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Burns are especially traumatic because they can leave both physical and emotional scars that impact the quality of the victims’ lives forever. Should a burn be the result of a workplace accident, negligent property manager or poor product design, it is possible for victims to recover compensation for their injuries. Insurance companies do not like making claims on behalf of their policy holders, so it is common for victims to encounter resistance when seeking the compensation that they rightfully deserve.
Contact us today to learn how our Chicago based burn injury attorneys can help you with your burn injury claim so that you are able to secure the maximum amount of compensation Illinois law will allow. By allowing us to investigate the details of your claim, you will be able to quickly discover whether or not you have the legal right to damages for your bodily injuries and property loss.
Types of Burn Injury Claims
Fires can occur just about anywhere, from an apartment complex to your workplace or the outdoors. If you have been burned due to a fire or contact with a heated object, it is important to understand whether your accident was due to another person or company’s negligent actions.
The types of Chicago burn injury claims we handle can include the following.
- Fires in apartment complexes
- Fires resulting from car crashes
- Explosions due to trucking accidents
- Fires caused by poorly designed or manufactured products
- Burns resulting from victims being unable to leave the premises because of locked fire exits
- Burns from scalding hot water or liquid
- Electrical burns
As stated above, fires can occur just about anywhere, so it is important to determine the cause of a fire that has resulted in a personal injury.
Why Burns Are Painful & Require Specialized Care
Burns remain some of the most painful injuries because the skin’s surface contains a high density of nerves. Unfortunately, with advanced stage burns, the person may experience additional pain with the treatments required which may include skin grafts that require surgery. In situations where a burn results in scarring cosmetic surgery may be necessary in order to minimize the appearance.
Chicago has some leading hospitals and doctors who have experience treating people with burns. Amongst the leading Chicagoland burn facilities include:
The University of Chicago Medical Center
Burn & Complex Wound Center
5841 S. Maryland Ave.
Chicago, IL 60637
Loyola Medicine
Burn Center
2160 S. First Ave.
Maywood, IL 60153
Cook County Hospital
Trauma & Burn Unit
1900 W. Polk St. Rm 1300
Chicago, IL 60612
Lurie Children’s Hospital
Burn Unit
225 E. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
Common Fire Hazards in Apartment Buildings
One of the risks of apartment living is that you may suffer consequences due to the actions of your landlord or neighbors, despite being perfectly responsible and taking all of the precautions you can to avoid a fire. In Chicago, we have found that it is increasingly common for building owners to pressure the victims of fires into abstaining from filing claims following a fire because of the financial impact on the landlord.
It is the duty of property owners and managers to take every reasonable action required to reduce the risk of a fire and to keep their buildings up to code for the safety of tenants. When they are in violation and a fire occurs, they may wish to avoid being exposed, and will thus pressure or threaten victims of fires in order to keep the matter from receiving exposure.
Following are all reasonable expectations for building owners and managers.
- Making certain that the property is wired according to building code, as poor electrical wiring can cause short circuits and fires that are difficult to contain.
- Providing and maintaining smoke detectors so that residents have adequate warning in the case of a fire.
- Providing multiple exit paths in the event of a fire that residents can use to reach safety.
- Keeping fire escapes free of clutter or blockage.
- Providing fire extinguishers and properly maintaining them on a regular basis.
- Providing fire resistant doors to contain the spread of fires.
It is often far more cost effective for landlords to cut corners, but this is illegal. Should a property owner fail to keep the building to code or to provide a safe environment, anyone who is injured can recover compensation due to the owner’s negligent behavior.
Malfunctioning Smoke Detectors Consistently Responsible for Serious Burn Accidents
It is important that smoke detectors are not only installed in the correct locations, but that they are operating properly. Many fires that start in the kitchen go unnoticed for too long because the smoke detector does not go off or is not located in an area that will detect the first indications of a fire. Most people are oblivious to the location of their smoke detectors, however, and unlikely to routinely check them to ensure they are operating.
The National Fire Protection Association has mandated that all apartments are equipped with smoke detectors in each bedroom and in a common area outside of the bedrooms. Unfortunately, many apartments lack smoke detectors in the vicinity of the kitchen for the early detection of kitchen fires. In addition, smoke detectors are supposed to be hard fired and feature a battery backup in case a fire starts in the absence of power.
Ionization smoke detectors may not always detect smoke from smoldering food, resulting in lawsuits against manufacturers claiming that the failure of the detectors to work resulted in personal injuries and deaths.
Workplace Burn Injuries
The workplace is another very common place for burn injuries to occur, especially if workers are required to operate powerful machinery or around flammable materials. OSHA reports that there are over 5,000 injuries every year resulting from explosions or fires on the job. While workers’ compensation benefits provide money for the payment of medical bills and lost wages, injured workers are often denied the damages needed to make up for pain and suffering, diminished quality of life or disfigurement.
In this case, their benefits can be supplemented through a personal injury lawsuit against a third-party entity, the manufacturer of a defective product or a subcontractor who acted in a negligent manner.
Put Our Chicago Burn Injury Lawyers to Work for You
If you have been burned in a fire, workplace accident or any other accident caused by the reckless actions of another person, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers may be able to help you. We have assisted thousands of people in the past and are confident we can secure the compensation you need to pay for your medical bills, recover lost wages, account for out of pocket expenses and more.
Contact us today to arrange a free consultation with one of our experienced Chicago burn injury attorneys so that we can investigate your claim and discuss your legal rights and options in greater detail. If we are unable to recover the compensation you are entitled to on your behalf, you are assured that our services will be free of charge.
