There are several important steps following a Chattanooga burn injury that individuals need to take in order to ensure that they receive the compensation that they deserve. Failure to comply with these recommended courses of action could potentially harm an individual’s ability to medically heal from their injury as well. If you were burned due to the negligence of another, know that there are ways a professional injury lawyer could help.
By gathering evidence, establishing liability of the party at fault, and maintaining all communications with the insurance companies involved, an attorney can fight for your compensation so that you can spend more time focusing on your own medical recovery. Read on to learn about an attorney’s recommended steps following a Chattanooga burn injury, as well as the ways a dedicated lawyer could work to make a difference in your case today.
The Scene of the Accident
As soon as an individual has received a burn, they need to immediately seek medical attention. Of all the steps following a Chattanooga burn injury that one should take, treating the injury as quickly as possible is extremely important in lessening the severity and long-term effects of a burn wound. In addition, the medical records provided from the initial hospital visit can serve as crucial evidence to show when and how a burn happened.
If a patient waits for a significant amount of time to visit a hospital, an insurance company may view that as suspicious and could claim that there is not enough proof to tie the plaintiff’s injury to the events they are alleging. This makes testimony from a medical professional very credible and significant to a potential claim’s success.
Severity of a Burn
Even if a burn looks like a minor injury, individuals should still seek medical attention because some of these types of wounds can be progressive. For example, chemical burns can continue to go deeper into the skin and flesh and can cause more problems over time if they are not treated quickly. Even regular burns that damage certain areas of the body can also lead to a host of other issues if they are not treated such as cancer and permanent nerve damage. If a burn is so severe that the damage lasts for a period of several weeks and causes pain that affects other areas of one’s life, an individual should contact a professional injury attorney as soon as possible to examine their potential claim.
Preserving Evidence
After receiving proper medical attention, a burn patient must preserve exactly where, why, and how their injury occurred. Ideally, an individual should take pictures of exactly what touched them to cause the burn. If a machine harmed them with dangerous chemicals, it is important to understand what condition the instrument was in and if that could have been a contributing factor. Taking down the contact information of witnesses to the scene can also be significant to use as testimony in a court proceeding.
If you have been injured due to the negligence of another, consider reaching out to a skilled accident attorney who can assure that you take the proper steps following a Chattanooga burn injury to help ensure your ability to recover compensation.