Orange County Burn Injury Attorneys

Orange County Burn Injury Lawyer

Any kind of personal injury can be painful and damaging, but burn injuries are some of the worst injuries anyone can experience. These injuries are not only excruciating but also potentially permanently damaging. Some people suffer burns that leave lasting scars and cause other medical complications. If you have suffered a burn because of another party’s actions, an Orange County burn injury lawyer can help hold them accountable.

Burn Injury Lawyers in Orange County, CA

Burn injuries can result from all kinds of underlying negligence, ranging from defective products leaking dangerous chemicals to negligence in handling hot liquids to negligence causing car and motorcycle accidents to electrical shocks and burns. In fact, burn injuries can even occur as a result of the ingestion of and subsequent allergic reaction to certain medications. Attorneys at Easton & Easton, LLP have handled cases involving burn injuries as a result of these different types of negligence.

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Classifying Degree Of Burn Injuries

Burns are typically classified as first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burns. First-degree burns are usually characterized by reddening of the skin, but with no blistering because the damage is only to the epidermis (superficial layer) of the skin. In second-degree burns, the damage has passed through the epidermis, causing the formation of blisters on the outside of the skin.

In third-degree burns, however, the damage extends past the epidermis and into the dermis (deep layers) of the skin, often burning through subcutaneous fat, muscle, and even bone. Usually, where third-degree burns have occurred, skin grafting will be necessary to repair the damage. These injuries are best treated in Burn Wards of major hospitals where the doctors and nurses have specialized training in dealing with these types of catastrophic injuries.

The Infamous McDonald’s Coffee Case

One of the more well-known third-degree burn cases, which many forget to recognize as a serious burn case, is Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants or the “McDonald’s Coffee Case.” Liebeck is often referenced with infamy as the poster child of frivolous lawsuits and excessive awards. However, upon learning the true facts of the case, most people feel very differently about it.

In that case, Ms. Liebeck, a 79-year-old woman, ordered coffee at the McDonald’s drive-thru, then parked and placed the cup between her legs while she attempted to add cream and sugar to it. When she tried to pull the lid off of the cup, the coffee spilled onto her lap, severely burning her thighs, legs, buttocks, and groin. She suffered third-degree burns on 6 percent of her skin, including her genitalia, and underwent significant skin grafting, followed by two years of medical treatment.

During her trial, Ms. Liebeck’s attorneys showed that McDonald’s required its franchises to serve coffee at 180-190 ºF, at which temperature the coffee would cause severe third-degree burns within seconds if it spilled. While McDonald’s served its coffee at this extremely high temperature for its own convenience in keeping the coffee hot for its drive-thru patrons, this high temperature put its customers at undue risk of sustaining a severe burn if the coffee spilled. Other similar establishments (like Burger King, Starbucks, etc) serve coffee at a significantly lower temperature. Ms. Liebeck’s attorneys argued that coffee did not need to be served hotter than 140 ºF. Thus, their claim was that McDonalds created a dangerous product by serving the coffee in flimsy paper cups at unnecessarily extreme temperatures. Obviously the jury agreed with them.

It was because of this proof at trial, specifically that the coffee was so much hotter than it needed to be, and because of Ms. Liebeck’s severe burn injuries that the New Mexico jury awarded her $2.86 million. This serves as a prime example that burn injuries can arise from all types of negligence and that great harm often will result from these types of injuries.

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3 Things You Should Know After A Burn Injury Has Occurred

Seek immediate medical help and, if it’s a serious third-degree burn, insist on treatment at a major hospital with a Burn Ward.

Preserve any evidence of the negligence or causative effect of your personal injury in Orange County.

Call Easton & Easton, LLP as soon as possible so we can advise you what to do next.

Reactions To Drugs And Other Treatments For Burn Injuries

Allergic reactions to certain types of drugs can cause a burning type of injury.

