Burn Injuries

  1. Home
  2. »
  3. Workers’ Compensation
  4. »
  5. Burn Injuries

Workers’ Compensation for Burn Injuries in Florida

Securing Benefits for Burn Injury Victims

Burns are potentially severe workplace injuries that can occur when the victim is exposed to heat or corrosive chemicals. If you sustained serious burns while working, you could file a workers’ compensation claim for burn injuries in Florida. A claim could entitle you to medical care, disability payments, and lost income.

The Florida workers’ compensation lawyers at Rosenberg & Rosenberg provide free case reviews for those injured in the workplace. If you want to seek compensation but are unsure of how to do so or are in too much pain to concentrate on a complex legal process, speaking to our legal team can take a big weight off your shoulders. Call now to learn more. We have staff members who speak Spanish and Creole.

Contact Our Firm

    How Burns Happen on the Job

    Many jobs require close contact with flames, hot surfaces, and corrosive chemicals. Whether you are a restaurant server, welder, or chemical manufacturer, there are numerous burn risks for even the most careful employee.

    Reasons to seek workers’ compensation for burn injuries in Florida include:

    Contact Burn

    Contact burns occur when the victim’s skin touches a hot surface. For instance, a worker who leans, brushes, falls against, or otherwise comes in contact with the heated surface of a boiler, forge, welding tool, or stove surface could sustain serious burns. 

    If you were injured after coming in contact with a hot surface at work, let your employer know as soon as possible. If you have questions, speak with our workers’ compensation attorneys in Florida. 

    Scald Burn

    A scald burn happens when a body part is immersed or splashed in hot liquid, usually water. Scalds can also occur when the victim is splashed or covered by a heated powder or corrosive chemical.

    Thermal Burn

    Thermal burns are caused by exposure to heat. The source of a thermal burn can be direct contact with a hot surface, spark, or liquid or indirect contact through flames, flashes, radiant heat, or steam. Scalds from hot liquids can be just as dangerous as those caused by flames and explosions.

    According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), thermal burn victims may be at special risk of infection, so make sure to follow your doctor’s orders carefully.

    Chemical Burn

    The Cleveland Clinic states that chemical burns can occur after exposure to cleaning products, bleach, pesticide, battery acid, and other caustic materials. Chemical burns can affect your skin, your eyes, or your lungs and esophagus if you ingest or inhale a dangerous chemical.

    Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Florida can help you recover compensation for burn injuries while you concentrate on receiving treatment and recovering psychologically.

    Radiation Burn

    A radiation burn arises when the skin is exposed to radiation, such as UV light, X-rays, and radiation therapy for cancer. Radiation exposure in the workplace usually occurs in medical settings where doctors, nurses, and technicians can be exposed to dangerous levels of radiation. It can also occur when a worker in construction, landscaping, or another outdoor occupation is exposed to UV rays, resulting in sunburn.

    Radiation burns can cause dry, itchy, swelling, or blistering skin. Sometimes, the victim will have open sores.

    Electrical Burn

    According to NCBI, “approximately 5% of all burn unit admissions in the United States occur as a result of electrical injuries.” You can sustain an electrical burn in the workplace when you are exposed to a high electrical current. Sources that lead to such injuries include light fixtures, electrical outlets, or exposed or damaged wires and power lines.

    Electrical burns can be deceptive. The injury may look less severe on the surface but still cause internal damage to tissues, blood vessels, nerves, and organs.

    Arc Flash Burn

    An arc flash burn is a type of electrical burn that occurs when high voltage electricity leaps from an energy source to another conductive surface. Arc flashes can reach extremely high temperatures, which can cause severe internal and external burns, as well as eye damage and blindness.

    Common causes of arc flashes in work settings are loose electrical connections, failed safety equipment, incorrectly insulated parts or tools, high voltage, using the wrong tools, and working on live electrical equipment. Environmental factors, such as if there is moisture in the air to conduct the electricity, can also contribute.

