Representing Burn Injury Victims Throughout Colorado
Burns are among the most feared of all injuries. They damage the largest and most visible organ of the body: the skin. Burns are extremely painful injuries because the skin is highly sensitive. They create disfiguring scars. Scarring to hands is also debilitating. Scarring of facial areas and hands is psychologically devastating.
When you or a family member suffers serious burn injuries because of an accident or someone else's negligent conduct, contact attorney Jim Cederberg of the Cederberg Law Firm in Boulder, Colorado, for a free consultation.
Burns result not only from fires and explosions, but also from scalding by hot water, steam or other heated liquids, electrocution, contact with caustic chemicals and even freezing from exposure to compressed, liquefied gases such as propane, anhydrous ammonia and liquid nitrogen.
Getting Monetary Damages for Your Burn Injury
Common causes of burns include ignition of escaped common household fuel gases, typically natural gas or propane. Circumstances in which defective products or negligent acts permit the release of these gases are described in the practice area page devoted to propane and natural gas.
A common but surprisingly little known and poorly understood cause of burns is domestic hot water. The dangers of hot water are well known in the plumbing, housing and health care industries. Hot water damages human skin based on a time/temperature exposure. A relatively small increase in the temperature can reduce the exposure time necessary to result in serious burns from several minutes to less than a second. Infants and the elderly are more vulnerable because their skin is more easily damaged and they are less able to escape, as are the physically disabled. Excessively hot water can be caused by defective mixing valves, improper installation and improper settings. Situations in which water temperature is not controlled by the resident or guest, such as hotels, apartment or condominium units, hospitals and residential care facilities have particular potential for scalding injuries. Scalding can also occur in single-family residences due to plumber errors or faulty fixtures or water heaters.
Caustic chemicals that can cause serious burns are found in drain cleaners, oven cleaners, other cleaning compounds and even wet concrete.
Burns present a unique set of medical, cosmetic and psychological issues. Effective explanation of the damages caused by burns requires working with plastic surgeons, physical and occupational therapists, psychologists and vocational experts.
The injuries should be documented vividly but discretely throughout the healing process. Any photographs taken must be identified and preserved.
Personal injury lawyer Jim Cederberg has successfully represented many clients with burn injuries. To set up a free consultation to discuss your case, contact his office in Boulder.
