Florida Burn Injury Lawyers
Most of us have had a minor burn or have scalded ourselves. While these tend to be smaller injuries, many Florida residents are not so lucky. Each year, it is estimated that one in 10,000 Americans need long-term hospitalization due to serious burns and about 1,000 succumb to their injuries.
If you have been seriously injured or have lost a loved one to a burn injury and believe that these injuries may have been caused by negligence, you may be eligible to seek compensation. To find out more about your rights in your specific circumstances, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free consultation with Florida burn injury lawyers.
Why Work With the Florida Burn Injury Lawyers at Flaxman Law Group?
Our team founded Flaxman Law Group because we saw that individuals who had been seriously injured had trouble finding the right personal injury lawyers in Homestead, Miami, Hollywood, and across south Florida. In some cases, they worked with attorneys who did not secure full compensation. In many cases, they worked with legal teams who did not keep them informed and who did not treat them with care.
We designed Flaxman Law Group to be different.
We are a family-run firm led by Charles and Steven Flaxman, a father-and-son attorney team with deep roots in South Florida. When you call us, you don’t get passed around to case managers or voicemail systems. You speak directly with an attorney who knows your case inside and out and you even have your attorney’s cell phone number, so you can stay in touch. That level of personal access is rare in today’s legal world, but we believe it’s the foundation of meaningful representation.
What also sets us apart is our perspective on how insurance companies operate. Before dedicating his career to helping injury victims, Charles Flaxman spent years working inside the insurance industry as an adjuster and defense attorney. That insider knowledge allows us to anticipate the strategies insurers use to reduce or deny claims. We’ve seen their playbook, and we know how to counter it from day one. Our clients benefit from that experience, often securing results that rival those of much larger firms without ever feeling like just another file.
Another thing that makes us unique among law firms is that we focus on making life easier for our clients in practical ways. If your car was damaged in a fire, we help arrange repairs or a rental vehicle. If you’re struggling to find the right medical specialists, we connect you with trusted doctors and treatment centers throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. Families tell us this hands-on support is a relief, because they often have questions beyond legal matters.
Most importantly, our reputation is built on trust. Hundreds of five-star reviews from past clients reflect not only the outcomes we achieve, but the compassion and communication we provide along the way.
Our team has more than 60 years of combined experience, and we are proud to be part of the local community. We offer services in English, Spanish, and Creole, and work on a contingency basis, meaning you only pay if and when we recover compensation for you.
Legal Options for Burn Injury Victims in Florida
Burn injury victims in Florida may have several legal options depending on how the injury occurred:
- Personal injury claims. If another party’s negligence caused your burn, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For example, if a reckless driver on the Dolphin Expressway or a landlord who ignored faulty wiring caused your injuries, you may have a personal injury claim.
- Workers’ compensation. Many burns occur on the job, especially in South Florida’s booming construction and restaurant industries. If your injury happened at work, you may qualify for benefits even if no one was directly at fault. Workers’ compensation benefits cover part of your lost wages, up to a state cap, and all your injury-related medical costs.
- Product liability claims. Defective space heaters, faulty e-cigarettes, and unsafe appliances are increasingly causing burns. A product liability claim can hold manufacturers accountable.
- Premises liability. Property owners in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and across Broward County have a duty to maintain safe environments. If your burn resulted from unsafe conditions, you may have a case.
- Wrongful death claims. If you have lost a loved one due to a fire or burn injury that was caused by negligence, you may be able to file a wrongful death claim and seek compensation for pain and suffering, final medical bills, funeral and burial costs, loss of support, and other losses.
- Insurance claims. Many burn injuries happen in the home, where fire can cause serious harm and property damage. Even if someone’s negligence did not cause your injuries and losses, you may have a claim under your homeowners’ insurance policy.
Determining what kind of claim you can file and pursuing fair compensation can be challenging, especially if you’ve never filed a claim before. The Florida burn injury lawyers at Flaxman Law Group can meet with you in a free consultation to review the details of your situation and explain what kind of claim you may have.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries Across Florida
In Florida, common causes of burn injuries include:
- Car crashes. Gasoline leaks, electrical malfunctions, or post-crash fires can leave victims with devastating burns.
