Which Non-Economic Damages Can I Claim for Burn Injuries in South Carolina?
If you’re recovering from burns after an accident that wasn’t your fault, you should learn more about non-economic damages. You’re probably experiencing some of these damages already, and you can recover compensation for them if you approach your case in the right way. Can a burn injury attorney in South Carolina help you get the financial support you need?
Disfigurement
The most obvious non-economic that you may be able to claim after suffering a burn injury is disfigurement. Burns can easily cause permanent disfigurement, and these blemishes and scars can be extremely detrimental from a mental health perspective. Third and fourth-degree burns are more likely to cause permanent disfigurement, either on the face or across the body.
Courts in South Carolina understand the impact of a disfiguring scar on your self-esteem, self-confidence, and your ability to form meaningful relationships with other people. There is even evidence suggesting that facial burns could make it difficult for you to find work and earn a higher income. Because of these issues, courts and insurers may provide additional compensation to disfigured burn victims.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Burns can also prevent you from enjoying pastimes and hobbies that you participated in before the accident occurred. The disfiguring nature of burns may make certain hobbies impossible, such as acting, social media, or even heading down to your favorite bar for a night out. Many people with severe burns struggle to leave their homes, and this can make a variety of active pastimes impossible.
The physical nature of burns also makes certain pastimes impossible. A severe burn can make your skin tight and dry, reducing your range of motion and making more active exploits painful. Severe burns can also lead to amputations, which obviously make a variety of active hobbies impossible. Courts can compensate you for the loss of these hobbies.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Burns are often caused by fires and explosions, and these are extremely traumatic experiences for the average person. These experiences can lead to a psychological disorder caused by post-traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), which is a separate non-economic damage in its own right. PTSD may occur after an explosion at an apartment building or a fiery crash.
For example, you might get flashbacks after surviving a fiery crash. You might also experience nightmares of the event. After escaping a burning building, you might become socially withdrawn. Perhaps you’ll develop feelings of anger, aggression, and irritability. These are all common symptoms of PTSD, and they can make your life difficult during the recovery process. It is possible to recover additional compensation for PTSD.
Can a South Carolina Burn Injury Attorney Help Me?
A South Carolina burn injury attorney may be able to help you pursue compensation for whatever non-economic damages you’re experiencing. These might include disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, post-traumatic stress disorder, and much more. Of course, you can also pursue compensation for all of your economic damages as well. Continue this conversation with Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC today.
Source:
psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd
