Burn injury lawyers pursuing full compensation for victims throughout Los Angeles.
If you suffered a serious burn in Los Angeles because of someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to recover compensation. Burn treatment involves emergency stabilization, wound care, skin grafting, reconstructive surgery, and rehabilitation that can span years. Every stage carries physical pain, emotional distress, and financial pressure that builds with each procedure.
The medical costs in burn cases are among the highest in personal injury law, and insurers know it. They push early settlements before victims understand what future treatment will cost. Our founding attorney has represented injury victims since 1991. As your Los Angeles, CA burn injury lawyer, Cohen Injury Law Group has the resources and patience to pursue these claims to their full value. Reach out to discuss your situation.
Burn Injury Lawyer Los Angeles, CA
A burn injury lawyer represents people who have suffered thermal, chemical, electrical, or radiation burns caused by another party’s negligence. These cases require detailed medical documentation, projected future treatment costs, and testimony from burn surgeons and reconstructive physicians who can explain the scope of care the victim will need. The damages are among the highest in personal injury law because the treatment is intensive, the recovery is long, and the scarring is often permanent.
Los Angeles has residential buildings, commercial properties, industrial sites, and heavily trafficked freeways that each create distinct burn hazards. Apartment fires caused by faulty wiring, vehicle fires after freeway collisions, chemical exposures at industrial facilities, and explosions from gas leaks all produce burn injuries that someone else’s negligence could have prevented. Los Angeles County has one of the highest volumes of structure fires in California, and the injuries that result are consistently among the most severe in personal injury law. A burn injury attorney in Los Angeles understands how to trace the cause back to the responsible party and build a claim that accounts for the full cost of recovery.
Types of Burn Injury Cases We Handle in Los Angeles
Burns result from a range of hazards, and the cause determines who is liable and what insurance applies. We handle burn injury cases throughout Los Angeles involving the following.
- Building fires. Fires in apartment buildings, hotels, and commercial properties caused by faulty wiring, code violations, or neglected maintenance give rise to premises liability claims against the owner or management company.
- Vehicle fires. Post-collision fires and fuel system failures cause burns to occupants trapped in car accidents on Los Angeles freeways. Defective fuel tanks may support claims against the manufacturer.
- Workplace burns. Welding accidents, electrical faults, and chemical splashes on construction sites and industrial facilities cause severe burns. Third-party claims may supplement workers’ compensation.
- Chemical burns. Exposure to caustic substances at industrial sites and commercial operations damages tissue progressively. These injuries often worsen before the victim receives treatment.
- Electrical burns. Contact with exposed wiring, ungrounded equipment, and overhead power lines causes burns that damage internal tissue far beyond what is visible on the surface. Cardiac complications and nerve damage frequently accompany electrical burns.
- Scalding injuries. Defective water heaters, steam equipment, and food service machinery cause scalding burns in residential and commercial settings throughout Los Angeles.
- Gas explosions. Natural gas leaks in residential and commercial buildings cause explosions that produce severe burns, blast injuries, and structural collapse. The utility company, property owner, or maintenance contractor may all bear responsibility.
- Defective product burns. Malfunctioning appliances, electronics, batteries, and heating equipment cause fires that support product liability claims against the manufacturer or distributor.
Why Choose Cohen Injury Law Group as My Burn Injury Lawyer in Los Angeles, CA?
A Record in High-Value Injury Cases
Burn cases carry the highest medical costs in personal injury law, and the insurers on the other side hire defense medical consultants to challenge the necessity of future surgeries and dispute the severity of scarring. Winning requires attorneys who can match that effort with credible medical evidence and preparation that holds up under scrutiny.
Wayne R. Cohen founded Cohen Injury Law Group and has practiced personal injury law since 1991. He graduated from the University of Michigan and Miami Law School cum laude, lectures at GW Law School, and has been cited in the LA Times, CNBC, Fortune, and the ABA Journal. Nicholas E. Cohen, Managing Partner and graduate of USC and Loyola Law School, directs case operations and litigation strategy.