- House fires. Faulty wiring, neglected smoke alarms, unattended candles, or broken fire escapes can turn an ordinary apartment or house into a deadly trap.
- Workplace hazards. Construction sites across Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Gables, and Hialeah often involve welding, open flames, and chemical use. Kitchen workers in Florida’s restaurant industry also face daily risks from grease fires and hot liquids.
- Chemical and electrical burns. Industrial areas in places like Medley or Port Everglades see frequent chemical handling. Poor training or lax safety measures can expose workers to life-changing chemical burns. Electrical burns often happen with unmarked or faulty power lines, especially after hurricanes when cleanup crews are working around downed wires.
- Defective products. From malfunctioning lithium-ion batteries in scooters to unsafe home appliances, product-related burns are an increasing issue across the state.
Every case is different, but one constant is that burn injuries are among the most painful and costly to treat. Victims often require multiple surgeries, extended hospital stays, and ongoing physical therapy.
Types and Severity Levels of Burn Injuries
When you suffer a serious burn, doctors will diagnose the severity with a physical assessment. Doctors generally classify burns into four categories:
- First-degree burns. These affect only the outer layer of skin. While painful, they usually heal without long-term complications. However, they can still lead to scarring and infection, so it is important not to be casual about treating these injuries.
- Second-degree burns. These reach deeper into the skin and often cause blistering. They can lead to scarring and may require medical treatment beyond first aid.
- Third-degree burns. Extending through all layers of skin, these burns can damage nerves and muscles. Victims often require skin grafts and may face lifelong complications.
- Fourth-degree burns. The most severe, these burns penetrate bone and muscle. They can be life-threatening and often involve permanent disability.
Severity is also measured by the percentage of the body affected. A second-degree burn over 20% of the body can be more dangerous than a smaller third-degree burn. In addition, a burn can be more severe for someone who is already vulnerable, such as a young child or an elderly person. Doctors consider a patient’s medical condition when evaluating burn severity and treatment options.
Many victims treated in Florida hospitals also face risks of infection, dehydration, and emotional trauma. Even a burn that an insurance company tries to dismiss as “relatively minor” can impact a patient’s income, relationships, mental health, and life for years to come.
In general, you should seek medical attention if a burn seems serious, is larger than three inches, or affects major joints, the groin, face, feet, or hands. If you have any smoke inhalation symptoms, have a chemical or electrical burn, or if you haven’t had a tetanus shot in the past five years, seek medical care. If you’re not sure you need medical care, err on the side of caution and get a medical evaluation. A doctor can help you avoid complications and infection.
Who May Be Liable for a Burn Injury Accident
Burn injuries often happen suddenly, and this can mean that it can become challenging to determine what caused the burn injury and who may have been responsible. For example, if you’re injured in a motorcycle accident in Hollywood, was your injury caused by a reckless driver or by poor motorcycle design? If you were scalded at home in Miami, was the injury caused by an error on your part or a hidden safety issue that a stove manufacturer knew about?
In Florida, liability for a burn accident can fall on many different parties:
- Negligent drivers. Vehicle crashes on the Palmetto Expressway or the Turnpike can cause fires when gas tanks rupture or engines overheat. If another driver was speeding, texting, or driving under the influence, they may be responsible for the burn injuries and any additional injuries that followed.
- Landlords and property owners. Apartment fires in Miami-Dade and other parts of Florida are often traced back to faulty wiring, broken smoke detectors, or unsafe conditions ignored by building managers. Property owners can be held accountable if they failed to maintain safe living environments.
- Employers. Florida’s booming construction industry is filled with burn risks, from welding torches to chemical exposure. While workers’ compensation may apply, some cases involve third-party contractors or equipment suppliers whose negligence opens the door for additional claims.
