Burn Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles and Chicago — Fighting for Full Compensation
For serious burn and scarring victims — a veteran-led trial team. No fee unless we win.
Recovered for Our Clients
Every case built for trial, not for a quick settlement.
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Burn Injury Lawyers in Los Angeles and Chicago — Fighting for Full Compensation
Burn injuries are among the most catastrophic injuries a person can survive. The physical damage is immediate and visible. The psychological damage — the anxiety, the grief over a changed body, the fear of what comes next — takes years to surface. Insurance companies know this. They move quickly, offer early settlements, and count on victims being too overwhelmed to push back. We push back.
The Law Offices of Haytham Faraj represents burn injury victims and their families in Los Angeles, Chicago, and throughout California and Illinois. We operate on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we win. If your burn injury was caused by someone else's negligence, you have the right to full compensation. We are here to make sure you get it.
For referring attorneys: Severe burn injury cases — particularly those involving third-degree burns, workplace accidents, defective products, or chemical exposure — frequently produce significant damages and complex liability questions that exceed most firms' trial bandwidth. We accept co-counsel referrals, protect your client relationship, and pay fair referral fees. Contact us to discuss the case.
What Is at Stake in a Burn Injury Case
Burn injuries do not resolve in weeks. They reshape lives — sometimes permanently. The financial and human costs stack fast:
Emergency hospitalization and burn unit care
Repeated surgeries, including skin grafts
Long-term wound care and infection management
Occupational and physical therapy
Psychological treatment for trauma, depression, and PTSD
Lost income during recovery and, in severe cases, permanent loss of earning capacity
Disfigurement and permanent scarring
Chronic pain and reduced quality of life
Insurance adjusters are trained to minimize every item on that list. A trial-ready attorney's job is to document, quantify, and fight for every dollar. That is what we do — not as a negotiating posture, but as a matter of preparation. Every case we take is prepared for trial. Most settle. But the ones that don't, we try.
Types of Burn Injuries We Handle
Burn injuries are not a single category. They vary by mechanism, severity, and the legal liability they create. Understanding the type of burn matters both medically and legally — it determines the scope of treatment, the permanence of the injury, and the damages available to you.
Thermal burns result from contact with fire, steam, hot liquids, or extreme heat sources. They are among the most common burn injuries in motor vehicle accidents, residential fires, and industrial accidents. Scalding water, open flames, and hot metal surfaces all produce thermal burns with varying severity.
Chemical burns are caused by exposure to acids, alkalis, or chemical explosions. These injuries frequently occur in workplace settings — manufacturing plants, laboratories, cleaning operations — and in product liability cases where household or industrial chemicals were improperly formulated or labeled. Chemical burns can continue damaging tissue long after initial contact if not properly treated.
Radiation burns result from exposure to nuclear radiation or high-dose radiation in medical or industrial contexts. These cases often involve significant institutional liability and require expert testimony to establish causation and long-term harm.
Light burns are caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or artificial UV sources. While often less severe, repeated or prolonged exposure in occupational settings can give rise to legitimate injury claims.
Burn Severity: Why Classification Matters to Your Case
The law compensates injury. The more severe and permanent the injury, the greater the damages available. Burn severity classification directly shapes the value of your case — and the aggressiveness with which we pursue it.
First-degree burns damage only the outermost layer of skin. They produce redness and minor inflammation. While painful, they typically heal without scarring and without long-term medical intervention. These burns may still form part of a broader injury claim if they occurred alongside more serious injuries.
Second-degree burns penetrate through the outer skin layer into the dermis beneath it. They produce blistering, significant pain, and a higher risk of infection. Healing can take weeks to months and may leave permanent scarring. Second-degree burns often require professional medical treatment and can result in meaningful compensation claims.
Third-degree burns destroy all layers of skin and underlying tissue. They can reach bone and organs. Because nerve endings are destroyed, victims may not feel pain at the burn site — but the systemic consequences are severe: infection risk, sepsis, organ compromise, and the near-certain need for skin grafts and reconstructive surgery. Third-degree burns produce life-altering, permanent injuries. These are the cases where full and fair compensation is not a phrase — it is a legal obligation we take seriously.
Complications That Compound the Damage
A burn injury is rarely a single event. It is the beginning of a medical journey that can last years. The complications that follow a serious burn often cause as much harm as the initial injury — and they belong in your damages claim.
Burn wounds are open wounds. Bacteria enter easily. When infection spreads into the bloodstream, it produces sepsis — a life-threatening systemic reaction that can cause organ failure and death. Sepsis risk is highest in the first weeks after a severe burn and requires aggressive medical management. A case involving sepsis is a case with significantly elevated damages.
Inhaling hot gases, ash, and smoke causes burns to the respiratory tract — the mouth, tongue, throat, esophagus, and lungs. Victims of building fires, vehicle fires, and chemical exposure frequently suffer respiratory injuries that are separate from and in addition to their surface burns. Chronic respiratory compromise can affect a victim for life.
