Your Battle, Our Compass:
Los Angeles Burn Injury Lawyer
Injured in a burn injury in Los Angeles? With 3.9 million residents and 55,000+ annual collisions, our attorneys handle every type of burn injury case. Call (213) 516-9809. See all our California office locations.
TL;DR — Los Angeles Burn Injury Lawyer
Compass Law Group represents burn injury victims across Los Angeles. Our firm has recovered $250,000,000+ for injury victims. No win, no fee. Free 24/7 consultation in English, Spanish, Farsi, and Korean at (213) 516-9809. See all Los Angeles practice areas. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
Practice Areas We Handle in Los Angeles
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Los Angeles Burn Injury Lawyers: Fighting for Maximum Compensation
Los Angeles presents a uniquely dangerous convergence of burn risks that few other American cities match. The city’s wildfire exposure—driven by Santa Ana winds, drought conditions, and hillside development—puts millions of residents in harm’s way every fire season. Beyond wildfires, LA’s massive industrial corridor from Vernon to the Port of Long Beach, its 6,500+ lane-miles of freeways where vehicle fires erupt daily, and its tens of thousands of commercial kitchens and restaurants create a burn injury landscape that demands experienced legal representation. According to the American Burn Association, approximately 486,000 burn injuries receive medical treatment in the United States each year, and California consistently ranks among the states with the highest burn-related hospitalizations.
Los Angeles is home to the LAC+USC Medical Center Burn Unit—one of the top verified burn centers in the nation and one of the busiest on the West Coast. This facility treats over 500 acute burn admissions annually, many of them catastrophic cases requiring months of skin grafting, reconstructive surgery, and intensive rehabilitation. When a burn victim is airlifted from a freeway collision, an apartment fire in Koreatown, or a chemical exposure in an industrial warehouse in Commerce, LAC+USC is frequently the receiving hospital. Our Los Angeles personal injury lawyers at Compass Law Group have worked alongside medical teams at LAC+USC, Cedars-Sinai, and UCLA Medical Center to document the full scope of our clients’ burn injuries and build cases that reflect the true cost of recovery. Our dedicated burn injury attorneys understand the medical complexity, the extended treatment timelines, and the devastating emotional toll that these injuries inflict.
Why Choose Compass Law Group for Your Los Angeles Burn Injury Case?
- Deep experience with high-value burn injury litigation — Burn cases involve some of the largest damages in personal injury law because treatment costs are staggering and scarring is permanent. Our managing partners Joseph Shirazi (Bar #265403) and Simon Esfandi (Bar #275307) have handled complex burn cases involving product liability, premises liability, and employer negligence across Los Angeles County.
- $250M+ recovered for injury victims across California — We have the resources to retain burn reconstruction surgeons, life-care planners, vocational rehabilitation experts, and fire-cause-and-origin investigators to build a damages case that insurance companies cannot ignore.
- Aggressive pursuit of every liable party — Burn injuries rarely have a single cause. We investigate product manufacturers, property owners, employers, contractors, utility companies, and government agencies to identify every source of recovery available under California law.
- No Win, No Fee — 24/7 availability in English, Spanish, Farsi, and Korean — Our Downtown Los Angeles office at 633 W 5th Street, 26th Floor serves every neighborhood in the city. You pay nothing unless we win your case. Call (213) 516-9809 for a free consultation.
Who Is Liable for a Burn Injury in Los Angeles?
Property owners and landlords bear liability when burn injuries result from negligent maintenance of electrical systems, lack of working smoke detectors, blocked fire exits, or failure to address known fire hazards. Under California Civil Code §1714, every person has a duty to exercise ordinary care to prevent injury to others. In Los Angeles’s aging housing stock—particularly in neighborhoods like Westlake, Pico-Union, and East Hollywood where pre-war apartment buildings are common—faulty wiring and code violations are leading causes of residential fires. When a landlord ignores a fire safety inspection report or fails to maintain sprinkler systems, they can be held financially responsible for every injury that results.
Product manufacturers face strict liability under California law when a defective product causes a burn injury. Under Civil Code §1714 and the landmark case Greenman v. Yuba Power Products (1963), a manufacturer, distributor, or retailer is liable for injuries caused by a product that is defective in design, manufacture, or warnings—regardless of whether the defendant was negligent. Defective space heaters, lithium-ion batteries that overheat in e-bikes and scooters, malfunctioning gas appliances, and flammable children’s clothing are all product liability burn cases our firm has evaluated in the Los Angeles market.
