Greensboro Workplace Burn Injury Lawyer

Burns are painful, debilitating injuries that often require extensive rehabilitation. Even with proper treatment, they can lead to lingering impairment that limits your ability to work.

If you suffered a burn injury while on the job in Greensboro, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits that pay for your medical expenses, offset some of your lost wages, and help you prepare for the future. However, accessing these benefits is not as straightforward as it should be, particularly if your employer or their insurance company says the accident isn’t covered or disagrees about the extent of your injuries.

Fortunately, you do not have to go through this complex legal process alone. The experienced Greensboro burn injury attorneys at Hardison & Cochran can help. Our legal team can investigate the accident and your injuries to confirm your eligibility for benefits, file your initial claim on your behalf, represent you during any appeals as necessary, and pursue any other sources of compensation.

Contact us today for your free consultation to discuss your Greensboro burn injury at work claim.

Common Causes of Workplace Burns in Greensboro Industries

Burn accidents can occur in various ways across different industries and workplaces. Some of the most common workplace burns our attorneys see in Greensboro include:

• Contact with hot surfaces: Workers can suffer burns when they touch heated machinery, equipment, or metal surfaces commonly found in manufacturing and industrial facilities.
• Exposure to chemicals: Corrosive substances such as acids, alkalis, solvents, and industrial cleaning agents can cause serious chemical burns if they touch the skin or eyes.
• Steam and hot liquid accidents: Escaping steam, hot water, and other heated liquids can lead to scalding injuries.
• Electrical hazards: Thermal and electrical burns can result from faulty wiring, exposed electrical components, and ungrounded equipment.
• Fires and explosions: Flammable chemicals, combustible dust, gas leaks, and equipment malfunctions can trigger fires and explosions in the workplace.

Types of Burns Covered Under North Carolina Workers’ Compensation

North Carolina’s workers’ compensation system provides benefits for covered employees who suffer injuries in workplace accidents, regardless of who is at fault. Some types of on-the-job burns that workers’ compensation could potentially cover include:

• Thermal burns: These serious injuries occur when workers come into contact with an external heat source, such as steam, a hot surface, or an open flame. Thermal burns are particularly common in manufacturing plants, construction sites, industrial facilities, and restaurants.
• Chemical burns: Highly acidic or basic chemicals can burn the skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Workers in manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and cleaning industries may face an increased risk of chemical burn injuries.
• Electrical burns: When a worker touches an electric current strong enough to damage cells, it can leave visible skin burns and significant internal tissue damage. Electrical burns are common in construction, utility, and industrial settings.
• Radiation burns: Heavy doses of thermal radiation, ionizing radiation, and ultraviolet light cause cellular damage. These burns can occur in healthcare settings, laboratories, welding operations, and certain manufacturing environments.

Benefits You May Be Entitled to After a Burn Injury at Work

Per North Carolina law, workers’ compensation for burns may provide the following benefits after a work accident:

• Medical benefits pay for all the reasonable treatment you need because of your burn injury, such as emergency care, doctor visits, rehabilitation, and physical therapy. You may also be entitled to transportation reimbursement if you have to travel 20 or more miles round-trip to receive this care.
• Wage-loss benefits replace a portion of the income you’ve lost because of your workplace injuries. If your injuries prevent you from working at all, your weekly benefits will cover two-thirds of your average pre-injury wages. If you are only able to work in a limited capacity, your wage-loss benefits pay for two-thirds of the difference between your pre- and post-injury wages.
• Permanent disability benefits compensate you if you suffer a permanent impairment as a result of the injury. The amount and duration of payments depend on the body parts affected and the extent of the impairment. Wage replacement benefits can last indefinitely if you meet the state’s definition of permanent total disability, such as having second- or third-degree burns over at least 33 percent of your body surface.
• Vocational benefits pay to retrain you for other work if your Greensboro workplace burn injuries prevent you from returning to your old job.

In certain other cases, you may have a third-party liability claim against someone responsible for causing the workplace accident. For instance, a negligent property owner or the manufacturer of a defective product could potentially be liable for your burn injuries.

While a personal injury claim requires you to prove the other party is at fault for your burns, it also allows you to seek compensation for additional losses, such as your pain and suffering. Our Greensboro personal injury lawyers can help you determine whether this option is available in your specific case and identify any at-fault parties.

What to Do After Suffering a Workplace Burn in North Carolina

Here are a few steps you can take after suffering a workplace burn injury in North Carolina:

• Get medical attention as soon as possible. Tell the provider that you suffered the burn injury on the job.
• Report the accident to your supervisor or employer in writing as soon as possible, but at least within 30 days after the injury.
• Talk to a workers’ compensation lawyer for burn injuries. They can help you navigate legal complexities while you concentrate on resting and recovering.
• File your Greensboro burn injury at work claim with the help of your attorney. This step is required to formally request your workers’ comp benefits.
• Continue with your treatment plan. Follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter to protect your workers’ compensation claim.

Talk to a Greensboro Workplace Burn Injury Lawyer at Hardison & Cochran

If you’ve suffered a work-related injury, the Greensboro burn injury lawyers at Hardison & Cochran are here to support you through each step of your workers’ comp case.

We’ve been helping injured workers for over 40 years, with millions of dollars in meaningful compensation recovered on their behalf.* In that time, our firm has grown from one small office in Dunn to six offices across the state, including one right here in Greensboro.

Contributing to that success is our dedication to providing skilled legal representation and personalized attention to each of our clients. That’s why our lawyers attend extensive and ongoing training to keep them abreast of the latest developments in North Carolina’s workers’ compensation law. We also take the time to hear your story, learn your goals, and help you understand your options.

As Justin C., who trusted us with his workers’ comp claim, said:

“Attorney Carter Whittington was able to help my family when I was in a pit of despair. He helped us successfully navigate the complicated law system and made it easy for me to understand all of my options in recouping funds for my injury. I am blessed to have Mr. Whittington in my life and my wife and I are eternally grateful.”

– Justin C.

Don’t wait to get the help you need to pursue burn injury at work compensation. Contact Hardison & Cochran today for a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced Greensboro work injury lawyer.

*Each case is unique, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.