Burn injuries are among the most catastrophic injuries that people can suddenly sustain. Burns do not always respond well to trauma care. They can leave permanently disfiguring scars. They can also cause functional limitations. Burn scars tend to be inflexible. They can reduce an individual’s range of motion and their overall strength.
People burned due to car crashes, unsafe property conditions or defective products may have the right to seek compensation for the losses generated by their injuries. Unfortunately, it is relatively common for those pursuing burn injury compensation to make mistakes during that process. The following mistakes are among the most common.
Accepting a first settlement offer
People healing from major burn injuries are probably in a difficult financial situation. They may have gone weeks without income while recovering. They likely have extensive medical bills accumulating as well. An insurance settlement may seem tempting, but it represents the only compensation the individual may receive. If the settlement offer is noticeably below the applicable policy limits, negotiation may be necessary to secure an appropriate amount of compensation based on long-term losses.
Overlooking secondary expenses
When calculating the amount of compensation necessary, some costs are easy to quantify. Individuals know how much they have lost in short-term income and the cost of their initial trauma care. However, people have to factor in future medical expenses and lost earning potential. Injuries that affect a worker’s appearance, mental health or functional abilities can affect their career development and future income. People need to consider those secondary losses when determining the appropriate amount of compensation to request.
Handling the process alone
Those recovering from painful burn injuries are not in the ideal position to learn about insurance jargon and injury statutes. It is very easy for insurance professionals responding to a claim to take advantage of an injured person. Instead of trying to handle the process of calculating the long-term financial losses caused by the injuries, evaluating available insurance coverage and negotiating, the injured person can seek legal support for all of those tasks. They can focus on healing instead of on handling the claims process.
Learning from common mistakes that people with significant burn injuries make while pursuing compensation can help people limit their long-term economic losses. With the right support, burn survivors can pay for their medical care and offset their lost income.