Burn Injury

San Francisco Burn Injury Lawyer 

Burn accident statistics show that at least 50% of all burn injuries can be prevented where the injuries are caused by the negligence of others. When you or a family member has been the victim of a fire, explosion, or chemical burn, you need experienced, respected and trusted attorneys. That is when the lawyers of Walkup Melodia Kelly and Schoenberger can help.

A major (second-degree) or full thickness (third-degree) burn injury is one of the most severe and traumatic injuries a person can suffer. The financial, mental and physical costs of recovering from a burn injury are substantial. Serious burn injuries, whether diagnosed as second or third degree burns, often require long-term hospitalization, skin grafting, rehabilitation, and extensive psychological counseling to help overcome the mental trauma associated with a burn injury.

If you or a close family member have suffered a severe burn injury through the fault or negligence of someone else you need the best legal team available: the attorneys at Walkup, Melodia.

For an extensive in-depth discussion of our burn injury experience visit www.theburninjurylawfirm.com where we have collected information about our firms 50 years of experience in successfully prosecuting burn injury cases.

Below are some examples of our success and the ways in which we have helped victims.

Propane Explosion Kills One And Injures Three Others - $52,473,000 Verdict

The Walkup, Melodia burn injury team represented a family devastated by the effects of an explosion that destroyed a motor home. A fire cause and origin investigation traced the source of the explosion to a liquid petroleum gas leak. The explosion happened when the father attempted to light a stove-top burner. The subsequent fireball completely destroyed the 8 x 26 foot travel trailer the family was using as a residence while they completed construction on a new home adjacent to the explosion site. The fire killed a young girl, and severely burned her parents and brother. Through expert analysis the attorneys of Walkup Melodia argued that the only explanation for this explosion was that the defendants had defectively installed the propane system on this trailer by failing to protect the venting system from the elements. For this reason, when the weather became too cold the system could not vent, and the home filled with propane vapor. After three difficult years of litigation, the jury finally agreed with us and awarded the family over fifty million dollars.

Utility Worker Burned by High Voltage Electrical Wires -- $7,000,000 Settlement

Our burn injury trial and settlement team represented a utility worker who sustained first, second and third degree burns over fifty percent of his body when he was nearly electrocuted at a job site. The client was performing routine telephone line replacement when a PG&E pole fractured, causing 12,000 volts of electrical current to contact him. We proved that PG&E inspectors had recommended replacement of the pole many years before the date of the injury but had done nothing to remove it or make it safe in the interim. Our lawyers obtained compensation for our client’s physical pain and suffering as well as reimbursement for his past medical expenses and lost wages and the future cost of scar revisions and plastic surgery to help remediate the scars.

High School Student Burned in Metal Shop – Cash and Annuity Settlement Achieved

Our government liability team, working with our burn injury lawyers, represented a Napa Valley High School sophomore who sustained second and third degree burns over his arm, shoulder and torso when his clothing caught fire during welding shop. We were able to prove that there was an absence of adequate supervision at the time of the injury and that the School District failed to provide adequate protective fire-proof clothing. The School District argued that the child failed to follow directions, as specified by his teacher.

Propane Gas Explosion—Third Degree Burns and Wrongful Death $5,000,000 Settlement

Our wrongful death team, working in association with our fire and burn injury lawyers, obtained a $5,000,000 settlement arising from a propane gas explosion at a Lake Tahoe area ski condominium. The blast occurred as a family of five were enjoying a ski vacation. The explosion killed the husband and one of the children. The settlement included cash payments as well as annuities for the surviving children. Our burn injury attorneys alleged that there was negligence in the design and construction of the condominium, and that the decision to route the propane gas supply in areas where large quantities of snow could be expected to slide off of the roof was below accepted construction practices.

Mother Burned by Fuel-Fed Vehicle Fire -- Confidential Seven Figure Settlement

Our automobile fire injury lawyers represented a 41-year-old woman who experienced serious second and third degree burns over her feet, legs and torso attempting to extricate her daughter from a vehicle after it caught fire.

Sisters Burned in Van v. Auto Collision – Multi-Million Dollar Settlement

The Walkup burn injury specialists represented sisters who suffered third degree burns over forty percent of their body when a church camp van in which they were riding collided with another vehicle and burst into flames. The accident happed in Butte County, and the case was litigated in Butte County Superior Court. Our clients sought recovery from the other driver, as well as the church camp operator, for general damages and future costs of medical care, reconstructive surgery and counseling.

Fatal Hot Tub Burns – $2,500,000 Wrongful Death Settlement

Our product liability burn injury attorneys mediated resolution of a tragic wrongful death case on behalf of the surviving parents of a 4-year-old girl who was burned over eighty percent of her body when she jumped into the family hot tub. The surviving parents had purchased the hot tub from a local retailer for use by the family. The child was scalded before her mother’s eyes. She survived for 61 days following the incident. Our burn experts were able to prove that the thermostat failed to function properly and that the wiring for the automatic safety shutdown did not conform to manufacturing specifications.