In addition to traditional external burn cases, attorneys at Easton & Easton, LLP have experience handling allergic reactions to certain types of drugs that cause a burning type of injury from within the body to the mucous membranes, such as the mouth, pharynx, trachea, genitalia, and eyes. Skin blistering is common with these burn cases. These types of injures are often diagnosed as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, and result from allergic reactions to sulfonamides, antibiotics, anticonvulsants, and NSAID’s.

Medical Complications From Burn Injuries

One of the most troubling aspects of burn injuries is the fact that they often cause lasting damage. Depending on the severity of a burn, its location on the victim’s body, and the surface area of the body that it affects, it is possible for a burn to cause a host of long-term medical complications. For example, if a victim suffers a burn around their elbow or shoulder joint, the scar tissue that forms will eventually restrict the mobility of their arm.

Burns are also disfiguring, especially those that affect the head and face. This causes psychological distress along with the physical pain of the injury. Ultimately, burns are typically classified as catastrophic due to the fact that they are physically and psychologically harmful, and the damaging effects can last for years or even permanently.

Recovering Compensation for a Burn Injury

If you are able to prove that another party directly caused your burn injury through some form of negligence or illegal misconduct, you have the right to seek full repayment of all associated financial losses. You can claim compensation for immediate and future medical expenses, and this includes any future surgical procedures and rehabilitation you will need to reach maximum medical recovery.

When the victim of a burn injury cannot work while they recover, the defendant who injured them is liable for all the income they are unable to earn during this time. Additionally, if the defendant is unable to return to work in the future, the defendant is also liable for future income they are no longer able to earn. An experienced Orange County burn injury lawyer is the ideal resource to consult for help in accurately calculating these projected losses.

If you sustained a severe burn causing any level of long-term or permanent damage, the pain and suffering compensation you secure from a successful personal injury suit is likely to form the bulk of your total recovery. State law does not place a cap or limit on pain and suffering compensation in most personal injury cases, with the sole exception of medical malpractice claims.

For all other personal injuries, a plaintiff may seek as much as they deem reasonable to reflect the severity of the harm they suffered and the extent of the long-term effects they must endure. For many plaintiffs, it amounts to several times the total of their claimed economic losses. Your Orange County burn injury lawyer can help determine a suitable amount in your claim, potentially enhancing your recovery far beyond your initial expectations.

Once you have gathered proof of liability for your injury and the evidence needed to show the full extent of your damages, you can submit your complaint to the local court. At this point, your case could proceed to either settlement negotiations or litigation. If the defendant accepts liability, they are more likely to seek a settlement, but if they deny fault, then your case may proceed to court. This will take much longer to resolve.

Easton & Easton can assist you in building a comprehensive personal injury claim that aims for maximum recovery. We have decades of experience handling difficult personal injury cases on behalf of clients throughout Orange County, and we will do everything we can to streamline your recovery. You have a limited time in which to pursue your claim, so it is vital to reach out to an attorney after a burn injury.

FAQs

Q: How Much Compensation Can I Claim for a Burn Injury?

A: The total potential value of your personal injury claim can include compensation for all the economic losses the defendant inflicted, including medical expenses, lost income, and property damage, and you also have the right to claim pain and suffering compensation. It’s common for plaintiffs to initially undervalue their claims, so it is vital that you consult an Orange County burn injury lawyer for an estimate of your claim’s potential value.

Q: How Do I Prove Liability for a Burn Injury in Orange County?

A: Success with any personal injury claim will require proof of liability, meaning you will need to prove exactly how your injury happened and identify every party responsible for causing the injury. Your Orange County burn injury lawyer can help gather whatever evidence may be necessary for you to prove fault, and they can help you address any shared fault you may hold for causing the incident.

Q: How Does Comparative Fault Work?

