Burn Injuries

Although there are many accidents that cause severe and sometimes permanent consequences for victims, few are more painful or devastating than burn injuries. Arising from a wide variety of situations, including car accidents, defective products, and workplace explosions, they may require substantial medical treatment and sometimes leave permanent and unsightly scars on the affected individuals. Dedicated work injury attorney Patrick E. Knie has represented many victims in Spartanburg and Greenville, as well as the communities surrounding both cities. We know how difficult this time is for you and your family, and we are ready to provide you with the aggressive legal representation that you deserve.

When an accident happens at work, an injured employee usually can seek benefits through the workers’ compensation system. This provides assistance for lost wages and medical expenses regardless of who was at fault for causing the harm. However, in some situations, a third party also may have been responsible for the accident. When this happens, the victim can consider bringing a negligence claim against that defendant.

A negligence claim, which is the standard type of personal injury case, requires a plaintiff to show that the defendant acted negligently and that this negligence was the direct cause of his or her harm. In order to demonstrate that the defendant acted negligently, the plaintiff must first prove that the defendant had a duty of care. In most situations, for example, people and entities are expected to use the same degree of care that a reasonable person or entity would use in a similar situation. Showing that the defendant breached this standard often involves working with an expert witness who can testify about the defendant’s conduct and how it fell short of the appropriate standard.

After demonstrating the elements of duty and breach, the plaintiff must next prove that the defendant’s lack of care was the direct cause of his or her injuries. The test for this prong is whether the plaintiff has shown that his or her injuries would not have occurred but for the defendant’s negligent conduct.

The final step of a negligence case involves providing evidence supporting the damages that the plaintiff is claiming in the lawsuit. In many cases, the plaintiff submits medical bills, physical therapy invoices, medication expenses, and pay stubs showing the amount of wages he or she would have earned had the accident not required him or her to miss work. Burns often require substantial medical treatment and ongoing care, subjecting the victim to an inordinate amount of medical bills. In severe cases, a plaintiff may be prevented from returning to his or her occupation indefinitely. A defendant then may be required to compensate the plaintiff for his or her loss of future earning capacity. More subjective forms of damages like pain and suffering also may be available.

If you or a loved one has been severely hurt due to another person’s negligence, personal injury and workers’ compensation lawyer Patrick E. Knie is here to help. He has served residents of the Spartanburg area and also maintains an office in Greenville. We offer a free consultation, so call us at (864) 582-5118 or contact us online to set up your appointment. We serve injured individuals from throughout Laurens, Cherokee, Union, and Greenville Counties.