Mobile Burn Injury Attorneys

Fighting for Compensation on Behalf of Burn Accident Victims in Mobile & Beyond

A serious burn injury can change a person's life in an instant. Beyond the immediate pain, burn victims often face extensive medical treatment, permanent scarring, emotional trauma, and significant financial burdens. If your injuries were caused by another party's negligence, you may have the right to pursue compensation for your losses.

At Cunningham Bounds, our Mobile burn injury lawyer team is committed to helping injury victims and their families seek justice after catastrophic injuries. We understand the physical, emotional, and financial challenges associated with severe burns and work diligently to hold negligent individuals, companies, and property owners accountable.

Call our burn injury lawyers in Mobile today at (251) 299-0101 for a free consultation.

How Burn Injuries Are Classified

First-Degree Burns 

First-degree burns are the mildest type of burn injury and only affect the top layer of skin, known as the epidermis. These types of burns are characterized by redness, swelling, and pain, but do not result in blisters. They typically heal within a few days and do not require medical treatment.

Second-Degree Burns 

Second-degree burns are more serious than first-degree burns as they affect both the epidermis and the layer beneath it, known as the dermis. These types of burns result in redness, swelling, blistering, and severe pain. They may also cause scarring and take longer to heal than first-degree burns.

Third-Degree Burns

Third-degree burns are the most severe type of burn injury and can be life-threatening. These types of burns damage all layers of skin and may even extend into deeper tissues such as muscles or bones. The affected area may appear white or charred and can result in numbness due to nerve damage. Third-degree burns require immediate medical attention and often require skin grafts for proper healing.

Fourth-Degree Burns

This is the most severe classification, where the damage extends completely through the skin layers into deep structures such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. These injuries are life-threatening, carry a high risk of catastrophic infection, and often require amputation or extensive surgical reconstruction.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries can occur due to a variety of reasons, ranging from accidents at home to workplace incidents. Here are some common causes of burn injuries:

• Heat: Burns caused by direct contact with heat sources such as fire, hot liquids, steam, or hot objects like stoves, irons, or heaters are some of the most common types of burns.
• Chemicals: Exposure to strong acids, alkalis, detergents, solvents, or other chemicals can cause chemical burns. These burns may happen at home, in the workplace, or in laboratories.
• Electrical: Contact with electrical sources like exposed wires, faulty appliances, or lightning strikes can result in electrical burns. These burns can cause damage not only to the skin but also to internal organs and tissues.
• Radiation: Exposure to sources of radiation, such as X-rays, UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds, or radiation therapy for medical treatment, can cause burns on the skin and underlying tissues.
• Friction: Friction burns occur when the skin rubs against a hard surface, causing heat to generate and damage to the skin. These burns are common in accidents such as road rash from motorcycle accidents or falls.
• Cold: While less common than other types of burns, exposure to extreme cold temperatures or contact with freezing substances can result in frostbite, which causes damage to the skin and underlying tissues.
• Scalds: Burns caused by hot liquids such as water, oil, or food are referred to as scalds. These burns often occur in the kitchen or bathroom and can range from mild to severe depending on the temperature and duration of exposure.
• Flammable liquids or gases: Accidents involving flammable substances such as gasoline, propane, or natural gas can lead to fires or explosions, causing burns.
• Sun exposure: Prolonged exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays without adequate protection can cause sunburns, which damage the outer layer of the skin and can lead to pain, redness, and blistering.
• Smoke inhalation: Inhalation of hot smoke or toxic fumes during fires can cause burns to the respiratory tract, leading to breathing difficulties and other serious complications.

The Aftermath of a Burn Injury

The true impact of a severe burn injury begins long after the initial flame or chemical is extinguished. The aftermath is a long, arduous road that affects every single facet of a victim's life:

• Medical and Surgical Interventions: Survivors of severe burns often require prolonged stays in specialized burn intensive care units. Treatment plans frequently involve multiple skin graft surgeries, debridement (the painful removal of dead tissue), fluid resuscitation, and continuous monitoring to prevent systemic infection or sepsis.
• Long-Term Physical Rehabilitation: As burn wounds heal, scar tissue contracts, which can severely limit joint mobility and cause permanent physical disabilities. Intensive physical and occupational therapy is required for months or years to help patients regain basic motor functions and independence.
• Psychological and Emotional Distress: The physical changes and disfigurement associated with severe burns regularly lead to profound psychological trauma. Many survivors suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), severe depression, anxiety, and social isolation as they struggle to adapt to their altered physical appearance.
• Financial Devastation: The compounding costs of emergency transport, intensive care, surgeries, physical therapy, and prescription medications can easily reach hundreds of thousands—or millions—of dollars. When coupled with a total loss of income due to an inability to work, families can quickly find themselves facing financial ruin.

Seeking Maximum Compensation for Your Losses

Burn victims often need expensive medical treatments to reduce pain and prevent scarring and disfigurement. These injuries may also require long-term hospitalization, causing burn victims to miss work for several weeks or even months. 

Our Alabama burn injury lawyers work to alleviate the stress and financial burden you may be experiencing by negotiating with the insurance company on your behalf and fighting for the compensation you need.

We help burn injury victims seek compensation for:

• Medical expenses
• Loss of income
• Pain and suffering
• Lost earning potential
• Mental anguish
• And more

Do I Have Grounds to File a Burn Injury Lawsuit?

