San Francisco Burn Injury Attorney

Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754

San Francisco Burn Injury Attorney

Burn injuries cause some of the most prolonged and painful recoveries in personal injury law. A serious burn injury involves not just the initial destruction of skin and underlying tissue but weeks or months of acute hospitalization, multiple surgeries, daily wound care procedures, the constant risk of life-threatening infection, and years of reconstructive work and rehabilitation. The financial burden is enormous. The physical and psychological suffering is distinct from any other category of injury. Attorney Michael Rehm represents people who have sustained serious burn injuries in accidents throughout San Francisco and San Francisco County. These claims are filed in San Francisco Superior Court, 400 McAllister Street.

Classification and Severity of Burn Injuries

Burns are classified by depth of tissue destruction. First-degree burns involve only the epidermis and heal without scarring. Second-degree (partial thickness) burns extend into the dermis — superficial second-degree burns may heal with wound care, while deep partial thickness burns typically require grafting. Third-degree (full thickness) burns destroy the entire dermis and subcutaneous tissue and require surgical grafting for closure. Fourth-degree burns extend into muscle, tendon, or bone and may require amputation.

Burn severity is also assessed by total body surface area (TBSA) affected. Burns exceeding ten percent TBSA in adults typically require inpatient burn center care. Common causes in the San Francisco context include motor vehicle fires, gas explosions in residential or commercial buildings, electrical fires in construction and industrial settings, hot liquid spills, and chemical exposure.

Surgical Treatment of Serious Burn Injuries

Escharotomy

Full-thickness circumferential burns create eschar — inelastic burned tissue — that constricts the limb as swelling develops beneath it. Without surgical release, compartment syndrome develops and the limb becomes ischemic. Escharotomy involves incising the eschar through its full depth to release the constriction and restore circulation. It is an emergency procedure performed within hours of injury in appropriate cases.

Debridement

Surgical debridement removes devitalized tissue from the wound bed to prepare it for grafting and to reduce bacterial load. Tangential excision — removing thin layers of burned tissue until a viable bleeding base is reached — is the standard technique. Each debridement procedure involves general anesthesia, operative time, blood loss, and recovery.

Split-Thickness Skin Grafting (STSG)

Split-thickness skin grafting is the primary surgical treatment for full-thickness burns. Donor skin is harvested from an unburned area of the patient's body using a dermatome, meshed to expand coverage, and applied to the debrided wound bed. The donor site is itself a painful wound that heals over ten to fourteen days. When the burn area is large relative to available donor sites, donor sites must be re-harvested after healing, extending the surgical course. Graft loss requires repeat procedures.

Reconstructive Surgery

After acute wounds are closed, the reconstructive phase begins. Hypertrophic scarring, contracture formation across joints, and functional limitations from scar tissue all require surgical correction. Contracture release is combined with local flap reconstruction or additional grafting to restore range of motion. Reconstructive surgery in a severe burn case commonly extends over three to five years and involves multiple procedures each requiring anesthesia, hospitalization, and recovery.

Liability in San Francisco Burn Injury Cases

Civil Code § 1714 imposes a duty of ordinary care on any person whose negligence causes injury to another. In building fire cases, the property owner's obligation includes compliance with applicable fire codes. In product-related burn cases, the manufacturer bears strict product liability. In construction and workplace burn cases, Labor Code § 6400 imposes safety obligations on employers. Claims against public entities require a government tort claim under Government Code § 911.2 within six months. Missing this deadline can potentially bar a lawsuit. Tolling may apply depending on the facts.

Damages in San Francisco Burn Injury Cases

Acute hospitalization in a burn unit runs tens of thousands of dollars per day. A patient with a thirty percent TBSA burn may require sixty to ninety days of initial inpatient care. The reconstructive surgical phase involves multiple procedures over years. Psychological treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder — which affects a substantial proportion of burn survivors — adds to the long-term care picture. A life care plan and expert economic analysis are essential to documenting the full scope of future costs. Non-economic damages include the pain of wound care and rehabilitation, disfigurement from permanent scarring, and the psychological harm of living with visible injuries.

Filing Deadlines for San Francisco Burn Injury Claims

The personal injury statute of limitations is two years under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Claims against public entities require a government tort claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2. None of these deadlines are self-executing and tolling may apply — contact Attorney Michael Rehm to assess the specific timeline in your case.

Attorney Michael Rehm represents burn injury victims throughout San Francisco on a contingency fee basis. No fee without a recovery. Call (800) 978-0754 to arrange a free consultation.

The information on this page is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case turns on its own facts. The law can change — statutes are amended, cases are decided, and regulations are revised; nothing on this page should be relied upon as a statement of current law without verification. Deadlines and legal bars discussed on this page are general guides — whether a particular deadline applies, has run, or is subject to tolling, and whether a particular doctrine bars or limits recovery in your case, requires individual analysis. Contact Attorney Michael Rehm to discuss the specific facts of your situation.

San Francisco Burn Injury Attorney

Attorney Michael Rehm — (800) 978-0754