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A serious burn is one of the most devastating injuries you can sustain. Not only do burns cause immense physical damage, but the scarring and disfigurement left in their wake can also be emotionally crushing. 

Fortunately, those who are hurt through no fault of their own are usually entitled to compensation. If you’re recovering from a catastrophic burn because someone else failed to act with reasonable care, you probably have grounds for a personal injury claim. To ensure it gets off the ground, however, it’s imperative that you take the following steps sooner rather than later:

1. Seek Medical Care

Following any kind of injury-causing accident, your first priority should be your health, so visit a doctor as soon as possible. Even if the burn covers only a small portion of your body, it exposes you to serious—and even life-threatening—infections, so you’ll want to take the steps needed to treat it right away.

Seeking prompt care will also yield a paper trail in the form of medical records linking the incident in question to your condition. This will come in handy later, when you have to prove causation during the claims process.

2. Preserve Documentation of Damages

Virtually all the expenses you incur as a result of your burn are recoverable—if you can prove you actually incurred them. As such, it’s imperative that you save all associated receipts, bills, statements, and invoices.

You should also save your medical records, including hospital intake forms, nursing logs, and diagnostic images. Finally, photograph your wounds as they heal. Such images will help contextualize the medical jargon in your official records.

3. Start a Daily Journal

As soon as possible after the accident—ideally later that same day—start a journal in which you log the hurdles you face as a result of your burns. These entries will help demonstrate the extent of your non-economic damages, like pain and suffering, mental anguish, and loss of enjoyment in life.

4. Lay Low on Social Media

Before you post about the accident on Facebook or Twitter, consider the potential ramifications. If the insurance adjuster were to come across the content, would they be able to spin it in such a way that it challenges your credibility?

Generally speaking, it’s best to stay off social media until your claim has been resolved. If that’s not possible, at least adjust your privacy settings so only approved connections can access your profiles. Additionally, scrutinize every status and photo before hitting “Publish,” and avoid sharing anything that might jeopardize your case.

5. Call a Personal Injury Lawyer

While you’re not obligated to retain legal counsel to proceed with a claim, you have enough to worry about withing dealing with the hassle that comes with taking action. By turning to a resourceful and experienced attorney, you can focus on your recovery while they focus on your case.

Discuss Your Claim with a Burn Injury Attorney in California

Was your life changed forever because someone failed to protect you from a severe burn? To see if you have grounds for legal action, turn to Harris Personal Injury Lawyers.

We’re available 24/7 to take your call, so we can start building your claim as soon as you’re ready. To set up a free initial consultation with a burn injury lawyer in California, call 1-800-GO-HARRIS or fill out our Contact Form.