A: The state enforces a pure comparative negligence statute that comes into play in any civil claim for damages in which multiple parties share liability for causing the damages. Under this rule, each liable party has a fault percentage assigned. If a plaintiff is assigned fault, whatever fault percentage they hold is subtracted from their case award. For example, if the court determines that a plaintiff is 40% at fault, they would lose 40% of the case award secured from the defendant.

Q: How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim?

A: If you intend to file any type of personal injury claim in California, you must do so within the statute of limitations. This time limit for filing your claim begins on the date the injury occurred, and while two years might sound like plenty of time, the reality is that it may take longer than you expect to gather the foundational elements of your claim. The sooner you start the claim filing process, the more likely you are to succeed with your case.

Q: Will I Win More Compensation if I Hire an Attorney for My Case?

A: Your Orange County burn injury lawyer will know all the various avenues of compensation you might overlook on your own. They can also help you more accurately calculate the future economic losses for your potential claim, further enhancing your total case award. Additionally, when it comes to claiming pain and suffering compensation, they will know how to maximize this aspect of your total compensation.

Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation With Our Experienced Orange County Burn Injury Attorneys

At Easton & Easton, LLP, our years of experience allow us to seamlessly assess and coordinate medical care to make certain the full extent of our Orange County clients’ injuries are identified, treated, and provable.

We understand the tricks, stratagems, and defenses the insurance companies and their attorneys use to defeat or minimize a claim, and at Easton & Easton, LLP we utilize our experience, skill, and dedication to make certain our clients do not fall victim to the insurance companies’ tricks and stratagems.

Please call our Orange County burn injury lawyers at 800-461-8259 for a free initial consultation. If we do not take your case, there is no charge.

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Accredited Business Bbb Rating A+

The superior client service Easton & Easton provides has earned the firm an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Best Law Firms Orange County 2020

Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen anew each year since 2014 by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as one of the "Best Law Firms" for the Southern California Metro Area.

Reader's Choice 2019 Best Law Firm

Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen by the LA Times Reader's Choice Poll as "The Best Personal Injury Law Firm in Orange County" for 2018.

Top 100 Trial Lawyers

Doug and Brian Easton have been selected as Top 100 Trial Lawyers for California each year since 2014 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.

The Best Lawyers in America

Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.

Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California 2016

Brian and Matt Easton were recently honored for their efforts in securing a $1,850,000 verdict for a client in 2016, which was selected as one of the Top 50 Personal Injury Verdicts in California by TopVerdict.com.

Super Lawyers

Doug and Brian have each been selected by Super Lawyers, an honor given to less than 5% of attorneys. Matt Easton has been selected among Super Lawyers' Up-and-Coming Top 25 in Orange County and Top 100 in Southern Califonia, an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys under 40 years old.

10 Best Personal Injury Law Firms in all of Southern California

Easton & Easton is honored to have been chosen as one of the "10 Best Personal Injury Law Firms” in all of Southern California" each year Since 2015 based on client satisfaction — one of the highest honors we could ever hope to achieve.

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Easton & Easton received the “People Love Us On Yelp” award in 2016 due to the exceptional client satisfaction reviews given by our clients over the years.

Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for 2015

Doug and Matt Easton have each been featured as Premier 100 Trial Attorneys for California since 2015 — honors given to less than 1% of attorneys.

Multi Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Brian and Matt Easton have each earned lifetime appointment to the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum — The Top Trial Lawyers in AmericaTM through the results achieved for their clients. This is an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys in the United States.

Top Rated Lawyers AV Preeminent

Doug Easton has held the “AV Preeminent” Rating for over 30 years and Matt Easton received this prestigious distinction in 2015. The "AV Preeminent" rating is the highest possible rating for both legal ability and ethical standards, and is based on the legal profession’s oldest peer review rating system, dating back to 1887.

10 Best 2015 Client Satisfaction

Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been chosen as one of the "10 Best" Personal Injury Attorneys in Southern California each year since 2015 based on client satisfaction, an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys - and Easton & Easton houses three of them.

