Suffering From Burn Injuries?

Burn injuries are among the most painful, most expensive, and most life-altering injuries a person can suffer. Recovery can mean weeks in a burn unit, skin grafts, infection risks, and permanent scarring — and south Louisiana's industrial economy means we see these injuries far too often, from plant explosions and flash fires to vehicle crashes and defective products.

The burn injury lawyers at Brandt & Sherman have spent more than 50 years combined fighting Goliaths — industrial employers, product manufacturers, and their insurers — for injured people across Acadiana. Burn cases are high-stakes for everyone involved, which is why the defense starts working immediately. So should you.

The consultation is free, and you pay nothing unless we win. Call (337) 800-4000.

Why Burn Injury Claims Are Different

A burn is not a broken bone that heals on a schedule. The severity is measured in degrees — from first-degree surface burns to third- and fourth-degree burns that destroy skin, nerve, muscle, and bone — and treatment often continues for years: debridement, grafts, compression garments, contracture-release surgeries, and counseling for the psychological toll of disfigurement.

That future care is the heart of the claim. Insurance companies want to settle burn cases based on the bills you have today; we build cases around life-care plans that price out every surgery, therapy, and complication still to come. Severe burns are catastrophic injuries, and we value them that way.

Common Causes of Serious Burns in Louisiana

• Industrial and plant accidents — flash fires, explosions, chemical burns, and steam releases at refineries and processing facilities
• Vehicle crashes — fuel-fed fires after collisions and truck accidents involving hazardous cargo
• Defective products — appliances, batteries, generators, and equipment that overheat or explode
• Unsafe properties — apartment fires from code violations, missing smoke detectors, or faulty wiring
• Electrical burns — energized lines and equipment, especially in construction
• Scald burns — a leading cause of burn injuries to children

We've covered prevention and causes in more depth on our blog: What are the most common causes of burn injuries?

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Burn Injury?

Burn cases frequently involve more than one responsible party, and identifying all of them is how full compensation gets paid:

• A negligent driver or trucking company in a crash fire
• A manufacturer under the Louisiana Products Liability Act for a defective product
• A property owner who ignored fire hazards
• Contractors and site operators in industrial accidents — and if you were burned at work, you may have both a workers' compensation claim and a separate lawsuit against negligent third parties. The third-party claim is often where compensation for pain, suffering, and disfigurement comes from, because workers' comp doesn't pay those damages.

The Law That Applies to Your Claim (Updated for Louisiana's Reforms)

• Filing deadline: for injuries on or after July 1, 2024, you generally have two years to file suit (La. Civ. Code art. 3493.1). Give your lawyer as much of that time as possible — burn cases require expert workups.
• Comparative fault: Louisiana reduces your recovery by your percentage of fault (La. Civ. Code art. 2323) — and for injuries on or after January 1, 2026, a victim found 51% or more at fault recovers nothing at all. Defense teams now push harder than ever to shift blame onto victims. Expect arguments that you "should have known" about the hazard, and don't accept them.
• Negligence framework: we must show the defendant owed you a duty of care, breached it, and caused your damages. In industrial and product cases that proof comes from experts — fire-origin investigators, process-safety engineers, and burn-care physicians we work with regularly.

What Compensation Can Burn Victims Recover?

• All medical care — emergency treatment, burn-unit stays, grafts, and every future revision surgery
• Scarring and disfigurement — among the largest components of burn verdicts
• Pain and suffering, including the documented psychological injuries that follow severe burns
• Lost wages and lost future earning capacity
• Home modifications, therapy, and long-term care
• Wrongful death damages when a burn injury proves fatal

Results That Matter

Brandt & Sherman has recovered millions for injured Louisiana clients, including $225,000 for a work-related burn injury and $3,500,000 for clients injured by a company vehicle. We prepare every burn case for trial — that's what moves insurers off lowball offers.

Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.