A serious burn injury can impact your life in various ways. Beyond the physical and emotional trauma, burns can leave you financially burdened by emergency medical bills and expensive treatments. However, if your injury was caused by someone else’s reckless or careless actions, you may be able to hold that person accountable for the harm they caused you.
An Arlington Heights burn injury lawyer could work tirelessly on your case to get you compensation for all your recoverable losses. At the Law Offices of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd., our seasoned attorneys are ready to help you navigate the legal system and pursue the restitution you need to recover from your injuries.
Establishing Liability for Burns
Any burn injury that requires professional medical care and stems directly from someone else’s negligence may serve as grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. Although burn injuries may happen anywhere, in many cases burns can occur during car accidents, workplace accidents, and on construction sites. In order to demonstrate that a defendant was legally negligent and therefore liable for the accident, a burn victim and their attorney must show the following:
- The defendant had an implicit or explicit responsibility to act safely and carefully so that they would not inadvertently hurt anyone else
- By acting in a reckless or careless way, the defendant failed to fulfill that responsibility
- The defendant’s “breach of duty” directly led to an accident
- The losses for which the injured party is seeking compensation stemmed directly from that accident
Depending on the severity of the burn, a person may be in constant pain that makes it difficult for them to hold gainful employment or even enjoy the things they did before the accident. When seeking damages, it is important to work with a skilled lawyer who could pursue compensation for the emotional impact of a burn injury as well as medical expenses and other bills. Our attorneys are experienced in recovering damages for non-economic forms of harm like physical pain, emotional anguish, and loss of consortium.
Filing Deadlines for Arlington Heights Burn Injury Claims
After sustaining a serious burn injury, it is important to take action and begin working with a nearby lawyer as soon as possible. The statute of limitations, codified in 735 ILCS 5/13-202, states that victims have only two years after discovering their injuries to file suit for civil compensation.
This restriction means that burn victims only have a limited amount of time to build a case and bring a claim for damages. Additionally, the longer a person waits, the harder it can be to collect evidence and find witnesses to establish the facts of the accident. As such, retaining legal counsel should be a priority for anyone suffering from the ramifications of a burn injury.
Work with an Arlington Heights Burn Injury Attorney
The repercussions of a serious burn can last a lifetime, and even with the best medical care, these types of injuries may still leave permanent physical and psychological scars. Although nothing can erase that pain, financial compensation could make it much easier to continue on with life and recover from your injuries. A civil claim can also give you a sense of justice from the person who harmed you.
Call the Law Office of R.F. Wittmeyer, Ltd. to speak with an Arlington Heights burn injury lawyer. Our attorneys could discuss your legal options and help you determine the right course of action for your claim during a confidential consultation.
