Walnut Creek Burn Injury Lawyer
Very few other personal injuries cause the same physical and emotional wounds as a serious burn. If victims sustain burns greater than third degree, which are only moderate injuries, they must normally undergo painful and expensive skin grafts. Even if these procedures are entirely successful, and that’s a rather big if, there is usually some permanent physical scarring. The emotional scars usually remain as well. Many victims feel self-conscious about these scars, so they lack the confidence they need to accomplish everyday tasks.
The dedicated Walnut Creek burn injury lawyers at Venardi Zurada work hard to evaluate your claim and collect supporting evidence. This simple and straightforward approach usually produces results which exceed our clients’ expectations. These results usually include compensation for economic losses, such as medical bills, and noneconomic losses, such as pain and suffering.
What Causes Burn Injuries?
Truck accidents are one of the leading causes of burn injuries. Many large trucks carry hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel. This substance burns at a different temperature from ordinary gasoline. Furthermore, many victims are pinned under large, burning trucks before first responders can extinguish the flames and free them. As a result, these burns are often catastrophic.
Frequently, due to the severity of their injuries, these victims must be airlifted to the hospital. Frequently, the medevac bill is at least as high as the emergency treatment bill. Then, doctors transfer these victims to regional burn centers. The specialized treatment they require pushes medical bills even higher.
Chemical burns are a serious problem as well. Sometimes, these burns come from unexpected sources, such as a swimming pool. Most cleaning chemicals, like chlorine, are highly toxic. If the cleaner level is slightly too high, swimmers could sustain chemical burns to their ears, noses, and throats.
Both drivers and pool owners have a legal duty to keep other motorists and their guests reasonably safe. If they breach this duty, they are usually liable for any resulting injuries. A third party, such as a truck driver’s employer, is often financially responsible for damages.
Your Claim for Damages
Once our Walnut Creek burn injury lawyers determine a claim’s settlement value, which is basically the sum of economic and noneconomic losses, they usually send demand letters to insurance companies.
If there is no question about liability, the insurance company has a duty to quickly and fairly settle the claim. However, since there is usually at least some uncertainty in this area, most claims proceed to the next level.
This next level usually means filing legal paperwork in court. This filing preserves the victim/plaintiff’s rights and also pressures the insurance company to settle the matter.
If settlement negotiations break down, most Alameda County judges refer such matters to mediation. A third party mediator works with both sides and tries to facilitate a settlement. Legally, both sides have a duty to negotiate with the mediator, and with each other, in good faith. Therefore, mediation is normally successful.
Work With a Savvy Alameda County Attorney
Injury victims are normally entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced burn injury lawyer in Walnut Creek, contact Venardi Zurada, LLP. Home, virtual, and hospital visits are available.