    Flame Burn

    Flame burns are a type of thermal injury that occurs when a worker is exposed directly or indirectly to an open flame. Common occupations with flame exposure include food preparation, manufacturing, welding, construction, mining, and firefighting. 

    A worker who suffers flame burns may require significant medical care and time away from work. Workers’ compensation could help you recover some of these losses. Call Rosenberg & Rosenberg today to find out more.

    Pursuing Workers’ Comp After a Workplace Burn Injury in Florida

    Even items as seemingly harmless as hot plates or running hot water can cause severe burns that may require prolonged treatment and physical therapy. Serious burns can even require surgery, skin grafts, or amputation. The resulting scarring, disfigurement, and disability can affect your ability to work and engage in activities you once enjoyed.

    Workers’ compensation benefits can help you cope with such devastating injuries. Rosenberg & Rosenberg can help you pursue workers’ compensation benefits for a burn injury, including:

    • A portion of income lost due to your burns
    • Medical care, including critical care, burn center treatment, surgery, grafts, and prescriptions
    • Temporary and permanent disability benefits for impairment due to burn injuries
    • Death benefits, if a loved one passed away due to work-related burns

    Understanding Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Filing Process for a Burn Injury 

    Workers’ compensation is a legal right afforded to eligible Florida workers. Although Florida law requires most businesses with four or more employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance, not all industries and occupations are included. You are only eligible for workers’ compensation if:

    1. Your employer carries workers’ compensation coverage, per the legal requirements.
    2. You were injured on the job or in the process of performing your work duties. 

    Even if you are eligible, workers’ compensation adjusters will typically need proof that your burns were work-related. They may ask for evidence showing the extent and severity of your burn injuries, including associated disabilities.

    Our team is familiar with the workers’ comp filing process. We can help you gather evidence to support your workers’ comp claim for a burn injury.

    Deadline to File a Florida Workers’ Compensation Claim

    From the date of your workplace injury, you have 30 days to report it to your employer. However, you benefit from reporting the injury as soon as possible because:

    • Your employer is required by law to submit the claim to their workers’ compensation insurance within seven days. The sooner you take action, the sooner they file your claim, and the sooner you can get compensation.
    • Evidence may become harder to find as time goes on. Our Florida personal injury lawyers may find it easier to build your case if your injury is still recent.

    You should also receive a pamphlet about your workers’ comp rights and options from the insurer within three days of your employer’s report.

    Our burn injury attorneys can assist you with deadlines and filing requirements. We know how to locate the information you need to obtain appropriate medical assistance and documentation for your claim.

    Medical Care Is a Critical Step in Any Workers’ Comp Claim

    Although emergency medical care can come from the nearest hospital or emergency room, any further treatment should go through a healthcare provider designated by your workers’ comp insurance.

    Getting medical care satisfies three important needs:

    • You get the treatment you need.
    • You create a medical record of your injuries.
    • You show that the workplace incident was serious enough to require medical attention.
    Workers’ Compensation Denials and Appeals for Burn Injury Claims

    Workers’ compensation insurance companies earn money by paying out as little as possible. If they reduce or deny your claim, our legal team can often appeal the decision.

    Common reasons for denied workers’ comp claims in Florida include: 

    • Insufficient proof that burns were work-related
    • Insufficient proof of burn injuries
    • Incorrect or incomplete paperwork
    • Inadequate medical documentation
    • Filing past the deadline

    Rosenberg & Rosenberg’s workers’ comp lawyers can review your case details and discover why the claim was denied. Based on this information, we can help you file an appeal, if appropriate. You may have a limited time to file an appeal after the denial is mailed, so reach out as soon as possible for assistance with your claim. 

    Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Florida Burn Injury Lawyers

    At Rosenberg & Rosenberg, we are committed to providing clients with personalized legal assistance. We know that this is a turbulent time for you. Our compassionate workers’ compensation lawyers are here to provide critical legal assistance.

    Rosenberg & Rosenberg has recovered millions for workers’ comp clients, and we can leverage all our knowledge and resources to help you get workers’ compensation for burn injuries in Florida. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.