Burn Injuries at Work

Skilled & Experienced Worker’s Compensation Lawyer in Chicago

Were you burned while on the job? Work-related injuries, including burns, can be extremely serious in nature, and sometimes result in severe harm, disfigurement, or even death. Employers are responsible for ensuring that their workplace is safe and that all safety measures are securely in place, as dictated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). However, not every employer takes the necessary steps to certify the safety of their workers. In fact, OSHA reports that more than 5,000 workers are hospitalized each year for burns they receive while at work. Of those injuries, roughly 200 prove to be fatal.

Why Choose Leonard Law Group?

Burn injuries are extremely serious, and if you or someone you love was burned at work, you may have a right to certain Workers’ Compensation benefits. Our experienced Workers’ Comp attorneys at Leonard Law Group understand what you are going through, and we want to help make the legal process as easy as possible so that you can focus on recovering from your injury. Since 1996, our firm has worked tirelessly to advocate for the rights of the injured, securing more than $1,000,000,000  in settlements and verdicts on behalf of our clients. Our lawyers are committed to providing each client with comprehensive legal help and guidance from the moment they file a Worker’s Comp claim to the day they collect their rightful benefits.

Ready to get started? Call (312) 487-2513 to discuss your burn injury with our Chicago Personal Injury attorneys.

Common Work-Related Burn Injuries

Unfortunately, burn injuries are rather common in the workplace, and they almost always require immediate medical attention. Burns might be caused by any number of problems, but often fall into one of three general categories:

• Chemical burns
• Electrical burns
• Thermal burns

Chemical burns might be caused by a dangerous, corrosive material, or a heavy-duty cleaner or solvent. These types of injuries can occur on nearly any jobsite, as cleaners exist everywhere. Electrical burns are usually caused by uncontrolled electric currents or sparks, and are more common on construction sites or in warehouses where wiring might malfunction or become loose. Thermal burns are the more traditional burns caused by an open flame or some type of direct heat source, like a stove, steam, or industrial machinery. Or, someone might burn themselves after touching something hot, like a pipe, a heated motor, a hot tool, or some other material.

The Resulting Damage

All burns are rated according to the severity of the damage. A burn can be either a first-degree, second-degree, third-degree, or fourth-degree burn, depending on the damage to the skin, nerves, or muscles.

• First-degree burns are the mildest, affecting only the outermost layer of the skin. They are usually soothed by simple antiseptic ointments and bandages.
• Second-degree burns damage the second layer of the skin, the dermis, causing redness and pain to the injured area. The injury may blister and scar.
• Third-degree burns go deeper than the dermis, affecting the fatty layer of skin beneath, sometimes harming nearby nerves. These burns often scar, and usually require extensive medical care and pain management, usually in the form of narcotics.
• Fourth-degree burns are the most serious type of burn and are often fatal. They penetrate beneath the skin, damaging nerves, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even bones.

Let Our Firm Help You Fight for Benefits

If you or someone you love was burned while on the job, make sure you take immediate action to fight for the benefits and compensation you are owed. Caring for burn injuries can be extremely costly, and may require long-term, ongoing care and treatments. Additionally, these burns can cause scarring, severe physical pain, emotional trauma, and may seriously affect the injured person’s ability to return to work.

Our firm can help if you were burned at work. We have a thorough understanding of Chicago Workers' Compensation laws and we can use our knowledge and experience to your advantage.

Contact Leonard Law Group today to discuss your case with our Workers’ Comp firm.