 18%, head = 9%.

Primary burn location

Cause of burn injury

Medical costs to date ($) Burn center hospitalization runs $2,000 to $4,000 per day. A 30-day stay with surgeries can exceed $300,000.

Age at time of injury

Permanent scarring or disfigurement

Your burn injury damages estimate

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Burn injuries and personal injury law

Severe burn injuries produce 3 major categories of damages. Medical costs are enormous - burn center care, skin grafting surgeries, wound care, physical and occupational therapy, compression garments, and ongoing scar management can easily exceed $1 million for major burns. Lost wages and earning capacity are significant if the burns affect hands, arms, or cause psychological disability. And pain and suffering in burn cases is typically among the highest awarded in personal injury law - burn pain is described by medical professionals as among the most severe humans can experience.

Establishing liability in burn cases depends heavily on the cause. Industrial explosion and chemical burn cases often involve OSHA violations, inadequate safety protocols, or defective equipment - each creating distinct defendants. Defective product burns (gas grills, space heaters, clothing) involve manufacturer strict liability. Scald burns in commercial settings involve premises liability. An attorney identifies all potentially liable parties and builds the strongest theory of recovery.

Psychological damages in burn cases

PTSD, depression, and anxiety following severe burns are extremely common and well-documented. Body image issues from visible disfigurement, social isolation, and the trauma of repeated surgeries contribute to significant mental health consequences. These psychological damages are recoverable and in many burn cases represent a substantial portion of the non-economic damages award. A treating psychiatrist and psychologist documenting these conditions are important expert witnesses.

Frequently asked questions

Third and fourth degree burns requiring skin grafting often need multiple surgeries - initial debridement and grafting, followed by reconstructive procedures to release contractures, improve function, and address cosmetic concerns. Major burns covering 30% or more of TBSA may require 10 to 20 or more surgical procedures over years. Each surgery adds to medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages. The full surgical projection over a lifetime is documented by a burn surgeon and plastic surgeon in the damages package.

Yes. Disfigurement is a recognized separate category of non-economic damages in most states, in addition to pain and suffering. Permanent visible scarring - especially on the face, neck, and hands - commands premium jury awards because it affects every public interaction for the rest of the victim's life. Juries responding to burn cases with severe facial disfigurement frequently award non-economic damages well above the multiplier range for other injury types.

Inhalation injuries occur when hot gases, steam, or toxic combustion products damage the airway and lungs. They significantly increase mortality risk and treatment complexity. Victims with inhalation injuries require mechanical ventilation, intensive respiratory monitoring, and often develop long-term pulmonary complications. Inhalation injuries dramatically increase medical costs, ICU length of stay, and the overall severity of the claim. They're treated separately from surface burns in the damages analysis.

Potentially yes. Property owners have a duty to maintain premises in a reasonably safe condition and to comply with fire codes. Liability depends on the cause of the fire. If it resulted from defective electrical wiring, inadequate sprinkler systems, blocked fire exits, or failure to maintain fire safety equipment, the property owner may be liable. If the fire was caused by a tenant, the property owner's liability depends on whether they knew or should have known of the hazard. An attorney investigates the fire cause through fire department reports, code inspection records, and fire investigation experts.

Personal injury SOLs apply, typically 2 to 3 years from the injury date. For product liability claims (defective equipment, clothing, appliances), product liability SOLs may also apply. Workplace burns may involve workers compensation deadlines as well as third-party lawsuit deadlines. Contact an attorney as soon as medically feasible after a serious burn injury - preserving evidence of the cause (the defective product, the scene, the equipment) is critical and time-sensitive.