Can I Sue if I Was Burned by a Defective Product?

Consumers purchase and use many kinds of products each year. They also have the right to assume the products will work safely and as advertised. Unfortunately, unsafe products frequently find their way to the marketplace and cause harm to innocent workers, individuals, and families. Defective product burn injuries are a serious problem.

There is a wide range of defective products that can cause electrical shocks, electrocution, fires or explosions either in a person’s home or while using the product during the course of their employment. Electric heaters, air fryers, beauty products, commercial equipment, and defective industrial equipment  can destroy property and cause painful  and fatal injuries. If a defective product seriously burns you, an experienced lawyer can help you file claims against all liable parties.

How Do Burn Injuries Occur From Defective Products?

Whether you suffer first-degree burns or life-threatening third-degree burns, these injuries can impact your ability to work and enjoy life as you once knew. They can affect your physical appearance and ability to function daily.

Burn injuries can occur in several ways, including:

• Chemicals
• Gas explosions
• Fires in restaurants, hotels, or homes
• Radiation
• Car accidents
• Electrocution
• Construction accidents
• Household products
• Equipment and machinery used in the workplace
• Consumer products

What Are The Different Types of Burn Injuries?

Typically, medical healthcare professionals describe burn injuries in one of three categories:

• First-degree burns: First-degree burns refer to the outer layer of the skin and cause discomfort. First-degree burn injuries can result in temporary disability.
• Second-degree burns: This degree of burn usually causes blisters and several weeks of pain. Second-degree burns go under the first layer of the skin and can cause swelling, fluid buildup, and potential scarring.
• Third-degree burns: Third-degree burns are severe. They are a full thickness injury to several layers of skin where the skin dies and skin grating is generally required . 3^rd degree burns require urgent medical attention and often result in permanent scarring, disfigurement, and disability.

Burn victims can suffer residual effects, including:

• Blindness
• Organ failure
• Disfigurement
• Internal bleeding
• Breathing problems
• Infection
• Tissue damage
• Contractures
• Inability to regulate normal body temperature

Who Is Responsible for My Burn Injuries?

Manufacturers are legally required to ensure their products are safe for use. They must provide the necessary safeguards to prevent an accident .  Warnings and instructions are also required if the product has some inherent danger. If they fail to do so and you have been harmed, you can bring a products liability lawsuit. Claims can be filed against the manufacturer, wholesaler, designer, or distributor of the product liable for the damages caused by the unsafe product.

If a faulty, defective or unsafe product has burned you, you hve the right to file a lawsuit against the product manufacturer, among other entities. A strict products liability claim is brought against a manufacturer for any defective products they produce and distribute. A lawsuit can be filed against all parties responsible for helping sell and distribute the unsafe product.

What Is the Average Settlement Amount for Burn Injuries?

Burn injury compensation depends on the circumstances of the accident. A lawyer can evaluate various factors to determine how much the settlement amount could be for a burn injury lawsuit. Factors that are considered include:

• Extent of injury suffered by the burn injury victim. (Percentage of total body surface area [TBSA] that was burnt and the degree of burns 1st vs 3^rd)
• Financial harm suffered by the burn injury victim, including medical bills and lost wages.
• Venue where lawsuit is filed.
• The evidence to establish the product was designed, manufactured and sold in a defective or unsafe condition.

• Ongoing treatment required and other factors.
• Available insurance policies and amount of coverage provided for the manufacturer, seller or distributor of the defective product.

Do I Need a Lawyer for a Burn Injury Case?

The most important thing to do after an accident is to call a skilled lawyer. Our legal team has extensive  experience with burn injury cases and can thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the accident and the cause(s)  of your injuries. We can gather evidence, including your medical records, and calculate all damages. We can handle all phone calls and correspondences with insurance companies and opposing parties. We can work with a team of experts to help prove your case.

It is never advisable to attempt to go forward with a products liability lawsuit without experienced legal counsel. Our legal team can handle all the details so you can recover from your injuries.

Galfand Berger LLP has the experience and knowledge to fight on your behalf after a defective product has burned you. Some of our past cases:

• $36 million recovery for fatal workplace explosion: A workplace accident occurred when a large steel-producing machine exploded, killing one worker and causing severe burn injuries to two others. We recovered $36 million on behalf of our injured clients.
• $10,650,000 settlement for fatally burned worker and injured co-worker: An accident at an automotive battery company left one man dead and another severely burned. The automotive battery manufacturer’s facility was above-ground storage tanks with over 6,000 gallons of pure sulfuric acid. Our investigation revealed that a leveling gauge for one of the tanks had been broken for over a year before the accident. A broken pipe attached to a green chemical hose resulted in our clients being sprayed and burned with sulfuric acid. We ensured that the family of the deceased worker and his injured co-worker shared a $10.65 million settlement paid by four companies.
• $9,500,000 recovery to the family for the loss of their father and husband who was electrocuted at work
• $5.100,000 recovery for a defective casting machine that caused severe burn injuries.
• $4,250,000 recovery for two steelworkers burned at work by molten metal from a defective furnace.
• $1,750,000 pre-suit settlement to an independent contractor who was electrocuted and suffered 3^rd degree burns when his rental lift malfunctioned and came in contact with an electrical line.

Philadelphia Products Liability Lawyers at Galfand Berger LLP Can Help You if a Defective Product Caused Your Burn Injury

Our Philadelphia products liability lawyers at Galfand Berger LLP have decades of experience winning significant awards for clients who suffered injuries due to defective products. If you have a severe burn injury due to a defective product, call  Rick Jurewicz  at 800-222-USWA (8792) or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading, Pennsylvania, we serve clients in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Allentown and Harrisburg.