As burn wounds heal, scar tissue forms and tightens. This process, called contracture, restricts movement in joints and muscles. A contracture across a knee, elbow, or hand can permanently limit function. A contracture across the chest wall can restrict breathing. Contractures often require additional surgeries and ongoing physical therapy — costs that belong in your claim.
Severe burns and the infections that follow them can permanently impair immune function. A victim whose immune system has been compromised is more vulnerable to future infections and illness throughout their life. This long-term consequence is compensable — but only if your attorney knows to document and argue it. We do.
How Burn Injuries Happen — and Who Is Liable
Liability follows negligence. The question is not just what caused the burn — it is who failed in their duty to prevent it. We investigate the cause thoroughly because that investigation determines the defendant, the insurance coverage, and the damages available.
Burn injuries we handle arise from:
House fires and building fires — landlord negligence, code violations, inadequate fire suppression systems
Electrical fires — faulty wiring, improper electrical work, code violations
Motor vehicle accidents — fuel system failures, post-collision fires, defective vehicle components
Chemical exposure — workplace safety violations, improper storage, inadequate protective equipment
Radiation exposure — medical or industrial negligence
Defective products — products that ignite, overheat, or expose users to hazardous chemicals
Grills and barbecues — defective equipment or negligent operation
Space heaters — product defects or negligent use in residential or commercial settings
Fireworks — defective products or negligent handling at public events
Work-related accidents — employer negligence, OSHA violations, third-party contractor liability
Scalding liquids and high-temperature foods — premises liability in restaurants, hotels, and care facilities
Every one of these scenarios carries a different liability theory. We identify the right defendant, build the right case, and take it as far as it needs to go.
Why Trial Readiness Changes the Outcome
Most personal injury firms negotiate. They send a demand letter, wait for the insurance company's response, and accept whatever number keeps the case moving. That model produces settlements calibrated to what the firm can get without going to trial — not what the case is actually worth.
We prepare every case for trial from day one. That preparation changes the dynamic. Insurance companies and defense counsel recognize when they are dealing with an attorney who has actually tried cases — and who will try this one if necessary. That recognition produces better offers before trial and better verdicts at trial.
Haytham Faraj has tried more than 80 jury and bench trials across federal, state, and military courts. He is a board member and senior faculty member of the Gerry Spence Method at Thunderhead Ranch, Wyoming — one of the most rigorous trial advocacy programs in the country. He has secured eight-figure verdicts against the City of Los Angeles, in Lancaster, and in Santa Monica. He does not settle cases because it is easier. He settles cases when the number is right — and takes them to trial when it is not.
What Full Compensation Looks Like
Full compensation in a burn injury case means every category of harm is documented and argued — not just the medical bills.
Medical expenses: Emergency care, hospitalization, surgeries, skin grafts, wound care, physical therapy, psychological treatment, future medical costs
Lost income: Wages lost during recovery and, where applicable, permanent loss of earning capacity
Pain and suffering: The physical pain of the injury and its treatment
Emotional distress: Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and the psychological impact of disfigurement
Loss of enjoyment of life: Activities, relationships, and experiences that are no longer possible
Disfigurement and scarring: Permanent changes to appearance that affect every aspect of daily life
Loss of consortium: Impact on the victim's spouse and family
We do not guess at these numbers. We build them with medical experts, life care planners, and economists — the same team that supports our trial preparation. The result is a damages case that holds up in front of a jury.
Results that speak to what's possible
Verdict in Los Angeles, CA for a woman who suffered a broken leg and traumatic brain injury when she was hit by an SUV while on her moped.
Verdict against the City of Los Angeles for a man struck on the head by a falling metal object, resulting in TBI and trauma-induced dementia.
Verdict in Lancaster, CA for a man severely injured in a head-on collision, leaving him and his young sons with lifelong debilitating impacts.
These results came from cases where we refused to accept the first number. We built the case, assembled the experts, and made clear we were prepared to go the distance. Insurance companies track which attorneys actually try cases. We are on that list.
How We Handle Burn Injury Cases
Here is what happens when you contact us:
We review the facts, assess liability, and tell you honestly what we think the case is worth and how we intend to pursue it.
We gather evidence: accident reports, medical records, fire investigation reports, OSHA records, product documentation, and witness statements.
We retain the medical, engineering, and economic experts needed to build a complete damages case.
We present a fully documented demand to the responsible parties and their insurers.
Regardless of whether we expect to settle, we prepare the case for trial. That preparation is what drives fair settlements.
We resolve the case at trial or through a settlement that reflects the true value of the injury — not the insurer's preferred number.
You pay nothing unless we win. Our fee comes from the recovery. There are no upfront costs and no hidden charges.