Joliet Burn Injury Lawyer

A serious burn injury can change your life in an instant, leaving you with painful wounds, mounting medical bills, and a long road to recovery. Whether your injury happened in a car accident, a workplace explosion, or a product failure, you deserve fair compensation. 

Conboy Law helps Joliet burn injury victims hold negligent parties accountable. Call (312) 376-4291 for a free case evaluation today.

Why Choose Conboy Law for Your Joliet Burn Injury Case?

Burn injuries are among the most devastating and costly injuries a person can suffer, and they deserve serious legal representation. Conboy Law is founded by Joseph M. Conboy, a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2019 to 2022, who has secured multi-million-dollar results for clients with catastrophic injuries throughout Illinois.

We handle every case on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing upfront and owe no fees unless we win. When you are focused on healing, Conboy Law is focused on fighting for everything you deserve.

How Can a Joliet Burn Injury Lawyer Help After a Serious Burn Accident?

Burn injury cases are not like typical personal injury claims. They often involve months of treatment, multiple surgeries, permanent scarring, and financial losses that continue long after the injury. Insurance companies try to settle these claims quickly and for far less than they are worth.

Investigating the Cause of the Burn Injury

Our team investigates every aspect of how the burn injury occurred, including reviewing accident reports, fire department records, and any available video footage. Identifying the exact cause of the burn helps us establish who was responsible and what evidence is needed to support your claim.

Identifying All Liable Parties

Burn injuries often involve more than one responsible party. A workplace explosion may involve a negligent employer and an equipment manufacturer. We investigate every angle to make sure no liable party is overlooked.

Gathering Medical and Expert Evidence

Burn injury claims require strong medical evidence, including treatment records, surgical reports, and expert opinions. We work with medical specialists and accident reconstruction experts who can explain the full extent of your injuries.

Negotiating With Insurance Companies

Insurance companies handling burn injury claims look for every reason to reduce what they pay. Conboy Law handles all communication and negotiation on your behalf, pushing for a settlement that reflects the severity of your injuries and your long-term needs.

Taking Your Case to Trial if Necessary

When an insurance company refuses a fair offer, we are prepared to take your burn injury case to trial. Our trial experience in catastrophic injury cases gives us leverage in every negotiation.

What Compensation Can You Recover After a Burn Injury?

Illinois burn injury victims may recover both economic and non-economic damages. The value of your claim depends on the severity of your burns and how the injury has affected your life and ability to work.

Medical Expenses and Ongoing Treatment

Burn injuries often require emergency care, skin grafts, surgeries, and extended hospital stays. These medical expenses can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars, and our team works to make sure every cost is included in your claim.

Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Capacity

A serious burn injury may prevent you from working for months or permanently. We pursue compensation for income already lost and any long-term reduction in your earning capacity.

Pain and Suffering

Burn injuries are extraordinarily painful, and the physical suffering that accompanies treatment can last for years. Illinois law allows burn injury victims to recover compensation for this pain, and Conboy Law makes sure those damages are fully calculated.

Scarring, Disfigurement, and Emotional Trauma

Permanent scarring and disfigurement are life-altering consequences of serious burn injuries. Burn victims also frequently experience emotional distress, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress, which are a significant part of any serious burn injury claim.

Future Rehabilitation and Long-Term Care Costs

Severe burns often require years of physical therapy, reconstructive surgery, and ongoing care. We work with medical experts to project your future costs so your settlement accounts for everything you need going forward.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries in Joliet

Burn injuries happen in many different situations. 

Here are the most common causes of burn injuries that lead to personal injury claims in Joliet and throughout Illinois:

• Motor Vehicle Accidents: Car and truck crashes can cause fuel fires, chemical spills, or electrical burns. Both the at-fault driver and a vehicle manufacturer may share liability.
• Workplace Accidents: Workers in construction, manufacturing, and chemical industries face serious burn risks. Employers and third-party contractors may share liability for workplace burn injuries.
• Fires and Explosions: Faulty wiring, gas leaks, and unsafe conditions can cause fires and explosions. Property owners and landlords may be responsible when these hazards result from negligence.
• Defective Products: Defective appliances, electronics, and consumer products can cause fires and chemical burns. Manufacturers may be liable when a design or manufacturing defect caused the injury.
• Electrical Accidents: Contact with exposed wiring can cause severe electrical burns, often in workplace settings or on properties with poorly maintained electrical systems.

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Burn Injury?

Multiple parties can share responsibility for a burn injury depending on how and where it occurred. A Joliet burn injury lawyer at Conboy Law will investigate the facts to identify every party whose negligence contributed to your injury.