Wayne Cohen has recovered millions of dollars for injured clients. Cohen Injury Law Group takes burn injury claims on contingency, so financial pressure never prevents you from pursuing what you are owed.
What Is Important to Understand About a Burn Injury Case?
Damages, Liability, and Compensation for Burn Injury Cases
Burn injuries produce damages that exceed most other personal injury claims because treatment is intensive, recovery stretches across years, and the scarring is often permanent.
Economic damages include emergency treatment, burn unit hospitalization, skin grafting, reconstructive surgery, wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, medications, compression garments, and projected future procedures. Lost wages and diminished earning capacity are recoverable, and many burn victims face permanent limitations that prevent them from returning to their previous occupation. When a burn causes brain injury from oxygen deprivation in a fire, lifetime care costs must be fully projected.
Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, disfigurement, scarring, loss of enjoyment of life, and permanent disability. Burns to the face, hands, and other visible areas carry particular weight because of the lasting psychological impact. When a burn injury is fatal, the family may file a wrongful death claim.
Liability depends on who caused the conditions that led to the burn. California’s comparative fault rules reduce recovery by the victim’s share of fault but do not eliminate it.
What Are Important Aspects of a Burn Injury Case?
Burn cases raise medical and legal issues that other injury claims do not. Understanding them early shapes the outcome.
- Burn classification. Burns are graded by degree and total body surface area affected. Third-degree and fourth-degree burns require the most aggressive treatment, and the classification directly affects projected care costs.
- Future treatment. Burn victims often need surgeries years after the initial injury for scar revision, contracture release, and reconstructive work. Settling before those costs are projected means leaving money behind.
- Cause investigation. The origin of the fire, explosion, or chemical exposure must be established through physical evidence, fire investigation reports, and sometimes product testing.
- Adjuster tactics. Insurers hire defense medical consultants to argue that future procedures are unnecessary or that scarring is less severe than documented.
What Is the Burn Injury Case Timeline?
Burn cases take longer than most injury claims because the treatment timeline is extended and future needs must be projected before the case can be valued.
- Acute treatment. Emergency care, burn unit hospitalization, and initial surgeries come first. This phase can last weeks or months depending on severity.
- Rehabilitation. Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and scar management follow. Compression garments and silicone treatments are standard.
- Future care projection. Your attorney works with burn surgeons and economists to project all future procedures, therapy, and accommodations.
- Demand and negotiation. A formal demand is sent once the medical picture is complete. Settlement discussions follow.
- Litigation. If the insurer will not pay fair value, a lawsuit is filed. Burn injury trials in Los Angeles County may take 18 months to two years after filing.
What Should You Bring to Your Burn Injury Consultation?
If you have any of the following, bring it to the first meeting:
- Photos of your injuries at every stage of treatment
- Medical records and bills from emergency care, hospitalization, and follow-up
- Fire department or incident reports
- The name of the property owner, employer, or manufacturer involved
- Your insurance information and any correspondence from the defendant’s insurer
You do not need a complete file before calling. We can help obtain records and advise you on what to preserve going forward.
What Are Important California Legal Resources for Burn Injury Cases?
Burn injury claims follow the same California statutes that govern other personal injury cases, with added relevance from federal safety standards. These resources apply.
- OSHA fire safety standards address fire prevention in commercial and workplace settings.
- Burn injury claims must be filed within two years of the date of injury.
- Civil Code Section 1714 establishes the duty of care and comparative fault rules.
- Civil Code Section 3333 allows recovery for all harm caused by the defendant’s conduct.
- The California Courts website covers civil case procedures in Los Angeles County.
Reach Out to Cohen Injury Law Group to Schedule a Consultation
Burn victims face a recovery that is longer, more painful, and more expensive than most people expect. If you suffered a burn injury in Los Angeles, CA, Cohen Injury Law Group takes these claims on contingency with no fees unless we recover. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
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2636 Lincoln Blvd
Santa Monica, CA 90405 -
Santa Monica – Broadway
520 Broadway, 2nd Floor
Santa Monica, CA 90401 -
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633 W 5th St, Unit 2876A
Los Angeles, CA 90071 -
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394 E Main St, Suite 302
Ventura, CA 93001
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