Several factors can influence the compensation you ultimately receive for burn injuries suffered in a Philadelphia accident. It is likely that the party that caused your injuries will carry insurance designed to provide compensation for accidents like this.
Drivers, for example, carry bodily injury policies on their auto insurance, while landlords may carry premises liability insurance to help provide coverage in the event of an accident on that property.
The limits of that insurance policy typically determine the maximum compensation you can receive, even if your financial damages from the accident exceed the limits of the policy.
Most people include several common elements when filing a Philadelphia burn injury claim for burn injuries.
Compensation for medical bills. Even patients with relatively minor burns may experience substantial medical bills.
Burns have a high rate of complication, which means that they require a high standard of care. Those complications can also add to the immediate cost of your medical expenses.
You could include compensation for all your burn-related expenses as part of your Philadelphia burn injury claim.
These could include:
- Emergency medical treatment
- The cost of any surgeries or skin grafts
- Your stay in a burn unit, if needed
- The cost of physical therapy or occupational therapy, if needed
- The cost of psychological therapy, if needed to help you cope with the restrictions of your injuries
Compensation for lost wages. The severe pain from burns can make it impossible to concentrate well enough to perform your usual job duties.
Even as your recovery progresses, slowly healing skin may not withstand harsh treatment, making it impossible for you to return to work.
Even if you can take on some of your usual job tasks from home, you may find yourself with limited hours in the aftermath of your accident.
You may find your income dropping substantially due to an inability to work. Fortunately, you could include compensation for those lost wages as part of your Philadelphia burn injury claim.
Compensation for your pain and suffering. In addition to compensation for the tangible financial losses you suffered as a result of your accident, you could also claim compensation for pain and suffering.
In addition to the severe physical pain associated with even minor burns, you may suffer in several other ways. Many burn victims struggle with the scarring and permanent changes in physical appearance related to their injuries.
Your burns may prevent you from attending events you had previously looked forward to, or stop you from enjoying many of your favorite activities.
Some burn victims also suffer a sense of isolation related to their injuries: scarring may make them uncomfortable going out in public, or they may feel isolated from friends and family members throughout their recovery.