What Costs Are Associated with Burn Injuries?

Burn injuries are among the most painful and life-altering experiences anyone can endure. At first glance, burns may not seem as catastrophic as injuries like traumatic brain injuries or the loss of a limb. Yet at Brassfield & Krueger, we’ve spent over 75 years helping burn victims receive just compensation for their injuries, and we’ve seen firsthand how devastating the financial, emotional, and physical tolls of a burn injury can be.  

If you’re trying to understand what proper compensation looks like, it’s important to consider all the costs—both seen and unseen—associated with your injury. Below, we’ll break down the main categories of costs tied to burn injuries to help ensure you’re fully informed when seeking compensation.  

Immediate Medical Costs

Burn injuries require swift and intensive medical care. The immediate aftermath of a burn injury is not only traumatic but also costly. Here’s a look at the expenses you’re likely to face soon after your injury occurs:

• Emergency Treatment: This includes ambulance rides, ER visits, and initial stabilization procedures. Severe burns, such as third- or fourth-degree burns, often lead to complications like shock or severe blood loss, which demand urgent and specialized attention.  
• Hospital Stays: Depending on the severity of your burns, you may have to stay in a burn unit. These specialized units are equipped to provide targeted care but come at a steep price.
• Surgeries and Skin Grafts: Many burn victims require surgeries, including skin grafting procedures, to repair damaged tissues. These surgeries can be complex and may need to be performed multiple times.
• Medications and Pain Management: Burn victims often require a combination of antibiotics to prevent infections and pain medication to manage discomfort.

For victims of severe burns, these initial medical treatments can cost tens of thousands of dollars or more.  

Ongoing Medical Costs

Even after the immediate crisis has passed, recovering from a burn injury is often a lengthy—and expensive—process. Many burn survivors rely on prolonged medical care, including:

• Physical Therapy: After a burn injury, survivors may face limited mobility in affected areas. Physical therapy can help regain function, but the cost of long-term sessions adds up quickly.
• Reconstructive Surgeries: Many survivors undergo plastic or reconstructive surgeries to reduce scarring or improve mobility. These procedures can span years.  
• Specialist Visits: Follow-up visits to dermatologists or burn specialists are often required to monitor healing and address complications.
• Assistive Devices: Compression garments, splints, and other medical devices may be necessary to aid in recovery.  

Loss of Income

One of the most impactful costs of a burn injury is the effect it can have on your ability to work. Recovery from burns takes time, and depending on the severity of your injury, you may face significant disruptions to your career.  

• Time Off Work: Severe burns can require weeks or even months of medical leave. While some employers may offer paid leave, many survivors experience a significant loss of income during their recovery.
• Reduced Earning Capacity: Depending on your profession, burn injuries may leave you unable to perform the same tasks. For example, jobs requiring manual labor might become impossible for those with scarring or reduced mobility.  
• Lost Career Opportunities: Extended time away from work or a reduced ability to fulfill job requirements can jeopardize promotions or future career growth.  

This loss of income doesn’t just affect immediate earnings—it can have long-term impacts on your financial stability and career trajectory.  

Psychological and Emotional Costs

Burn injuries don’t just affect the body—they profoundly impact mental and emotional well-being. These hidden costs are just as real as financial expenses and must not be overlooked when pursuing compensation.  

• Mental Health Challenges: Survivors often face post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or anxiety as a result of their injury and its aftermath. Therapy or counseling may be necessary to work through these challenges.  
• Impact on Quality of Life: Scarring and disfigurement can affect a person’s confidence and engagement with the world. Survivors may become self-conscious or withdraw socially, leading to feelings of isolation.  
• Loss of Enjoyment: Activities once taken for granted, like exercising, swimming, or playing with kids, may no longer be possible depending on the nature of the injuries.  

Including psychological suffering as part of your claim is essential—mental health is as important as physical health, yet managing it often comes with significant ongoing expenses.  

How a Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help

Determining the right amount of compensation to pursue for a burn injury can feel overwhelming. With significant immediate costs, ongoing care needs, and emotional burdens, how do you even begin to calculate your losses?  

This is where personal injury lawyers make all the difference. Here’s how they can help you get the compensation you deserve:

• Assessing the Full Scope of Costs: Lawyers help identify all past, present, and future expenses related to an injury.  
• Proving Liability: They determine and establish fault, whether it’s due to workplace negligence, product defects, or reckless actions.  
• Negotiating with Insurance Companies: Insurers often undervalue claims, especially for non-economic damages like distress. Lawyers advocate to maximize settlements.  
• Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit: If negotiations are unsuccessful, lawyers can take cases to court to pursue fair compensation.

Get the Support You Need

Burn injuries are devastating on multiple levels—physically, emotionally, and financially. That’s why it’s essential to seek professional counsel to ensure you receive the compensation you need to rebuild your life.  

At Brassfield & Krueger, we are skilled in helping burn victims pursue justice and adequate compensation. Don’t wait to get the support you deserve. Contact us today and take the first step toward healing.