- Product manufacturers. When a space heater malfunctions or a lithium-ion battery in an e-scooter explodes, the manufacturer or distributor may be liable for the injuries.
- Utility companies or maintenance providers. Electrical burns are common after hurricanes in South Florida when downed lines or poorly maintained grids cause accidents. In some cases, the utility company may be held responsible.
Sorting out liability can be complicated, especially since every burn injury is different. Insurance companies will often try to shift blame or deny responsibility altogether. At Flaxman Law Group, we’ve spent over six decades untangling these cases. With a background in insurance defense and adjusting, we know how insurers try to dodge accountability. We’ve been inside their playbook, and we use that insider knowledge to protect burn victims and their families.
Understanding the Long-Term Impact of Burn Trauma
While the emergency room at Jackson Memorial or Memorial Regional may stabilize you, the challenges often continue long after discharge. Many of our clients don’t realize, in the first week or two, just how far-reaching the effects of a burn can be.
Burns can require skin grafts, reconstructive surgery, or amputation in severe cases. It can take months to heal from these procedures. Even after healing, victims often face contractures (tightening of the skin that limits mobility), chronic pain, and heightened sensitivity to heat or sunlight—an especially difficult adjustment in Florida’s year-round sun.
In addition, after a burn injury, scarring and disfigurement can lead to anxiety, depression, or withdrawal from social activities. We’ve seen clients hesitate to return to church gatherings in Hialeah or avoid the beach in Hollywood because they feel self-conscious about their appearance. Burn trauma is as much psychological as physical, and courts recognize that pain and suffering should be part of any claim.
Burn injury patients are fortunate that South Florida has some of the best medical care for burns and scarring in the country. However, medical bills for severe burns can reach six or seven figures. Ongoing therapy, lost time from work, and costs for adaptive equipment quickly add up.
Everyday activities, like driving on US-1, cooking at home, or swimming in a neighborhood pool, can also be impacted by injuries. These simple activities may trigger fears or flashbacks. Some clients need months of physical therapy before they can return to work. Others may never regain their previous abilities, forcing career changes.
Since burn injuries can have such wide-reaching and long-term impacts, it’s important to have an attorney who doesn’t just chase a quick settlement. At Flaxman Law Group, we fight for compensation that considers the full picture: future medical care, psychological counseling, loss of earning capacity, and non-economic damages like disfigurement. We’ve secured multiple seven-figure recoveries in catastrophic injury cases by showing insurers and juries the true scope of harm.
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What to Do After Suffering a Burn Injury
In the hours, days, and weeks following a burn injury, here’s what you should prioritize to protect both your health and your legal rights:
- Seek immediate medical care. Even if you’re not sure whether your burn injury is serious, it’s best to stay safe and get a medical evaluation. Florida hospitals like Tampa General, Orlando Regional, and Jackson Memorial have specialized burn units. Make sure you’re evaluated by a doctor who understands the complexities of burn treatment.
- Preserve evidence. If possible, take photos of the scene, whether it’s a car fire on I-75 or a faulty stove in your Miami apartment. Keep any defective products that may have caused the burn. Save your medical records, prescriptions, and receipts. This documentation can become crucial in building a strong case.
- Be careful with insurance companies. Insurance adjusters may offer fast settlements. These offers often fall far short of what you’ll truly need. Once you accept, you may not be able to pursue more compensation later, so before speaking with any insurer, contact an attorney who can advise you.
- Contact an experienced burn injury lawyer. Time is critical in Florida. The sooner you call, the sooner we can start protecting your claim. At Flaxman Law Group, we don’t charge upfront fees. You only pay if we win, so you can focus on healing without worrying about legal bills.
Taking these steps quickly can make a major difference in your recovery and in your case. If you’re not sure what to do next, you can always contact our Hollywood, Homestead, or Miami offices at Flaxman Law Group. In a free consultation, we can review how we may be able to help.
How a Florida Burn Injury Lawyer Can Help.
