Receiving Damages for Permanent Injuries After the Camp Fire
Many of the wildfires that we experience in California happen due to somebody’s recklessness and carelessness. These incidents sometimes happen because of illegal fires that teens and adults start in the forests that were not properly put out, or when lightning strikes a certain area. The California Camp Fire took place when PG&E failed to properly maintain old equipment, even after they were warned about the likelihood of a fire taking place. As such, the California Camp Fire broke out, taking lives and causing injuries in its wake.
When the flames of California wildfires gets to be too much, officials will ask residents to evacuate the area so that they can be protected from harm. However, issuing even the speediest evacuation does not mean that everybody will make it out without injuries. This is especially true for those who received serious injuries in the midst of the Camp Fire, due to the fact that evacuation was an afterthought when the fire started so unexpectedly.
Today, we want to focus on those who have received permanent injuries in the Camp Fire and will forever be disabled due to the aftermath of their accident. Some of these injuries include severe burns as well as respiratory-related illnesses caused by smoke inhalation for those who were trapped in the midst of the fire.
Permanent Injuries in the Camp FireÂ
For many, smoke inhalation has caused severe distress for many, some of which will cause lasting effects. In others, burns have led to drastic impacts on the lives of many. According to burn injury statistics by the CDC, somebody would die in a fire approximately every two hours in 2000, and someone was injured every 23 minutes. Burn injuries are extremely common across America, especially for those who suffered the drastic effects of a wildfire.
Being permanently injured can be a life-changing experience, as you never know if you will be able to return to any amount of normalcy in your life. Perhaps your job is now impossible to do and the medical bills continue to pile up against you, leaving you in a situation where you wonder if you will ever be able to move forward. Wildfires are extremely traumatic for those involved in physical and mental ways, burning through acres of forests in so little time and causing chaos and turmoil for anybody who comes into contact with them. If a negligent party has caused your permanent injuries in a wildfire, you have rights to compensation.
What is Considered to Be Permanent Disability? Â
If you want to qualify for what is known as a permanent disability, this means that a part of your body must be limited in its function in some way. This means that modern medical technology is unable to fix what is wrong. There are many people who gain certain illnesses and conditions due to accidents every single year. If you are experiencing chronic pain and constant discomfort that cannot be fixed, you might find that you have a permanent disability. Many people find that their ability to return to their career and normal social life is completely eliminated, which can lead to misery and emotional turmoil for some. You might be able to receive financial support in the midst of your case.
What You Might Be Eligible For
If you have been permanently injured and now every aspect of your life has changed forever, you might wonder what compensation you might be eligible for. Here are just a few of the damages that you could be eligible for your permanent injuries:
Medical Bills: Of course, repayment of medical expenses will probably be one of the most obvious and most important types of damages that result from your case. Those who are injured will require doctor’s visits, medications, and extensive surgeries that will help them get back on their feet. If you find yourself in this position and you cannot afford the bills that continue to pile up against you, you might have no other option but to file a claim. If another party has caused these injuries, such as the liability that PG&E holds, you might be able to bring a claim against them for compensation.Â
Lost Wages: Permanent disability almost always has a lifelong effect on your career as well. Those who are disabled might find themselves in a position where they are unable to work or might have to find a low-paying job that does not support them as they once thought it would. If lost income becomes an issue, it will be calculated into your settlement so that you can be sure that you can support yourself and your loved ones in the months or years to come.Â
Future Therapy and Rehabilitation: If you have sustained a permanent disability in the midst of the Camp Fire, you might require years of therapy and rehabilitation that will help you get back on your feet. Because these expenses can pile up, you might wonder how you can move forward.Â
Pain and Suffering: If you have been traumatized through your injuries, which happens to many people in the midst of a wildfire, you might qualify for compensation for pain and suffering. Permanent disability usually means that there was some type of traumatizing effect on the body.
How Our Attorneys Can HelpÂ
If you have received permanent injuries such as serious burn injuries or complications related to smoke inhalation, you might have questions about where to turn. Our experienced wildfire attorneys at Brady Law Group understand how difficult it can be to move forward after you have been injured due to a wildfire that blazed out of control, wreaking havoc on your life. You have options and we are here for you. Please contact us for more information at (866) 478-6483.