When a simple cup of coffee turns into a trip to the emergency room, it can instantly become a costly and even dangerous situation. A coffee burn from a coffee shop can create a serious risk of injury and even loss of function of the area. Your priority should be to seek medical care.
When you are okay, turn to a Philadelphia burn injury lawyer. Doing so is critical to recovering fair compensation for the losses you incurred as a result of this coffee burn. That may be more extensive than you realize.
Reasons Why Hiring a Burn Injury Attorney in Philadelphia Is Critical
In some situations, you may not need to hire an attorney. If you have minimal injury and a simple urgent care bill, you may not have much additional compensation to pursue. Yet, there are several key reasons why hiring a Philadelphia burn injury attorney can prove to be vital.
Your Injuries Are Serious
Coffee is brewed at a temperature of 160 to 180 degrees, but serious burns to the skin can happen far sooner than that. Contact with the skin for five seconds at 140 degrees can cause serious burns to the skin. This can lead to serious injury and numerous complications to health, including:
- Significant pain
- Damage to the surface layers of the skin
- Nerve damage
- Loss of feeling or mobility
- Disfigurement
- Infections that lead to further disability
In these situations, you have a high likelihood of suffering a serious injury that requires ongoing medical care, surgery, and even the possibility of permanent disability.
The Insurance Company Can Be Aggressive
Another key reason to hire a burn injury attorney in Philadelphia is because of the aggressive actions of the at-fault party’s insurance company. They have a job of reducing any compensation paid out, and they will, in any way possible, try to shift the blame to you.
They may take any of the following tactics to limit your ability to recover damages:
- Claim that you caused the incident by spilling the coffee on yourself.
- State that your claims of burns are not authentic.
- Deny claims for unspecified reasons.
- Not provide you with fair compensation based on your actual losses.
- Try to shift the blame to another person, the equipment manufacturing company, or others
In every situation, it becomes critical for you to seek out support from a trusted attorney who can hold them accountable. Our legal team will remain by your side to fight for full and fair compensation. We negotiate with insurance companies by using the law that is on your side.
You Have the Right to Protect Yourself and Your Privacy
You can file a claim with the coffee shop and hopefully receive fair compensation. Chances are good that they will not allow that to happen. What is more, you may feel like your medical situation is on display as a result of this case.
When you hire our Philadelphia burn injury attorney, we work with you and on your behalf. You do not have to provide explicit images or navigate endless medical questions. Our objective is to protect your rights throughout this process by minimizing any actions by the insurance company that are not fair or necessary.
You May Be Partially at Fault
Under Pennsylvania law, you have the right to pursue financial compensation against those who caused your injuries, even if you were partially at fault. The state operates under a modified comparative negligence system. This means that as long as your percentage of fault in the accident is under 50%, you can file a claim to recover compensation. If your fault is over 50%, you cannot.
At the same time, your compensation is reduced by the percentage of fault applicable in your case. That is where this process can become frustrating. Our attorneys will minimize the risk of an insurance company trying to put too much blame on you after this accident, therefore reducing the compensation they must pay. We work to reduce or eliminate any fault assigned to you when possible.
You Need to Focus on Your Injuries
If you are still unsure if you should hire a Philadelphia burn injury attorney, let us offer insight during a free consultation. Meet with our team to talk about what occurred. We will tell you what we believe your rights are and then offer you fair and honest insight into your legal options. You do not have to continue with our team if you do not think we can help you increase your compensation.
Set Up a Free Consultation with Us Now
Speak to the team at Kwartler Manus, LLC, today to discuss your burn injury. When you do, you can trust we will do everything we can to protect you at every step in your case. Call today for a free consultation.