At Flaxman Law Group, we’ve seen firsthand how devastating burn trauma can be. Car fires on I-95 or I-75, apartment fires in Hialeah, workplace accidents on Fort Lauderdale construction sites, and other burn injuries in Homestead, Hollywood, and other communities. Our role is to step in quickly and take weight off your shoulders, so you can focus on healing.
Our Florida burn injury attorneys start with a free consultation, so you can understand your rights and options. When we work together, we start investigating your injuries right away and start securing evidence. We track down witnesses, pull video footage, consult with fire investigators, and review maintenance logs.
We also deal with insurance companies and communicate with them, so you don’t have to. This not only saves you time, but also ensures insurance adjusters don’t try to get you to make statements that harm your claim.
Other firms may stop at the legal claim. We help you find doctors, arrange for rental cars if your vehicle was destroyed in a fire, and even assist with property damage claims, all at no extra charge. These small but critical steps often make the difference as you start rebuilding your life.
Our team works to get you the fairest settlement. Many burn injury cases settle, but when insurers won’t do the right thing, we’re prepared to take cases to trial. With nearly $1 billion recovered for clients, including multiple seven-figure results, we’ve proven we can stand up to big corporations and win.
Pursuing Compensation for Medical Costs and Recovery
Burn injuries are among the most expensive medical conditions to treat. Victims often need emergency care, skin grafts, reconstructive surgery, long hospital stays, and ongoing therapy. At Jackson Memorial’s Ryder Trauma Center, Tampa General, or Orlando Regional Medical Center, the cost of just the initial hospitalization can add up to tens of thousands of dollars or more.
The financial impact doesn’t stop at hospital bills. Many burn survivors face lost income because they can’t return to work right away. Some are never able to return to work. Others need lifelong care, adaptive equipment, or counseling to deal with trauma.
In Florida, compensation for burn injuries may cover some of these costs, including:
- Medical expenses. This includes your immediate medical expenses as well as long-term care needs you will likely face in the future.
- Lost wages and earning capacity. Income lost during recovery, as well as future losses if you can’t return to your previous job are recoverable.
- Pain and suffering. Florida law recognizes that burns cause extraordinary physical pain and emotional trauma. Visible scars, restricted mobility, and loss of enjoyment of life are all part of what you may recover.
- Property damage. Fires often destroy vehicles, homes, or belongings. We help clients pursue those claims alongside injury cases.
- Additional costs. You may need to stay in a rental home while your home is being repaired or may need to pay for a rental car before you can replace your vehicle. You may be able to seek compensation for all the out-of-pocket costs you face because of your injury.
Insurance companies often try to downplay these damages. They may argue your burns are “superficial” or push a settlement that only covers short-term bills. At Flaxman Law Group, we use medical records, financial experts, and testimony from treating doctors to demonstrate the true scope of your losses.
The Role of Expert Witnesses in Burn Injury Cases
One of the things that makes burn injury cases different from other personal injury claims is the level of specialized knowledge required. To prove liability and damages, lawyers often rely on expert witnesses. These are professionals whose testimony helps explain complex issues to judges and juries.
At Flaxman Law Group, we work with a range of experts who can strengthen a burn case, including:
- Fire investigators. These specialists determine how and why a fire started.
- Medical experts. Doctors who treat burns can explain the severity of injuries, the expected recovery timeline, and the need for future care. Their input helps establish damages beyond immediate hospital bills.
- Rehabilitation specialists. Physical therapists and occupational therapists provide insight into how a burn will impact a person’s daily life. They can explain why a victim may no longer be able to return to their job or daily activities.
- Economists and vocational experts. These professionals calculate the lifetime financial impact of a burn injury. They look at lost income, reduced earning potential, and the cost of future care.
- Psychological experts. Psychologists or psychiatrists can testify about post-traumatic stress, depression, or social withdrawal that results from visible disfigurement.
Insurance companies often hire their own experts to argue the opposite—that your injuries aren’t as bad as you claim or that your future care won’t be as costly. We know how to cross-examine opposing experts and highlight flaws in their arguments. We also know how to work with experts to counter the claims made by insurers and defendants.
