Burn Injury Attorney in Lake Charles

Legal Help For Serious Burn Injuries—Call Sudduth & Associates, LLC

Severe burns change life in an instant. Hospital stays, surgeries, and lasting scars can affect everything from your ability to work to how you feel about yourself. If you or a loved one suffered a serious burn in Lake Charles, Sudduth & Associates, LLC is here to help you navigate the legal and financial side of recovery.

We understand that you may be in pain, overwhelmed by medical decisions, and unsure where to turn. Our team is based in a historic office here in Lake Charles, and we work closely with local families when burns arise from house fires, apartment fires, plant or refinery incidents, workplace accidents, and vehicle-related fires.

Since 2013, we have built a practice grounded in public service, community commitment, and family values. When you contact our firm, you are not treated like a file number. We aim to treat you like family and to stand beside you as you decide what comes next.

Your medical bills won't wait, and neither should your legal defense. Contact a Lake Charles burn injury lawyer at (337) 282-9003 or reach out online. We leverage our former prosecutor background to fight for every dollar you are owed.

Understanding Burn Injury Laws in Louisiana

As of January 1, 2026, the State of Louisiana has fundamentally shifted how personal injury cases are handled. If your burn injury occurred recently, it is governed by a new set of rules that prioritize "personal responsibility" and place a higher burden on the injured party to prove they were not at fault.

The 51% Bar: Louisiana's New Modified Comparative Fault Law

The most significant change is the move from "pure" to "modified" comparative fault.

• The New Standard: If a jury or judge finds that you were 51% or more responsible for the incident that caused your burn, you are legally barred from recovering a single penny.
• The Stakes: Previously, you could be 90% at fault and still recover 10% of your damages. Now, a difference of just 1% in fault can mean the difference between a multi-million dollar settlement and zero recovery.

Because insurance companies now have a massive incentive to push your fault over that 51% threshold, our firm utilizes expert reconstructionists to pin the blame precisely where it belongs: on the negligent party.

Two-Year Prescriptive Period (Statute of Limitations)

For accidents occurring on or after July 1, 2024, the time limit to file a lawsuit in Louisiana is two years. While this is an extension from the old one-year rule, burn injury cases require months of investigation and medical stabilization. You should contact a burn injury attorney in Lake Charles immediately to ensure evidence at the industrial site or accident scene is preserved before it is "cleaned up" or destroyed.

Types Of Burn Injury Cases We Handle in Lake Charles

Burns in this region often arise from situations that are tied to our local economy and housing. Our attorneys handle a wide range of serious burn injury cases, focusing on incidents that lead to hospitalization, surgery, grafts, or significant scarring and disfigurement. We look not only at how the injury occurred, but also at how it affects your daily life and long-term future.

Liability in these situations can be complex. Responsibility may fall on property owners who failed to keep premises safe, employers who ignored safety rules, contractors who performed substandard work, or manufacturers of defective products. Our role is to identify parties whose conduct may have contributed to the burn and to pursue claims where the law supports doing so.

Examples of burn cases we may investigate include:

• Industrial or refinery burns involving hot liquids, steam, or chemicals
• Apartment or rental house fires linked to unsafe wiring or missing alarms
• Scald injuries from dangerously hot water in homes, hotels, or facilities
• Electrical burns from unsafe equipment or exposed wiring at job sites
• Vehicle or truck-related fires following serious collisions

Every burn case has its own facts and challenges. Our attorneys review the circumstances carefully so we can give you a realistic assessment of your legal options and the steps involved in moving forward.

Key Elements the Plaintiff Must Prove in a Civil Burn Case

To win your case, we must demonstrate that the other party’s negligence was the primary cause of your injuries. We focus our investigation on four critical pillars:

• Existence of a Duty: We establish that the defendant (such as a plant owner, trucking company, or landlord) had a legal duty to maintain a safe environment or provide a non-defective product.
• Breach of that Duty: We prove they failed that duty. This might involve showing a refinery ignored OSHA safety protocols, a landlord failed to install working smoke detectors, or a manufacturer sold a product with a defective lithium-ion battery.
• Direct Causation: We link the breach directly to your burn. This often requires expert testimony to explain how a specific chemical leak or electrical arc caused the specific degree of thermal damage you suffered.
• Quantifiable Damages: We provide an exhaustive account of your losses, from immediate ICU bills to the cost of psychological counseling for PTSD.

