Every year in the United States, hundreds of thousands of people experience burn injuries that require medical attention and hospitalization. From oil rig disasters to refinery explosions, there are lots of accidents that can lead to serious, and even life-threatening or fatal, burns.
Have you experienced a severe burn injury while on the job? If so, then you may benefit from the services of a burn injury attorney. Read on to learn some of the top signs that you need to hire an attorney to represent you.
What Does a Burn Injury Attorney Do?
A burn injury attorney is a type of personal injury attorney. They work with burn victims, including oil rig explosion victims and others who have been harmed in catastrophic accidents while on the job.
When you hire a burn injury attorney, they will help you to determine the party (or parties) responsible for your accident and injuries. They’ll also help you to get compensated for your injuries so you can move forward and focus on your recovery without financial stress.
Signs You Need to Hire a Burn Injury Attorney
How do you know if you need to seek out the services of a burn injury attorney? Here are some major signs that legal assistance may be necessary following your accident:
Your Burn Injury Is Serious
If your burn occurred as a result of a catastrophic accident, like oil refinery explosions, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with some serious injuries. Perhaps you’re going to be off the job for several months. Maybe you can’t go back to work at all or will be dealing with a permanent disability.
When you experience a serious injury that affects your quality of life on a long-term or permanent basis, you deserve compensation that is commensurate with the changes you’re going to have to make. Your settlement should be enough to support you and your family while you recover. It should account for the possibility that you might never be able to do the same type of work again, too.
You Can’t Afford Your Medical Bills
Are medical bills piling up faster than you can pay them? Do you have no idea how you’re going to cover the costs of treatment and take care of all your regular bills and expenses?
When you experience a serious burn injury on the job or as a result of someone’s carelessness, you shouldn’t have to pay for your medical care out of your own pocket. An attorney can help you get a settlement that can help you to pay these bills.
Liability Is Being Questioned
Are there arguments about who is responsible for your accident? Is your employer’s insurance provider refusing to pay you a settlement because they think you’re at fault for your burn injury?
If this is the case, you definitely need to work with an attorney. They can conduct a more thorough investigation into your case and figure out exactly who is culpable. They’ll then work hard to ensure you get the payout you deserve.
Your Settlement Offer Is Unfair
Perhaps you have received a settlement from your employer’s insurance provider or from the person responsible for the accident, but it’s not sufficient to cover your medical expenses and sustain you while you recover.
If this happens and you feel your settlement is unfair, you don’t have to agree to it. Reach out to a burn injury attorney who can evaluate the situation and help you get a fair settlement that will actually benefit you and your loved ones while you are focusing on healing from your injuries.
How to Choose the Right Attorney
After reading through this list of warning signs, have you decided that you need to hire a burn injury lawyer? If so, here are some additional tips that will help you choose the right person for the job:
Ask About Areas of Expertise
A good starting point when you’re searching for a qualified burn injury attorney is to ask about their areas of expertise. Some personal injury attorneys only handle certain types of cases, such as car accidents. To get the best legal advice and representation, make sure you hire someone who has experience handling burn injury cases like yours and knows how to navigate them.
Seek Someone with Trial Experience
In addition to finding an attorney who was worked on burn injury cases before, it’s also a good idea to look for someone with trial experience. Ideally, your case won’t need to go to trial and will be settled outside of court. In the event that a trial is necessary, though, you want someone on your team who has the confidence and experience needed to represent you in court, don’t you?
Read Reviews and Testimonials
Before you settle on a particular attorney, do some research to see what their past clients have to say about them. Ask for references or check out their online reviews and testimonials. Find out what kinds of experiences people have had working with this attorney, as well as whether they’d consider working with them again in the future.
Consider Costs
Finally, don’t forget about the financial side of things.
Many burn injury attorneys work on a contingency basis. This means that you don’t have to pay for their services until after your case is settled. They’ll then receive a percentage of your settlement in exchange for their services.
When you’re considering working with an attorney, ask them how they handle fees and what they charge their clients.
Hire a Burn Injury Attorney Today
Do any of these signs apply to you? Do you think you need to work with a burn injury attorney? If so, we can help at Roberts Markland LLP.
When you work with us, you get access to a team of qualified professionals with trial experience who have helped to recover tens of millions of dollars in compensation for our clients over the last five years. Contact us today to learn more about our services or to schedule a consultation.