Time Limits for Filing a Burn Injury Lawsuit in Florida
In Florida, the statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits, including burn cases, is generally two years from the date of injury. That may sound like a lot of time, but it passes quickly when you’re dealing with a serious injury. Families who delay filing beyond the statute of limitations lose their right to pursue compensation altogether.
Some circumstances shorten or extend filing deadlines. For example:
- Claims against government entities (such as accidents involving public housing fires or municipal electrical systems) often require a notice of claim within a matter of months.
- Injuries to children may involve tolling, meaning the clock pauses, giving families more time to file.
- Workers’ compensation claims after on-the-job burns have shorter notification windows.
This is why contacting an attorney quickly is critical. Your attorney can make sure you don’t miss any deadlines and can meet all notification requirements.
Holding Property Owners or Employers Accountable
Many burn injuries stem from unsafe conditions, such as faulty wiring or poorly-maintained buildings. In these situations, property owners or employers may be held legally responsible if they failed to provide a safe environment.
Property owners in Florida have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe. If a landlord ignores fire code requirements, leaves smoke alarms in disrepair, or fails to address obvious electrical hazards, they can be liable for the injuries that follow.
Employers, especially in construction and industrial fields, must adhere to workplace safety standards. Burn accidents from welding, hot machinery, or exposure to caustic substances often trace back to inadequate training or missing protective gear. Even when workers’ compensation applies, there may be additional avenues to pursue if a third party, such as an equipment manufacturer or subcontractor, shares responsibility for burn injuries.
Holding property owners and employers accountable not only helps you secure financial recovery but also pushes for safer practices in our communities. The challenge is that large employers and landlords are often protected by powerful commercial insurance companies, who have teams of attorneys whose sole job is to reduce payouts. That’s where working with Flaxman Law Group, a team with experience inside the insurance industry, is an advantage. We’re not intimidated by large companies and we’ve already successfully represented clients against the most powerful insurers in the country.
Support for Families After Fatal Burn Incidents
Few tragedies compare to losing a loved one in a fire or explosion. Fatal burn incidents can occur in apartment buildings without proper fire escapes, on dangerous job sites, or in highway crashes where fuel tanks ignite. In these situations, families often struggle with the fact that their loved one suffered in their final moments. In addition, the process of identifying their loved one or witnessing the injuries in a hospital can be deeply traumatic.
For surviving families, the grief is often compounded by financial strain. The cost of final medical expenses, burial costs, therapy, and other costs is often significant. If the family member contributed to the household budget or household support, losing that support can make it difficult to pay the bills.
Florida law allows surviving spouses, children, and in some cases parents to file a wrongful death lawsuit when negligence caused the fatal injury. These claims may cover funeral costs, lost future income, and the emotional loss that comes with losing a parent, child, or partner.
At Flaxman Law Group, our role is to take on the burden of filing a legal claim for you and to be there for you during a difficult time. From the first call, you’ll speak directly with Charles or Steven Flaxman, not a paralegal. We listen, we explain your rights in plain language, and we start protecting your family’s interests immediately.
We focus on compassionate support. We help families connect with grief counselors, faith-based support groups, and community resources throughout Miami, Broward, and Palm Beach. Our bilingual team speaks English, Spanish, and Creole, allowing us to serve families in their preferred language.
What sets us apart is our ability to combine compassion with firepower. Our results rival those of the biggest firms in Florida, but with us, your family is never treated like just a case number.
We don’t charge upfront fees, and we only get paid if we recover for you. That means there’s no financial risk in reaching out.
Burn injuries and fatal fire incidents are among the most devastating cases we handle. They require a law firm that combines strategic expertise, local knowledge, and genuine compassion. At Flaxman Law Group, that’s exactly what clients receive: direct attorney access, insider knowledge of the insurance industry, nearly $1 billion in results, and hands-on support that eases the recovery process.
If you or your family are facing the aftermath of a burn injury in Florida, reach out to Flaxman Law Group today for a free consultation.
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