Employers and contractors may be liable when workers suffer burns on the job due to inadequate safety equipment, lack of training, or OSHA violations. While workers’ compensation is typically the exclusive remedy against an employer, third-party claims against equipment manufacturers, property owners, and general contractors are often available and can yield substantially higher compensation. Drivers who cause vehicle fires through negligent operation—rear-ending a tanker on the 405, causing a multi-vehicle collision that ruptures a fuel tank on the 10 Freeway—are liable under standard negligence principles. If a vehicle fire death occurs, our Los Angeles wrongful death attorneys pursue claims on behalf of surviving family members. For collision-related burns, our Los Angeles car accident lawyers handle the underlying liability while our burn injury team addresses the specialized damages.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries in Los Angeles
- Vehicle fires on LA freeways — The 405, 101, 10, and 110 Freeways see dozens of vehicle fires monthly. High-speed collisions rupture fuel lines, battery fires in electric vehicles create thermal runaway events, and overheated brakes on steep grades near the Sepulveda Pass ignite roadside brush. Victims trapped in vehicles suffer catastrophic thermal and inhalation injuries.
- Industrial and warehouse accidents — The industrial corridor stretching from Vernon through Commerce to the Port of Long Beach houses chemical plants, metalworking shops, food processing facilities, and warehouses storing flammable materials. Flash fires, chemical splashes, steam burns, and molten-metal contact are everyday risks for workers in these facilities.
- Restaurant and commercial kitchen burns — Los Angeles has over 30,000 restaurants. Grease fires, deep-fryer burns, oven flashbacks, and steam scalds injure kitchen workers across the city daily. Third-party claims against equipment manufacturers and property owners supplement workers’ compensation when defective fryers, improperly vented hoods, or code-violating gas lines are involved.
- Electrical burns and electrocution — Faulty wiring in older buildings, downed power lines after storms or vehicle-pole collisions, exposed electrical panels on construction sites, and defective consumer electronics cause arc-flash burns and electrocution injuries throughout LA.
- Chemical burns — Exposure to caustic chemicals at industrial facilities, laboratories, swimming pool chemical mishandling, and consumer products containing lye, hydrofluoric acid, or concentrated bleach cause deep tissue chemical burns that continue damaging skin even after the initial contact.
- Wildfire and evacuation burns — Los Angeles County faces annual wildfire threats from the Santa Monica Mountains to the San Gabriel foothills. Residents in Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Topanga Canyon, Altadena, and the Verdugo Hills face evacuation burns, structure fires, radiant heat injuries, and smoke inhalation during fire season. When Cal Fire or utility company negligence (SCE/LADWP) causes or fails to contain a wildfire, burn victims have civil claims against those entities.
- Defective consumer products — E-bike and e-scooter lithium-ion battery fires have surged across Los Angeles, with FDNY and LAFD both reporting dramatic increases in battery-related fires. Space heaters, hair styling tools, portable generators, vaping devices, and children’s products with flammable materials also cause burn injuries actionable under strict products liability.
- Apartment and residential fires — LA’s older multi-unit buildings in neighborhoods like Westlake, MacArthur Park, and Koreatown are disproportionately affected by structure fires caused by faulty wiring, overloaded electrical circuits, unattended cooking, and arson. Landlord negligence in maintaining smoke detectors, fire escapes, and sprinkler systems creates premises liability claims.
- Construction site burns — Welding, cutting, roofing with hot tar, and working near gas lines expose construction workers across LA to burn hazards. When a general contractor fails to implement fire-watch protocols or a subcontractor uses defective equipment, third-party claims supplement workers’ comp benefits.
- Explosions — Gas line explosions (often involving aging infrastructure maintained by SoCalGas), propane tank failures at outdoor events, and illegal fireworks detonations—particularly around July 4th in South LA, Boyle Heights, and East LA—cause blast burns, shrapnel injuries, and thermal trauma with extremely high damages.
Frequently Asked Questions — Los Angeles Burn Injury Attorney
How long do I have to file a burn injury lawsuit in Los Angeles?
Under California Code of Civil Procedure §335.1, you have two years from the date of your burn injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. If a government entity is involved — such as a city bus fire or a burn caused by a Los Angeles public utility — you may have as little as six months to file an administrative claim. We strongly recommend contacting us as soon as possible so we can preserve evidence and meet every deadline.
Who can be held liable for my burn injuries in California?
Liability depends on the cause of your burns. Negligent drivers, property owners with fire hazards, product manufacturers with defective equipment, employers who violate Cal/OSHA safety regulations, or landlords with faulty wiring can all be held responsible. California’s comparative fault rules allow us to pursue multiple parties simultaneously, which often maximizes your recovery.
What types of damages can I recover in a Los Angeles burn injury case?
Burn injury victims in California can recover economic damages — including emergency room costs, reconstructive surgery, skin graft procedures, ongoing wound care, lost wages, and diminished earning capacity — as well as non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, disfigurement, and emotional distress. In cases involving egregious conduct, we may also pursue punitive damages designed to punish the wrongdoer. We document every category of loss from day one to build the strongest possible claim.
