Severe burns from car accidents can change everything in a matter of seconds. For many Texans, these injuries are more than just a painful recovery. They bring unexpected surgeries, long-term care, and questions about who can be held responsible for the life-altering costs that follow. If someone’s recklessness or a defective part caused your injuries, you have legal options to pursue the compensation you need for the challenging road ahead.
If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury in a car accident, contact Aldous Law today for a free consultation. Our experienced burn injury attorneys will help you understand your legal options, assess the true value of your case, and guide you through the next steps.
Understanding Burn Injuries From Car Crashes
When cars collide, a fire or explosion can break out in moments, putting everyone inside at risk. Hot engines, leaking fuel, faulty wiring, batteries, or even airbag chemicals all pose a significant danger. In high-speed wrecks, trapped passengers may suffer burns to the skin, face, and airways in addition to other catastrophic injuries.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries in Car Accidents
- Vehicle fires sparked by fuel leaks or electrical faults
- Exploding batteries (including those in hybrid/electric vehicles)
- Airbags discharging hot chemicals
- Multi-car pileups that trap and expose victims to heat and flames
- Contact with hot metal, steam, or spilled chemicals after a crash
Types of Burn Injuries and Severity Levels
- First-degree burns: Affect only the outer skin layer. Painful, usually heal without permanent damage (e.g., friction burns from a seatbelt or airbag deployment).
- Second-degree burns: Reach deeper skin layers, causing blisters, significant pain, and infection risk.
- Third-degree burns: Destroy all skin layers, may damage muscle and nerves. Often need extensive medical intervention and skin grafts.
Beyond thermal burns, car accident victims may suffer chemical burns from battery acid, hazardous cargo, or leaking fluids, or electrical burns from exposed wiring or malfunctioning battery systems. These injuries often penetrate deep into tissue, causing unseen internal damage that can worsen rapidly if not treated.
How Burn Injuries From Car Accidents Affect Quality of Life
The long-term effects of burn injuries often go well beyond the visible scars. Survivors may face lasting disfigurement, lost mobility, and chronic pain that upend their routines. Many find daily activities challenging, experience changes in self-esteem and social relationships, or struggle with trauma, anxiety, and even PTSD.
The Long-Term Medical Costs of Burn Injuries
For many, the financial burden doesn’t end after leaving the hospital. It continues with every surgery, therapy session, and counseling appointment needed for your recovery. At Aldous Law, we fight to ensure that you are not left to shoulder these overwhelming costs alone, working to secure full compensation for your injuries.
Emergency Care, Surgeries, and Skin Grafts
Initial hospital stays, emergency surgeries, and repeated skin grafts are common, especially for third-degree or deep chemical burns. Some victims face months of treatment just to stabilize their health, followed by years of reconstructive care.
Rehabilitation, Physical Therapy, and Scar Treatment
Burn recovery often includes long stretches of physical therapy to rebuild strength and restore movement, as well as specialized treatment to minimize scarring and regain as much function as possible. Even when wounds heal, contractures (tightened skin) and pain can linger.
Emotional and Psychological Impact (PTSD, Depression, Anxiety)
The invisible impacts are just as real. Burn survivors commonly face post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety—especially when injuries alter their appearance or abilities. Ongoing counseling or psychiatric care is often vital for recovery.
Financial Strain on Victims and Families
Medical bills for burn injuries can quickly overwhelm even the most prepared families. Long-term or permanent disability may force people to leave jobs or require expensive home modifications and full-time assistance, compounding the stress.
Legal Options for Burn Injury Victims After Car Accidents
If you’ve suffered burn injuries in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you have the right to file a legal claim to seek compensation for your damages.
Filing a Legal Claim for Burn Injuries From Car Crashes
- Seeking Medical Treatment: Prioritize your health and ensure your injuries are documented by medical professionals, which is essential for your claim.
- Documenting Your Injuries and the Accident: Photograph your burns at various stages of healing, keep medical bills and records, and gather any evidence related to the crash, such as police reports or witness statements.
- Consulting an Experienced Attorney: A skilled burn injury lawyer will investigate your case, identify liable parties, and guide you through filing the claim.
- Filing the Claim: Your attorney will prepare and submit legal documents, formally initiating your case and negotiating with insurers on your behalf.
