Texas Burn Injury Attorneys

What is a Burn Injury?

A burn injury is damage to the skin or other organic tissue caused by thermal, chemical, electrical, or radiation exposure. While many people associate burns only with fire, the medical definition encompasses any damage that causes skin cells to die.

The severity of a burn is categorized by "degrees," which dictate the level of medical intervention required:

• First-Degree Burns: Affect only the outer layer of skin (epidermis). They cause redness and pain but typically heal without permanent scarring.
• Second-Degree Burns: Extend to the second layer of skin (dermis). These cause blistering, intense pain, and may require skin grafting if they are deep.
• Third-Degree Burns: Reach the fat layer beneath the skin. These burns may destroy nerves, causing numbness, and often result in charred or white skin.
• Fourth-Degree Burns: The most severe category, extending through the skin into muscles, tendons, and even bone. These are life-threatening and often lead to amputation or permanent loss of function.

Common Types of Burn Injuries

In our decades of experience as Texas burn injury lawyers, we have represented clients suffering from various forms of trauma. The type of burn often determines the legal strategy and the type of expert witnesses needed to prove liability.

Thermal Burns

These are the most common burns, caused by contact with flames, steam, hot liquids (scalds), or hot objects. In Texas, these often occur in house fires, apartment complex negligence, or restaurant accidents.

Chemical Burns

Caused by strong acids, alkalies, or detergents. These are prevalent in Texas industrial sectors, such as oil refineries and chemical processing plants, where workers are often exposed to hazardous substances without proper protective gear.

Electrical Burns

These occur when an electrical current passes through the body. This can cause "exit wounds" and significant internal organ damage that isn't immediately visible on the surface of the skin. Faulty wiring in commercial buildings or contact with downed power lines are frequent causes.

Radiation Burns

While often associated with sunburn, severe radiation burns can occur in medical settings through overexposure to X-rays or during industrial accidents involving radioactive materials.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries

Texas is a hub for high-risk industries, including oil and gas, construction, and manufacturing. Consequently, our state sees a disproportionately high number of catastrophic burn incidents.

• Refinery and Plant Explosions: Texas is home to some of the largest refineries in the world. When safety protocols are ignored to increase profit, explosions can occur, causing mass casualty burn events.
• Oil Field Accidents: From "blowouts" to equipment failure, the oil patch is a dangerous place. Flash fires are a constant threat to workers.
• Trucking and Auto Accidents: High-speed collisions on Texas highways often lead to fuel tank ruptures and vehicle fires, trapping victims inside.
• Defective Products: Defective lithium-ion batteries, malfunctioning space heaters, and poorly designed consumer electronics can explode or catch fire unexpectedly.
• Workplace Negligence: Failure to provide proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or inadequate training on handling combustible materials often leads to preventable injuries.

Long-Term Effects of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries often have lasting consequences that extend far beyond the initial trauma. Victims may require ongoing medical treatment, multiple surgeries, and psychological care for years after the incident.

Common long-term effects include:

• Chronic pain and nerve damage
• Permanent scarring and disfigurement
• Limited mobility or loss of function
• Infections and complications during recovery
• Emotional trauma, including anxiety and PTSD
• Loss of income or reduced earning capacity

In severe cases, burn victims may be unable to return to their previous occupation or maintain the same quality of life. These long-term impacts are an important part of any legal claim, as compensation should reflect not only current medical bills but also future needs and losses.

At Hilliard Law, we work with medical experts and life-care planners to fully evaluate the long-term impact of burn injuries so our clients can pursue maximum compensation.

Compensation for Burn Injuries in Texas

When your burn injuries are the result of another party’s negligence, you have the right to take legal action and seek compensation for damages through a personal injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations for most personal injury claims in Texas is two years, meaning you will usually have two years from the date you were injured to start the legal process.

When assisting you with a personal injury claim, our Texas burn injury lawyers will fight to get you full and fair compensation for economic and non-economic damages, including:

• Medical bills
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Lost income
• Lost earning potential
• Pain and suffering
• Disability and disfigurement