Burns are one of the most common injuries that occur in the United States, with over 450,000 serious burn injuries occurring every year. The vast majority of these burn injuries are preventable, and many of them are caused by negligence. If your burn injury was caused by another party's negligence or wrongdoing, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit.

We often handle burn injury cases stemming from:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Defective products
• Worksite explosions
• Workplace fires
• Toxic exposure

Understanding the Risks of Burn Injuries in Children

Burn injuries are among the worst possible injuries. They often prove fatal. Even when burn injuries are not life-threatening, they are incredibly painful and often cause permanent scarring and disfigurement. Children are particularly susceptible to burn injuries. For example, the smell of cookies baking in the oven or cooling on a hot cookie sheet is hard for a child to resist. A fireplace may still contain extreme heat even after a fire has ostensibly died out. In short, potential burn hazards are not always readily apparent to a child.

Statistics make the risk of burn hazards to children clear. In 2013 alone, more than 126,000 children in the United States were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to a fire or a burn. Over 67,000 of these burn victims were children four years old and younger.

Here are a few essential tips published by Safe Kids Worldwide (www.safekids.org) to protect children from burn-related injuries:

1. Don’t carry or hold a child while cooking on the stove. Instead, move a high chair in the kitchen within reach or sight before you start. Then, talk to your children so they know what’s going on. It’s a great way to spend time together.
2. With everything going on, we know the water heater is the last thing on your mind. But a minor adjustment can give you one less thing to worry about. Set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or the manufacturer’s recommended setting to prevent accidental scalding.
3. Kids love to reach, so to prevent hot food or liquid spills, simply use the back burner of your stove and turn the pot handles away from the edge. Keep hot foods away from the edge of your counters.
4. Make a habit of placing matches, gasoline, and lighters in a safe place outside children’s reach. Avoid novelty lighters or lighters that look like toys.

What Factors Determine the Value of a Burn Injury Case?

Because burn injuries are incredibly complex, there is no simple formula to calculate what a claim is worth. When Cunningham Bounds evaluates your case, we look at several critical, overlapping factors to build a strong baseline for your financial recovery:

• The Severity and Depth of the Burn: Third- and fourth-degree burns inherently command higher insurance settlements and verdicts due to the extreme medical intervention required and the intense physical pain involved.
• The Percentage of Body Surface Area (BSA) Affected: Medical professionals calculate the total percentage of the body that was burned. Higher BSA percentages typically indicate a longer hospital stay, higher risk of complications, and larger economic damages.
• The Location of the Scarring: Permanent scarring or disfigurement on highly visible areas—such as the face, neck, and hands—often results in greater non-economic compensation due to the profound impact on a victim's self-esteem and social life.
• The Level of Defendant Negligence: If a company or individual acted with gross negligence or complete disregard for human safety, Alabama courts may allow us to pursue punitive damages, which are designed to punish the wrongdoer and maximize your overall recovery.

Burn Injury FAQs

What should I do after suffering a burn injury in Mobile, AL?

After a burn injury, seek medical treatment immediately, even if the burn seems minor. Then, report the incident (to your employer, property owner, or relevant party), document the scene with photos, gather witness information, and contact a Mobile burn injury lawyer to discuss your legal options.

Who can be held liable for a burn injury?

Liability depends on the circumstances. Possible defendants include employers (for on-the-job injuries), product manufacturers (for defective equipment), landlords (for unsafe properties), or negligent drivers (for vehicle-related burns).

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

Yes. In most cases, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for medical costs and lost wages. However, if a third party (such as a subcontractor or manufacturer) contributed to your injury, you may also pursue a personal injury lawsuit for additional compensation.

How long do I have to file a burn injury claim in Alabama?

Under Alabama law, you typically have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury claim. If your injury occurred at work, different deadlines may apply under workers’ compensation laws. Consulting an attorney early is essential to protect your rights.

Do I need an attorney to file a burn injury claim?

While not legally required, hiring a Mobile burn injury lawyer can greatly increase your chances of securing full compensation. An attorney can investigate the cause, identify all liable parties, and negotiate aggressively with insurers on your behalf.

How We Can Help

At Cunningham Bounds, we understand the devastating impact that a burn injury can have on your life. Our Mobile burn injury attorneys are dedicated to fighting for the rights of burn accident victims in Alabama. We are committed to seeking justice and fair compensation for those who have suffered from the negligence or wrongdoing of others.

When you choose Cunningham Bounds to represent you, you can expect:

• Compassionate and personalized legal representation
• Thorough investigation and aggressive advocacy
• Experienced in handling complex burn injury claims
• Proven track record of successful outcomes for our clients

Don't suffer in silence. If you or a loved one has been a victim of a burn injury, contact our team today for a free consultation. Let us fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.

Contact Our Burn Injury Attorneys in Mobile Today

The dedicated attorneys at Cunningham Bounds can devote our extensive resources and experienced insight to your burn injury claim. Since 1958, our firm has recovered billions in verdicts and settlements on behalf of thousands of our clients. We are proud to have the means to help others from their difficult circumstances and pursue the best possible outcome on their behalf.

Mr. Brown, one of our leading attorneys, is also a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates, meaning that they are among an elite group of 100 of the best plaintiff lawyers in the nation. You can expect a high level of excellence from our firm at all times and personal representation that fights for big results on your behalf.

Call (251) 299-0101 to schedule your free case evaluation today with our Mobile burn injury lawyers.