The Financial Struggles a Burn Injury Victim Will Face
If you or someone you love suffers a severe burn injury, life as you know it can change instantly. Your priorities and concerns will quickly shift from your school or work schedule to how you’ll pay your bills and handle other financial responsibilities indefinitely. How much stress will this put on your finances? You might be surprised at how much they could increase. The cost of medical treatment, time away from work, home repairs, and new clothing will take a toll on anyone’s bank account. If you are the victim of burn injuries, here are some expenses that may follow later on.
Medical Care and Recovery
Medical care is one of the major costs that arise as a result of any significant burn injury. This is because medical bills can often go up significantly due to missed work hours or other expenses related to injuries sustained while working in the burn area. A few other sources of medical costs to keep in mind are infections, blood transfusions, medications, and dental work to treat pain or other symptoms.
Transportation
You may be entitled to workers’ compensation if you suffer a burn injury to or from work. However, this will only cover medical expenses and a portion of your wages lost while you are recovering. The coverage may be limited to two weeks or less, depending on your situation. If you are out of work for an extended period due to your burn injury, you will probably have to cover your transportation to and from doctors’ visits. Depending on where you live and your specific situation, this could be very expensive. While your employer cannot discriminate against you if you are treated for a work-related injury, they do not have to give you paid leave.
Lost Wages from Missed Work
You will likely miss out on a paycheck if you have to take time away from work to recover from your burn injury. Depending on how long it takes to recover, you could lose hundreds or even thousands of dollars in wages. If you have a disability insurance policy or savings that you can use to make up for the income you’re missing, you can ease the burden on your finances. You should consider hiring a burn injury lawyer if you have difficulties in calculating injuries in a burn injury claim.
Home Repairs and Adaptations
If your home is damaged by the fire that caused your injuries, you may have to pay for repairs. Depending on the damage’s severity, you may need to repair or replace parts of your roof, walls, or electrical system, which might cost you thousands of dollars.
New Clothing and Shoes
The effects of your burn injury may ruin the clothing you wear daily. Depending on your burn severity, you could be left with blisters, open wounds, or permanent scarring that will make everyday clothing challenging to wear.
Conclusion
Almost everyone who suffers a significant burn injury will incur high financial costs. The amount of money you spend may largely depend on the severity of your injury. If you have health insurance, it should cover some of these costs. However, coverage may be limited, and you may have to pay a portion of the expenses. You may have to cover your expenses if you don’t have health insurance. This could seriously affect your finances and your ability to recover if you have a significant burn injury.
