Dallas Burn Injury Lawyer | Free Consultation

If you or someone you love suffered severe burns in Dallas or the surrounding area, you face months or years of surgeries, skin grafts, and recovery that will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The physical pain is excruciating. The emotional trauma is real. And right now, you need answers about who will pay for all of this.

Texas law allows burn injury victims to recover full compensation from the parties responsible for their injuries. That includes past and future medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and permanent disfigurement. But insurance companies fight these claims hard because burn injury settlements can reach into the millions.

Varghese Summersett has recovered significant compensation for catastrophic injury victims across Dallas County. We understand the medical complexities of burn cases, we work with top medical experts, and we’re prepared to take your case to trial if necessary. Call (214) 903-4000 for a free consultation with an experienced Dallas burn injury lawyer.

How Burn Injuries Happen in Dallas

Most severe burn injuries in Dallas happen in workplace accidents, vehicle crashes, and explosions. Construction sites, oil and gas operations, and industrial facilities present constant fire hazards. Electrical burns occur when workers contact live wires or faulty equipment. Chemical burns happen in manufacturing plants and during transportation accidents involving hazardous materials.

Vehicle fires cause devastating injuries when fuel tanks rupture or electrical systems malfunction. Apartment fires injure residents when landlords fail to maintain smoke detectors or sprinkler systems. Restaurant burns happen when employees work with defective equipment or in unsafe conditions.

Texas premises liability law holds property owners responsible when their negligence causes burn injuries. Product liability law applies when defective products cause fires or explosions. And workers in Dallas can file third-party claims against negligent contractors or equipment manufacturers even if they’re receiving workers’ compensation.

Types of Burn Injuries and Their Medical Impact

Burn injuries are classified by depth. First-degree burns damage only the outer skin layer and usually heal without scarring. Second-degree burns penetrate deeper and often require skin grafts. Third-degree burns destroy all skin layers and underlying tissue. Fourth-degree burns reach muscle and bone.

Severe burns require immediate treatment at specialized burn centers like Parkland Hospital’s burn unit in Dallas. Treatment often includes debridement (removing dead tissue), multiple skin graft surgeries, and months of physical therapy. Burn victims face infection risks, breathing problems from smoke inhalation, and permanent scarring that requires reconstructive surgery.

Burn injuries covering more than 20 percent of the body are considered life-threatening. Victims often develop psychological trauma including PTSD, depression, and anxiety about their appearance. Children who suffer facial burns may need multiple reconstructive surgeries as they grow.

What Compensation Is Available for Dallas Burn Injury Victims?

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 41.001, burn injury victims can recover economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include every medical expense, lost wages, and future cost you’ll face. Non-economic damages compensate for pain, suffering, disfigurement, and loss of enjoyment of life.

Medical expenses in burn cases typically include emergency treatment, burn center care, surgery costs, skin grafts, reconstructive procedures, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological counseling, and prescription medications. Future medical costs can exceed $1 million for severe burns requiring lifetime care.

Lost wages include income you’ve already lost and future earning capacity if you cannot return to your previous job. Disfigurement damages compensate for permanent scarring, especially on visible areas like the face, hands, and arms. Loss of consortium claims allow spouses to recover for the impact on their marriage.

If the defendant’s conduct was grossly negligent, Texas law allows exemplary damages up to the greater of $200,000 or two times economic damages plus non-economic damages capped at $750,000. This applies when someone acts with conscious indifference to your safety.

Get the Compensation You Deserve. Call (214) 903-4000 for a free consultation with our Dallas burn injury lawyers.

How Liability Works in Texas Burn Injury Cases

Determining who caused your burn injury is critical to your case. In workplace accidents, multiple parties may share responsibility. The property owner, general contractor, subcontractors, equipment manufacturers, and chemical suppliers can all be held liable if their negligence contributed to your injuries.

Texas follows a modified comparative negligence rule under Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 33.001. You can recover compensation as long as you’re not more than 50 percent at fault for the accident. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you’re 20 percent at fault, you recover 80 percent of your damages.

In premises liability cases, property owners must maintain safe conditions and warn visitors of known hazards. Landlords who fail to maintain electrical systems, gas lines, or fire safety equipment can be held liable for resulting burn injuries. Restaurants and businesses owe employees a duty to provide safe working conditions.

Product manufacturers are strictly liable when defective products cause burn injuries. This includes faulty electrical appliances, propane tanks, gas grills, space heaters, and industrial equipment. You don’t need to prove negligence, only that the product was defective and caused your burns.

Chemical companies that transport hazardous materials must follow strict safety regulations. When truck accidents release toxic or flammable chemicals, victims can file claims against the trucking company, the shipper, and the chemical manufacturer.

What Your Burn Injury Case May Be Worth

Settlement value depends on burn severity, body surface area affected, location of burns, age of victim, and permanency of scarring. Burns covering the face, hands, or other visible areas typically result in higher compensation. Children with severe facial burns often receive larger settlements because they face a lifetime of social and psychological challenges.

Medical costs drive much of a burn case’s value. Emergency treatment at a Dallas burn center can cost $100,000 or more. Each skin graft surgery adds $50,000 to $100,000. Reconstructive procedures cost similar amounts. Burn victims often need 10 to 20 surgeries over several years.

Lost earning capacity matters significantly for working-age adults. If your burns prevent you from returning to your job, an economist calculates your lifetime wage loss. For a 40-year-old worker earning $60,000 annually, lifetime losses can exceed $1.5 million.

Pain and suffering damages reflect the physical agony of burn treatment and the emotional trauma of permanent disfigurement. Juries in Dallas County have awarded millions in non-economic damages for severe burn cases. Insurance companies know this, which is why they fight so hard to minimize these claims.