Compensation Available In Serious Burn Cases in Louisiana

One of the hardest parts of a severe burn is not knowing how you will manage the costs that continue long after the bandages come off. Skin grafts, revision surgeries, physical therapy, psychological counseling, and time away from work can add up quickly.

In a burn injury claim, recoverable damages may include past and future medical expenses, lost income, reduced earning capacity, and the cost of necessary support services. Burns often leave visible scars and can limit movement, which may justify additional compensation for scarring, disfigurement, and the impact on your daily activities and relationships.

There is also the human cost of pain, emotional distress, and changes in how you see yourself. Those harms are real, even if they do not appear on a bill. Our Lake Charles burn injury attorneys work to understand how the injury has changed your life so we can present that story in a way that is grounded in evidence. We do not promise specific outcomes, but we do strive to seek fair results.

The Lake Charles Personal Injury Process for Burn Victims

Burn cases are among the most document-intensive in the legal field. We guide our clients through the 14th Judicial District Court process with precision:

• Phase 1: Emergency Investigation. We work to secure "right of entry" to the site of the explosion or fire to gather physical evidence before it is altered.
• Phase 2: Medical Monitoring. We coordinate with burn centers to ensure your medical records accurately reflect the severity of your injuries (First, Second, or Third-degree).
• Phase 3: The 51% Fault Defense. We proactively build a "defense" for you against allegations of contributory negligence, ensuring the insurance company cannot use the 2026 laws to bar your claim.
• Phase 4: Litigation. If the insurance company refuses to acknowledge the lifetime cost of a burn, we take the case to trial. Our former prosecutor background means we are never intimidated by a courtroom.

Why Burn Survivors Choose Our Firm

At Sudduth & Associates, LLC, our attorneys draw on a legacy of public service in Lake Charles and across Louisiana, and that guides how we approach every burn injury claim. We often describe our role as similar to a trusted family doctor. 

Our goal is to be the first call you make when a legal problem affects your health, your work, or your family. In burn cases, that means taking the time to understand your treatment, your pain, and your goals, then building a strategy that reflects your real life.

Our attorneys and paralegals work together as a team on complex matters. Serious burns can involve multiple parties, from landlords and property managers to industrial employers and product manufacturers. We are willing to take on difficult cases and, when necessary, to bring them into court.

How Our Lake Charles Burn Injury Attorneys Help

Working with a burn injury lawyer should ease your stress, not add to it. Our team handles the legal process so you can focus on healing, family, and daily recovery. Based locally in Lake Charles, we provide personalized attention rather than distant or impersonal service, guiding you through every step of your claim in Louisiana or Texas.

• Initial Consultation & Case Evaluation – We listen to your story, review medical and incident details, and assess whether a potential claim exists under Louisiana or Texas law.
• Evidence Gathering & Case Preparation – Our attorneys collect medical records, photographs, incident reports, and other documentation. We may review workplace policies, leases, maintenance logs, or product information to establish fault and damages.
• Insurance & Legal Communications – We handle adjusters and defense attorneys on your behalf, reducing stress and keeping you informed about offers, negotiations, and options.
• Court & Litigation Support – Familiar with local courts, including Calcasieu Parish, we pursue fair resolutions through negotiation or litigation, standing with you throughout the process.

Talk To Our Attorneys in Lake Charles Today

A serious burn brings physical pain, emotional strain, and financial pressure, often all at once. You should not have to face landlords, employers, or insurance companies alone while you are trying to heal. A conversation with a burn injury lawyer in Lake Charles can help you understand your options and regain some control over what happens next.

At Sudduth & Associates, LLC, we are rooted in Lake Charles and committed to serving our community. We treat clients like family, offer bilingual consultations, and work to meet with you quickly when the situation is urgent. When you contact us, we listen carefully and explain potential paths forward in straightforward language.

To talk with our team about a burn injury and your legal options, call (337) 282-9003 or reach out online today.