• Negligent Drivers: Drivers who cause accidents through reckless or distracted driving may be held responsible for any burn injuries that result from the crash or resulting fire.
• Property Owners and Businesses: Property owners have a duty to maintain safe premises. Those who allow fire hazards, faulty wiring, or unsafe chemical storage to go unaddressed may be liable when someone is burned.
• Employers and Third Parties: Employers who fail to follow workplace safety standards or maintain safe working conditions may be held liable for burn injuries sustained on the job.
• Manufacturers of Defective Products: Companies that produce or distribute defective products that cause burn injuries may face liability under Illinois product liability law.

How Severe Are Burn Injuries?

Burns are classified by depth and tissue damage. The burn's classification helps establish the severity of harm and the value of the claim.

First-Degree Burns

First-degree burns affect only the outer layer of skin, causing redness, pain, and minor swelling. They typically heal within a week and rarely form the basis of a serious personal injury claim on their own.

Second-Degree Burns

Second-degree burns damage the outer layer and part of the layer beneath, causing blisters, deep pain, and possible scarring. These burns may require skin grafts and can take weeks to months to heal, often leaving permanent marks.

Third-Degree Burns

Third degree burns destroy all layers of the skin and may damage the tissue beneath. When a third-degree burn results from gross negligence, the at-fault party may be liable for the full cost of long-term care. 

The burned area may appear white, brown, or black, and the injured person may feel little pain because the nerves are destroyed. These burns almost always require surgery, skin grafts, and extensive rehabilitation.

Fourth-Degree Burns

Fourth-degree burns are the most severe, extending through skin and tissue down to bone or muscle. These burns are life-threatening and often result in permanent disability, amputation, or lifelong medical needs.

How Do You Prove Negligence in an Illinois Burn Injury Case?

Illinois burn injury claims require proof of four negligence elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages.

Establishing a Duty of Care

The first step is showing that the defendant owed the injured person a duty of care. Drivers owe a duty to others on the road, employers owe a duty to their workers, and property owners owe a duty to visitors. This duty is the foundation of the negligence claim.

Proving a Breach of Duty

You must also show that the defendant failed to meet that duty. A driver who ran a red light or a landlord who ignored faulty wiring breached their duty to others.

Demonstrating Causation

You must also show that the defendant's breach of duty directly caused your injury. This connection is called causation, and it often requires expert witness testimony in complex burn injury cases.

Documenting Damages

Finally, you must document the full extent of your damages, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and long-term costs. Thorough documentation is critical to recovering fair compensation.

How Does Illinois Comparative Negligence Law Affect Burn Injury Claims?

Under 735 ILCS 5/2-1116, Illinois follows a modified comparative negligence rule with a 51% bar. You may recover compensation as long as you are 50% or less at fault. If you are 51% or more at fault, you cannot recover anything. Your total damages are reduced by your percentage of fault, so someone 20% at fault on a $200,000 claim recovers $160,000.

Insurance companies try to shift blame onto injured people to reduce what they pay. Conboy Law gathers strong evidence early to protect your share of fault.

How Long Do You Have to File a Burn Injury Lawsuit in Illinois?

Under 735 ILCS 5/13-202, most Illinois personal injury lawsuits, including burn injury claims, must be filed within two years of the injury. Missing this deadline means losing your right to pursue compensation in court. Acting quickly also helps preserve evidence before it disappears.

What Evidence Can Strengthen a Burn Injury Claim?

Good evidence is the foundation of a burn injury claim.

Medical Records and Treatment Documentation

Complete medical records covering diagnosis, treatment, surgeries, and prognosis establish both the severity of your injury and the full cost of treatment.

Fire Department and Incident Reports

Official reports from fire departments and OSHA document how the burn incident occurred and may identify safety violations that contributed to the injury.

Photographs and Video Evidence

Photos and video of the burn scene and the injured person's injuries provide compelling visual evidence of what happened and how serious the injuries are.

Witness Statements

People who saw the accident can provide statements confirming how the burn injury occurred and supporting your account of events.

Expert Witness Testimony

Medical experts explain the severity of the burns and the long-term effects on your health. Accident reconstruction experts can explain how the defendant's negligence caused the fire or explosion.

Can Families File a Wrongful Death Claim After a Fatal Burn Injury?

When a burn injury results in death, surviving family members may pursue a wrongful death claim. Under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act (740 ILCS 180/1), the personal representative of the deceased's estate may file on behalf of the family. 

Compensation may include funeral expenses, lost financial support, and damages for the family's grief and suffering. Illinois requires wrongful death claims to be filed within two years of the date of death.

Contact Our Joliet Burn Injury Lawyer for a Free Consultation

Burn injuries are devastating, and you should not have to fight for compensation while you are trying to heal. Conboy Law represents injured people in Joliet and throughout Illinois, and we are ready to put our experience and resources to work for you. 

Call (312) 376-4291 today to speak with a Joliet burn injury lawyer and get your free case evaluation with no obligation.