The Claims Process for Dallas Burn Injuries

Your burn injury claim begins with medical treatment. Go to Parkland Hospital’s burn center or another specialized facility immediately. Follow all treatment recommendations and attend every appointment. Insurance companies scrutinize medical records to find reasons to reduce your claim.

Document everything. Photograph your injuries, save all medical bills and records, keep a pain journal, and preserve evidence from the accident scene. If your burns resulted from a workplace accident, file an incident report immediately.

Texas gives you two years to file a personal injury lawsuit under the statute of limitations. But don’t wait. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget details, and defendants destroy documents. Our Dallas burn injury lawyers start investigating immediately to preserve critical evidence.

Insurance adjusters often contact victims within days of the accident. They seem friendly and helpful. They’re not. Their job is to get you to accept a low settlement before you understand the full extent of your injuries and future medical needs. Do not give recorded statements or sign anything without talking to a lawyer first.

Most burn injury claims involve negotiations with insurance companies. We send a demand letter documenting your injuries, medical treatment, and damages. The insurance company responds with an offer. We negotiate back and forth until we reach a fair settlement or decide to file a lawsuit.

If negotiations fail, we file suit in Dallas County district court. The case proceeds through discovery, where both sides exchange evidence and take depositions. Many cases settle during mediation. If we can’t reach agreement, we take your case to trial before a Dallas County jury.

Protect Your Rights and Your Future. Call (214) 903-4000 to speak with a Dallas burn injury attorney today.

Why Insurance Companies Fight Burn Injury Claims

Severe burn cases are among the most expensive claims insurance companies face. They know that juries in Dallas County award large verdicts for catastrophic injuries. So they deploy every tactic to minimize payouts.

Insurance adjusters blame the victim. They argue you were careless, violated safety rules, or assumed the risk. They claim your injuries aren’t as severe as you say. They send you to their own doctors who downplay your need for future treatment.

They delay investigations hoping you’ll get desperate and accept a low offer. They dispute liability, claiming someone else caused the accident. They argue that your pre-existing conditions contributed to your injuries. They challenge the necessity of expensive treatments like reconstructive surgery.

Insurance companies have teams of lawyers, investigators, and medical experts working to defeat your claim. You need experienced trial lawyers who know how to fight back. Varghese Summersett has the resources, expertise, and willingness to take cases to trial when insurance companies won’t pay fair compensation.

Watch: Texas Industrial Accidents and Legal Compensation

What to Expect From Varghese Summersett

Our Dallas personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. You pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. We advance all case costs including expert witness fees, medical record charges, and court filing fees. If we don’t win, you owe us nothing.

We start by investigating your accident thoroughly. We visit the accident scene, interview witnesses, review incident reports, and consult with safety experts. For workplace burns, we examine OSHA records and safety violations. For product defect cases, we hire engineers to test the equipment that caused your injuries.

We work with top medical experts who understand burn treatment and can testify about your future medical needs. We retain economists to calculate lifetime wage losses and vocational experts to assess how your injuries affect your ability to work.

You’ll have direct access to your attorney throughout your case. We keep you informed of every development and explain your options at each stage. We handle all communication with insurance companies so you can focus on your recovery.

Varghese Summersett has offices in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Southlake with dozens of members ready to fight for you. Our trial attorneys are prepared to present your case to a Dallas County jury if that’s what it takes to get you fair compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Dallas Burn Injury Cases

How long do I have to file a burn injury lawsuit in Dallas?

Texas law gives you two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. If you miss this deadline, you lose your right to compensation. Some exceptions apply, such as when the victim is a minor, but don’t count on extensions. Contact a Dallas burn injury lawyer as soon as possible after the accident.

Can I file a burn injury claim if the accident happened at work?

Yes. Even if you’re receiving workers’ compensation benefits, you can file a third-party claim against anyone other than your employer who caused your injuries. This includes general contractors, subcontractors, property owners, and equipment manufacturers. A third-party claim can recover compensation that workers’ comp doesn’t cover, including pain and suffering damages.

What if I can’t afford medical treatment for my burn injuries?

Many Dallas hospitals and burn centers treat severe injuries on a lien basis, meaning they agree to wait for payment until your case settles. We can help arrange treatment and work with medical providers to ensure you get the care you need while your claim is pending.

How much is my Dallas burn injury case worth?

Case value depends on burn severity, medical costs, lost income, permanency of scarring, and how the injury affects your life. Severe burns covering large areas of the body or visible locations like the face typically result in higher compensation. We need to review your medical records and understand your situation before estimating value. Call us for a free case evaluation.

Will my burn injury case go to trial?

Most personal injury cases settle before trial. But insurance companies settle only when they believe you’re prepared to go to court. Having experienced trial lawyers sends a message that you’re serious about getting fair compensation. We prepare every case for trial from day one, and that preparation often leads to better settlement offers.

Schedule Your Free Consultation With a Dallas Burn Injury Lawyer

You’re facing a long road to recovery. Let us handle the legal fight while you focus on healing. Varghese Summersett offers free consultations for burn injury victims in Dallas County. We’ll review your case, explain your legal options, and answer all your questions.

We represent clients throughout Dallas County including Dallas, Irving, Mesquite, Grand Prairie, Garland, Carrollton, Richardson, and surrounding communities. If you cannot come to our office, we’ll meet you at your home or hospital room.

Call (214) 903-4000 or contact us online to schedule your free consultation. Time matters in burn injury cases. Evidence disappears, witnesses become unavailable, and the two-year deadline approaches faster than you think. Don’t wait. Call today to speak with a Dallas burn injury lawyer.