American Board of Trial Advocate

Brian Easton was selected to the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) in 2015. ABOTA is one of the most premier associations of trial attorneys and judges, requiring a certain number of jury trials as lead counsel and approval by a majority vote of the ABOTA board.

The National Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40

Matt Easton has been selected each year since 2014 as one of the Top 40 Trial Lawyers Under 40 for California by The National Trial Lawyers — an honor given to less than 1% of attorneys.

Avvo Rating Top Attorney Personal Injury

Doug and Matt Easton have each been chosen as one of The Best Lawyers in America for Plaintiff's Personal Injury Litigation. Best Lawyers lists attorneys who have earned selection through exemplary legal work that attracts the notice of their colleagues. Lawyers cannot buy their way onto this list.

Nation's Premier Top Ten Attorney Personal Injury

Both Doug and Matt Easton have been selected as Top Personal Injury Attorneys by Avvo with scores of 10 out of 10 based on their skill, experience, results, peer evaluations, and client reviews.

Nation's Premier Top Ten Attorney Personal Injury

Matt Easton has been selected as one of the Top 10 Personal Injury Attorneys Under 40 in California for 2015 by the National Association of Personal Injury Attorneys — an honor given to less than 1% of personal injury attorneys under the age of 40.

Nation's Top One Percent

Doug, Brian, and Matt Easton have all been selected by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel among the Nation's Top One Percent of Attorneys each year since 2017.

Orange County Personal Injury Lawyer | Costa Mesa Auto Accident Attorney | Catastrophic Injuries

“We look for the human story behind every injury or wrongful death. We prepare our cases for trial; reaching out to the jury with the most compelling evidence possible for the best verdict possible. Insurance companies know this and come to the table prepared to negotiate in good faith. Call us to see how we can turn your story into fair compensation.”

Partner W. Douglas Easton

What Our Clients Say

Coming out of my first auto accident as an adult, a very difficult and scary time to navigate and understand, I was so incredibly thankful to have been put in contact with Easton & Easton. I honestly was lost with how to handle paperwork, doctors, medical costs and what next steps were, and from the moment I spoke with Travis Easton and my case manager Katie, my mind was put at ease. They have made the entire process stress free for me as I recovered, and I am so grateful for them and their genuine care for my case. Communication from the start has been fantastic, especially making clear what my expectations for the entire process would look like, and I truly believe they have my best interest at heart. 100% I would recommend their firm for anyone that is needing representation! Read more…

Sara McClelland
My experience with Easton & Easton has been amazing! Gabriel Mendoza and my case manager Katie have been so helpful and taken so much stress off my plate. They’ve been super informative and honest and given me very clear expectations. They’ve taken such a terrible experience (my accident) and eased my mind about the outcome. I can’t thank them enough!! Read more…
Caila Dean

Ive used them twice and never been disappointed. Read more…

Lisa Bluemel

The Easton & Easton Law Firm is amazing! The entire team is very helpful and caring. They were always there to answer all my questions. They directed me through the entire process and stayed with me every step of the way. This team is outstanding and were wonderful to work with. Because of the tremendous effort they put on my case they were able to win my difficult personal injury case. I couldn’t have asked for a better law firm to handle my case. They are the Best! Thank you for your patience, professionalism, & guidance! I definitely recommend this firm to handle your case. They go out of their way to fight for your rights. THANK YOU… Read more…

Sofia Sanchez

I could not be more pleased with the services provided by the Law Offices of W. Douglas Easton. The senior partner Mr. Easton took the time to meet with me and my wife while I was still in the hospital, where he gave my family hope that there was light at the end of a very long, and very dark tunnel. Matt Easton then worked my case, and because of his dedication, experience and expertise I received a settlement that was larger than I EVER thought possible. It was truly astounding! Matt and the entire team at Easton & Easton looked out for me throughout my recovery, and in the end they gave me my life back. Five stars is not enough. Thanks Matt! Thanks Easton & Easton! Read more…

