Burn Injury Lawyers in Reading, PA

Serving Burn Victims & Families Throughout Berks County

Burn injuries change lives. When someone else’s negligence caused yours, you need attorneys whose entire practice is built around cases like yours. Liever, Hyman & Potter has represented wrongful injury victims since 1959, and all four of our attorneys handle nothing but wrongful injury and death claims. No real estate closings, no business contracts. Just focused, undivided attention to people who were hurt through no fault of their own.

Your first conversation with us is free, and we advance all case expenses on your behalf. You pay nothing in fees until we recover for you.

If you or a family member suffered a serious burn injury in the Reading area, call us today at (610) 885-1991 to discuss your case at no cost.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries 

A burn injury claim begins with identifying who bears legal responsibility. The cause of the injury determines which parties may be held liable and under what theory.

• Vehicle fires: Car, truck, and motorcycle crashes can ignite fuel or fluids, causing severe burns to occupants. Negligent drivers, fleet operators, or manufacturers of defective vehicles may be liable.
• Workplace accidents: Construction sites, factories, food service operations, and industrial facilities expose workers to open flame, chemicals, steam, hot surfaces, and electrical hazards. Liability may fall on employers, contractors, or equipment manufacturers.
• Defective products: Faulty appliances, flammable consumer goods, or poorly designed vehicles can cause thermal, chemical, or electrical burns. Product designers, manufacturers, and retailers may each carry responsibility under Pennsylvania product liability law.
• Premises liability: Faulty wiring, missing or inadequate fire suppression systems, or improperly stored hazardous materials on someone else’s property can give rise to a burn injury claim against the property owner.

Burns are classified by depth of tissue damage. Second- and third-degree burns damage tissue below the skin surface and can result in permanent scarring, nerve damage, and limited mobility. Fourth-degree burns reach muscle and bone. The more severe the injury, the broader and longer-lasting the financial and personal consequences.

What Compensation Burn Injury Victims in Pennsylvania May Pursue

A burn injury claim can include both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages cover past and future medical expenses, including hospitalization, surgery, skin grafts, rehabilitation, and medication. They also cover lost wages and diminished future earning capacity. Non-economic damages address pain and suffering, permanent scarring and disfigurement, psychological trauma such as PTSD, and loss of enjoyment of life. When a defendant’s conduct rises to gross negligence or extreme disregard for others’ safety, punitive damages may also be available.

Non-economic damages aren’t calculated by formula. Their value depends on the facts, the severity of the injuries, and effective legal advocacy. That’s where our experience matters.

In a recent three-year period, our attorneys recovered more than 500 awards and settlements, including numerous million-dollar and multi-million-dollar results. Our documented record includes a $3.5 million trucking crash settlement, a $3.265 million drunk driving wrongful death settlement, and a $6.5 million settlement for a teenage client who suffered a brain bleed resulting in hemiplegia. These results reflect our capacity in catastrophic injury cases. Since 1959, we’ve won thousands of awards and settlements for victims and families, more than any other firm located in the Berks and Schuylkill County area.

When a burn injury results in death, we also represent families pursuing wrongful death claims against those responsible.

Pennsylvania Deadlines & Rules That Affect Your Claim

Two legal rules bear directly on burn injury cases in Pennsylvania. Understanding both is reason enough to contact an attorney promptly.

Comparative fault under 42 Pa.C.S. § 7102: Pennsylvania follows a modified comparative negligence standard. If you bear some share of fault for the accident, your compensation is reduced by that percentage. If you’re found 51% or more at fault, you’re barred from recovery entirely. Insurance adjusters often use this rule to minimize claims. Having counsel involved early can limit that exposure.

Two-year statute of limitations under 42 Pa.C.S. § 5524: Personal injury claims in Pennsylvania must be filed within two years of the date of injury. Missing that deadline typically ends your ability to pursue compensation, regardless of how serious the injuries are. For injured minors, the clock generally doesn’t start until the minor turns 18. If the injury involves a government entity, written notice may be required within six months under Pennsylvania’s Sovereign Immunity Act or Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act.

Filing an insurance claim or speaking with an adjuster doesn’t pause the statute of limitations. Only filing a lawsuit or reaching a written tolling agreement stops the clock.

Why Reading Burn Injury Victims Choose Liever, Hyman & Potter

Our attorneys have 115-plus combined years devoted entirely to wrongful injury and death law. That’s not 115 years spread across multiple practice areas. It’s undivided focus, by every attorney on our team, in the one area of law that covers your case.

Lead attorney John R. Badal was admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1978 and to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1991. His entire legal career has been spent representing wrongful injury victims. He holds membership in both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, recognition tied to documented results at those dollar thresholds. He has also served as Chairman of the Civil Litigation Section and the Workers’ Compensation Section of the Berks County Bar Association.

Within the legal community, Liever, Hyman & Potter is recognized as “The Lawyers’ Lawyers.” A significant share of our clients come to us through referrals from other law firms, former clients, and community members. When attorneys refer their own contacts to us, it reflects how the broader legal community views our record.

Every case we accept is reviewed carefully and assigned to a civil trial attorney qualified to handle it. And our fee commitment is clear: you pay nothing in fees, and we advance all case expenses, until we recover for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

I already spoke with an insurance adjuster. Have I hurt my case?
Not necessarily. Speaking to an adjuster before retaining an attorney doesn’t forfeit your rights. We can take over negotiations and address anything said in prior communications. The sooner you have counsel involved, the better-positioned your claim may be.

My burn happened at work. Does workers’ compensation limit what I can recover?
Workers’ compensation may cover medical costs and a portion of lost wages, but it doesn’t allow recovery for pain and suffering or disfigurement. If a third party, such as an equipment manufacturer or an outside contractor, contributed to the accident, a separate personal injury claim may also be available alongside the workers’ comp claim.

Can more than one party be held responsible for my burn injuries?
Yes. Burn injury cases often involve multiple liable parties: a negligent driver, a property owner, a product manufacturer, and an employer may all bear some responsibility. Part of our role is investigating and identifying responsible parties so no source of potential recovery is overlooked.

What should I bring to the free consultation?
Any documentation you have helps, including medical records, accident or incident reports, photographs of your injuries, and records of lost wages or out-of-pocket expenses. If you don’t have everything, come anyway. We’ll review what you have and advise on next steps.

Talk to a Burn Injury Lawyer in Reading at No Cost

If you or someone in your family suffered serious burns because of another party’s negligence, our attorneys are ready to review your case. There’s no fee to speak with us, and we advance all case expenses until a recovery is made. Every case is reviewed carefully before we advise you on your options.

Contact Liever, Hyman & Potter today to schedule your free consultation: (610) 885-1991.