- Negotiation or Litigation: Many claims are settled through negotiation. If a fair settlement isn’t reached, your attorney may proceed to file a lawsuit and take your case to court.
It’s important to remember Texas personal injury claims must typically be filed within two years of the date of the accident.
Types of Compensation Available
Depending on the circumstances of the crash and the severity of your injuries, you may be entitled to seek compensation for:
- Medical expenses including emergency care, surgeries, and ongoing treatment
- Lost wages and future income if your injuries limit your ability to work
- Pain and suffering for the physical and emotional toll of your injuries
- Rehabilitation and therapy costs for physical recovery and emotional healing
- Disfigurement and scarring that may impact your quality of life
- Loss of enjoyment of life when injuries prevent you from living as you once did
Factors That May Affect Settlement Amounts
The value of a burn injury claim is unique to each case and depends on several key factors. While it's impossible to guarantee a specific amount, a settlement is primarily influenced by:
- The Severity of Your Burn Injuries: More severe burns (second, third, or fourth-degree) that require extensive medical care, surgery, and rehabilitation typically result in higher settlements.
- Extent and Cost of Medical Treatment: This includes everything from emergency room visits and hospital stays to surgeries, skin grafts, physical therapy, pain medication, and future medical expenses.
- Impact on Your Ability to Work and Daily Life: A settlement should account for both lost wages and any future loss of earning capacity. It also considers how the injury affects your ability to perform daily tasks, hobbies, and enjoy life (often referred to as "pain and suffering").
- Evidence of Fault and Insurance Coverage: Your ability to prove the other party was at fault is crucial. The maximum available insurance coverage from the at-fault driver's policy will also play a significant role.
Working with an experienced car accident attorney ensures that all of your damages, both economic and non-economic, are fully documented and presented, giving you the best opportunity to receive the full and fair compensation you deserve.
Why Timely Legal Action Matters
Seeking legal action as soon as possible also helps establish a strong link between your injuries and the crash, which is important when seeking compensation and holding the responsible parties accountable. The earlier you involve our experienced burn injury lawyer, the sooner we can begin protecting your interests and guiding you through the process.
Texas Statute of Limitations for Car Accident Claims
In Texas, you generally have two years from the date of the car accident to file a personal injury claim related to burn injuries. Missing this deadline usually means losing your right to pursue compensation entirely. This time limit applies whether you were the driver, passenger, pedestrian, or bicyclist involved in the crash.
There are rare exceptions to the two-year limit, such as if the injured person is a minor (the clock then starts at age 18), if the responsible party hides information, or if a government vehicle is involved, which requires a shorter claim notice.
How Aldous Law Supports Burn Injury Victims
At Aldous Law, we fight for car accident burn injury victims every step of the way. From investigating the crash and gathering evidence to negotiating with insurance companies, we handle all parts of your case so you don’t have to.
We focus on securing full compensation for your injuries and ongoing needs, including medical bills, therapy, lost wages, and pain and suffering. We guide you through the legal process, answering your questions and helping you make informed decisions.
Aldous Law is here to help you get the financial support needed for medical care and recovery, so you can focus on rebuilding your life after a serious burn injury.
When to Contact a Burn Injury Lawyer After a Car Accident
If you have suffered burn injuries in a car accident, it is important to contact a burn injury attorney as soon as you can. Reaching out to Aldous Law early can:
- Preserve vital evidence before it is lost.
- Establish liability and identify all responsible parties.
- Navigate insurance negotiations on your behalf.
- Ensure your claim is filed correctly and on time.
Having an experienced attorney by your side helps you understand your rights and gives you the best opportunity to secure the financial support you need for your recovery.
Protecting Your Future After a Burn Injury From a Car Crash
A burn injury from a car crash can change your life, but it doesn't have to ruin your future. As a victim, you have the right to seek full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain, suffering, and long-term care. With an experienced attorney guiding you, you can ensure every part of your claim is handled correctly, allowing you to focus on your physical and financial recovery.
Contact Aldous Law for Help With Burn Injury Claims
If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury in a car accident, don't wait to get the legal help you need. Our burn injury attorneys at Aldous Law are ready to fight for you. We will handle every aspect of your case from investigating the crash and gathering evidence to negotiating with insurance companies so you can focus on healing.
Don't let a traumatic accident define your future. Contact Aldous Law at (214) 526-5595 today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn your rights and secure the compensation you deserve.