Dan Campbell

Brian and everyone at Easton and Easton are simply the BEST at what they do. Brian is thorough, easy to talk to, and truly cares about his clients. If you want a family of attorneys with perseverance and determination to fight for you, give Easton and Easton a call. I am glad I did. Read more…

Kyle Keith

What an amazing law firm, talk about going above and beyond to make such a painful experience go so well. I have referred a co-worker and a family member to them as well and everyone had such a great experience as I had. Read more…

Logan Ross

I can’t say enough amazing things about my experience with Travis Easton at Easton & Easton. Travis and his entire team (Katie, Amy, Dee, Michelle, & Araceli) are phenomenal. It provided me a lot of comfort to know I was being so well taken care of. I was especially impressed that every document for the case was perfectly written and specific to me. Nothing was generic, which shows the level of care and attention they put into each individual case. I had such a great experience and would highly recommend Travis Easton and his firm to anyone going through a personal injury. Travis took a bad situation and made the best of it for me. Thank you again, I’m forever grateful!!

-Allee

Ashlee A.

Retaining Easton and Easton was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! From the initial consultation to our final meeting, they were nothing short of exceptional. I was forced to retain their services after firing my previous attorney for not handling the case properly. I dealt with Gabriel and Brian (partner) exclusively throughout the case. They did as promised and were great communicators throughout the entire process. I will recommend them to anyone I know going through a personal injury case. They were ultimately able to untangle the mess caused by my previous lawyer and get a result that I was extremely happy with. Their staff is exceptional as well and provided top notch customer service. Amera was also extremely helpful and easy to deal with as well.

Jeffrey N.

I was in a pretty bad car accident and decided to have Easton & Easton represent me, Travis Easton to be specific. Travis Easton and his paralegal made the whole process effortless. They were so understanding and helpful! The entire thing was a gigantic mess, yet Travis managed to make it run like clockwork. I would HIGHLY recommend Easton & Easton! If you are ever in need of a personal defense attorney Easton & Easton is the firm to represent you!

Mark B.

They are the best law firm in Orange County period. Choosing them to represent me was the best decision of my life.
My life changed in a matter of seconds after a catastrophic spinal cord injury that left me disabled. Brian Easton and his team worked on my case non stop for 3 years and provided me the justice I deserved. I couldn’t have been more content.
I was treated with utmost respect and I felt like I was being represented by a close family member. The responses to my questions were quick and clear. What E & E has done for me is phenomenal.
My sincere thanks to Brian, Matt, Travis, Doug, Gabriel and Amera. They are what they are because of their dedication to provide high quality and professional service to their clients.

Vamsi P.

Brian Easton and his team, Gabe Mendoza and Amera Hajali, helped me during a very difficult time in my life. I had a significant injury from a car accident, and wound up seeking out Easton & Easton when I was having difficulties getting help from my doctors. The Easton team took a lot of stress off of me while acting as my advocates to help me get the care I needed, and saw my case all the way through to a healthy settlement.

They are the BEST!

Jennifer P.

I have nothing but good things to say about Easton and Easton. Brian handled my case professionally and communicated with me effectively throughout the process. He made sure that the process was effortless and as hands free as possible. This was super important for my busy schedule. I highly recommend Easton and Easton if you are ever found in a situation that you need an attorney.

Claudia C.

I would highly recommend Easton & Easton.
I was rear ended on my home and pushed into a semi-truck. I was not sure how to go about even using an attorney.
Brian, Gab and Amera were so good about helping me thru the process and representing me.
I was able to concentrate on getting myself better knowing they had my back, taking care of the details and keeping me informed along the way

Linda M.

The best Law firm by far. I would highly recommend Easton & Easton, LLP and ask for Gabriel Mendoza and staff. He and his colleagues did and exceptional service. Thank you for everything. Job well done!

Ericka P.

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