Burn Injuries in Truck Accidents

Burn injuries are some of the most painful, severe injuries that can arise from a truck accident. Aside from the physical harm, which can include permanent scarring as well as nerve damage, burns can also have a substantial impact on a victim psychologically. When a burn injury has resulted from a truck accident, negligence on the part of one or more parties is often involved. Those negligent individuals or entities should be held liable for the costs arising from the accident, which often go above and beyond any insurance benefits. Miami truck accident attorney Robert Dixon assists those who have suffered harm in vehicle collisions. We help clients in personal injury claims involving truck drivers, trucking companies, and other liable parties across South Florida, including in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. If you need legal assistance in the aftermath of a truck crash, contact our office to schedule a free consultation to find out more about your legal options.

Accidents with trucks have a larger potential for causing burn injuries to those involved than collisions with passenger vehicles. Some trucks carry combustible cargo, which could explode and cause fire upon impact. Additionally, the large size of a commercial truck makes it likely for an airbag to deploy in a passenger vehicle that collides with the truck, which could also lead to burn injuries. Further, vehicle fires may be caused by one or both of a truck’s fuel tanks rupturing, as well as by product defects leading to dangers such as leaking fluid or wiring issues.

When a victim is severely burned, there is often a long and painful medical journey ahead. These victims may need multiple surgeries, skin grafts, reconstruction, or rehabilitative treatment. Depending on where the burns are and whether the injury has led to loss of nerve sensation or interferes with functionality, burn victims may also be unable to return to the same type of work they once did. A victim may suffer psychologically as well, especially where burns are sustained to their face or other visible areas. Those responsible should be held liable for the costs associated with these injuries, and a dedicated truck accident lawyer can help.

Many truck accidents are caused by a driver’s negligence, whether they are distracted on the road or suffering extreme fatigue. Negligence occurs when a party breaches a duty of reasonable care, causing another’s injury and resulting in damages. Drivers owe each other, as well as any other road user, a duty to act as a reasonable and prudent person would given the circumstances. Therefore, when a truck driver gets behind the wheel impaired or without taking proper rest breaks to prevent fatigue, that driver can be held accountable for any resulting harm. Manufacturers of vehicle parts also have a duty to ensure that their products are safe from defects. When a manufacturer allows a defective part into the stream of commerce, which then leads to a vehicle fire that could have been prevented with a safer product, that manufacturer can be held strictly liable for burn injuries that result.

More than one party may be responsible for negligent conduct leading to burn injuries in truck accidents, including a truck driver, their employer-trucking company, and others. Once these parties are shown to be negligent, burn victims may awarded damages that include amounts for past and future medical costs, loss of income, diminished earning capacity, and pain and suffering compensation. Because of the potential for so many parties to be involved, as well as the detailed evidence that needs to be collected to establish liability in these cases, it is advisable to contact legal counsel as soon as possible following an accident.

Burn victims have a long road to recovery in the aftermath of a truck accident. Injury lawyer Robert Dixon wants victims to focus on that recovery instead of worrying about their legal claims. As such, Mr. Dixon and his staff at the Law Offices of Robert Dixon are dedicated to offering full-service legal representation for clients in need. If you have questions regarding your legal options after a truck accident, please call (877) 499-4878 or contact us online to set up a free consultation. We represent clients in areas including Miami, and West Palm Beach.