Atlanta Burn Injury Attorney

There is no specific legal definition of catastrophic injury in Georgia personal injury law. However, there is a provision of the state’s workers’ compensation law that provides a general sense of what it can entail. O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200.1 expressly identifies conditions that are considered catastrophic for those pursuing work injury benefit claims. We generally define catastrophic injury as one or more of the following:

• Causes long-term, debilitating symptoms.
• Necessitates a lengthy recovery process (if recovery is even possible).
• Requires constant assistance or live-in care.
• Results in permanent disability (paralysis is a good example).
• Results in a permanent loss of life quality.

Someone with a catastrophic burn injury may need numerous surgeries and grueling physical and/or occupational therapy. Scars can be not only unsightly and emotionally traumatizing, but also socially and physically debilitating.

In the medical sense, we know kinds of injuries are different in terms of the intensive level of treatment they require. From an attorney’s perspective, catastrophic injuries also require more legal resources to successfully pursue.

It’s rare that an insurer will offer to pony up the full cost of all a person’s past and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering damages. It requires the assistance of an experienced Atlanta burn injury attorney prepared to conduct a thorough investigation, review your medical records, consult and contract with expert witnesses, and assess the seriousness of your injuries (to get an accurate accounting of your monetary damages).

In asking, “How much is my case worth?” plaintiffs must consider that while the overall value of any personal injury claim depends largely on the severity of injury suffered, the true extent of damages in catastrophic burn injury claims may not be fully apparent right away.

The value of a catastrophic injury case goes beyond just the medical bills for trauma care and initial hospital stay, which in and of themselves can be ongoing for a lifetime. Costs incurred include:

• Other costs related to care.
• Wage loss, job loss, and loss of earning power.
• Permanent disabilities and health issues.
• Loss of life quality.
• Emotional pain and suffering.

If you believe that the actions or inactions of another person caused your burn injuries, you may have legal options to hold the party legally responsible for your injuries. Whether you have sustained a burn injury in an auto accident, a commercial truck accident, or any other type of accident, you should know that legal recourse is available to you. In the event of a catastrophic accident, victims need to explore all available legal options.

Of course, holding another party legally accountable is not going to be easy. Quite the contrary; it can be extremely challenging. Victims of catastrophic burn accidents should not attempt to navigate the complex personal injury claims process all on their own.

To get expert legal guidance that you and your family deserve, it is imperative that you work with an experienced burn injury attorney. Top-rated burn injury lawyer Stephen D. Apolinsky will be able to review the specific facts of your case to determine exactly what action will be required to get you the full compensation you deserve.

Victims of severe burn injuries due to negligence may be able to obtain multiple types of compensation. For those suffering from a burn injury, these cases often focus on the long-term effects as well as the individual’s ability to continue working and lead an independent life.

Your Atlanta burn injury attorney will work with you to fight for compensation for the full the value of your losses, including financial recovery for:

• Current medical bills.
• Future medical costs.
• Any in-home care that may be required.
• Physical rehabilitation.
• Required medical equipment and devices.
• Long-term disability.
• Lost wages.
• Loss of future earning potential.
• Mental anguish.
• Loss of lifestyle enjoyment.

When burn injuries are the result of negligent (careless) or criminal actions of others, there may be grounds to pursue a personal injury claim. Our Atlanta burn injury lawyers can help. Potential defendants in these cases may include:

• Drivers.
• Trucking carriers and shippers.
• Product manufacturers.
• Government agencies.
• Hotels.
• Restaurants.
• Amusement park operators.
• Construction companies and/or contractors.

This is not an exhaustive list. If you sustained a serious burn injury, you are entitled to financial compensation for the full value of your damages.

Our legal team can help you get this compensation. As leading severe burn injury Attorneys in Georgia, Apolinsky & Associates, LLC offer free and confidential consultations to those interested in more information about their legal rights after a burn injury.

If you have suffered a catastrophic burn injury, you will want to know what the statute of limitations for bringing your case to court. The statute of limitations means the amount of time you have from when the act causing your burn injury occurs until you must file a lawsuit.  Your case does not have to conclude by the end of the statute, it just has to be filed before.

Under GA Code § 9-3-33, the statute of limitations dictates that injured parties in Georgia have just two years to bring personal injury claims forward. After those two years, a court will dismiss the  claim. It is important for victims to remember that oftentimes, insurance companies will engage in stalling techniques to run out the clock and avoid paying anything.

Due to this and other complex factors that go into the statute of limitations, victims are advised to contact a personal injury lawyer experienced in burn injury cases to help build their case.