Do I need to pay anything upfront to hire your firm?
No — we handle burn injury cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay nothing unless we win or settle your case. Our fees come as a percentage of your recovery, so there is never an out-of-pocket cost to get started. We offer a completely free initial consultation to evaluate your claim.
What if I was partially at fault for my burn injury?
California follows a pure comparative fault system under Civil Code §1714, which means you can still recover damages even if you were partially responsible for the accident. Your total compensation is simply reduced by your percentage of fault — so if you were found 20% at fault, you would still recover 80% of your damages. We fight to minimize any fault assigned to you during negotiations and at trial.
How do I prove that someone else caused my burn injury?
We build your case by gathering fire department reports, Cal/OSHA investigation records, product recall notices, surveillance footage, eyewitness statements, and expert testimony from fire investigators and medical professionals. For incidents along high-traffic corridors like the 405 or in industrial areas of Vernon and Compton, local agency records are often critical. We handle all of this investigation on your behalf so you can focus on recovery.
Will my medical bills be covered while my case is still pending?
Your own health insurance, MediCal, or any applicable workers’ compensation coverage can address immediate medical costs while your case proceeds. We also work with treating physicians and burn centers — including those affiliated with Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center and Grossman Burn Center — who may provide care on a medical lien basis, meaning they defer payment until your case resolves. You should never delay necessary treatment due to financial concerns.
How long does a burn injury case typically take to resolve in Los Angeles?
Settlement negotiations with insurance companies can take anywhere from a few months to over a year, depending on the severity of your injuries and the complexity of liability. Cases that proceed to litigation in Los Angeles Superior Court — whether in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse downtown or a district courthouse — can take two to three years. We push aggressively for fair early settlements while remaining fully prepared to go to trial.
What should I do immediately after suffering a burn injury?
Seek emergency medical treatment first — burns can worsen rapidly and infection risk is immediate. Once stable, document the scene with photographs, preserve any defective product or clothing, and collect contact information from witnesses. Do not provide recorded statements to any insurance adjuster before speaking with us, as those statements can be used to minimize your claim.
Can I file a burn injury claim if I was hurt at work?
Yes — workplace burn injuries are common in Los Angeles industries including food service, manufacturing, construction, and chemical handling. You are entitled to file a California workers’ compensation claim regardless of fault, and if a third party — such as an equipment manufacturer or a negligent contractor — contributed to your injuries, we can pursue a separate personal injury lawsuit that typically yields significantly higher compensation. The two claims can run simultaneously.
How are burn injuries valued differently from other personal injury claims?
Burn injuries often carry higher damage values because they involve prolonged, painful treatment — multiple surgeries, skin grafts, physical therapy, and psychological counseling — as well as permanent scarring and disfigurement that affects quality of life indefinitely. California courts allow full recovery for disfigurement as a standalone category of non-economic harm. We work with burn reconstruction specialists and life-care planners to quantify every future cost and present a comprehensive damages picture.
What if a defective product caused my burn injury?
Under California strict products liability law, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers can be held responsible for burns caused by defective products — including faulty appliances, malfunctioning lithium-ion batteries, defective gas lines, or improperly labeled flammable substances — without needing to prove the company was negligent. We identify every link in the distribution chain and bring claims against all responsible parties. Product recalls and CPSC reports often become powerful evidence in these cases.
Will my case go to trial, or will it settle?
The majority of burn injury cases settle before trial, but we prepare every case as if it will go before a Los Angeles jury from day one. That preparation is precisely what compels insurance companies to offer fair settlements. If an insurer refuses to pay what your case is worth, we are fully equipped to litigate in Los Angeles Superior Court and take your case to verdict.
Can I recover damages for emotional distress and disfigurement after a burn injury?
Absolutely. California law recognizes emotional distress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the permanent psychological impact of visible scarring and disfigurement as fully compensable harms. These non-economic damages frequently represent the largest portion of a burn injury recovery. We present this evidence through treating therapists, psychiatrists, and your own testimony to ensure the jury or insurer fully understands the human cost of your injuries.
How do I get started with a free consultation?
Contact our office by phone or through our website to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at a time that works for you — including evenings and weekends. We meet with clients throughout the greater Los Angeles area, from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach, and can consult remotely if you are still hospitalized or recovering at home. We will review the facts of your case, explain your legal options, and give you an honest assessment of what your claim may be worth.
How We Value a Los Angeles Burn Injury Case
Burn injury cases are among the most expensive personal injury claims in California because the treatment is prolonged, painful, and extraordinarily costly. A single skin graft procedure can cost $30,000–$100,000. A severe burn victim requiring multiple surgeries, months in a burn ICU, compression garments, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and psychological counseling may face lifetime medical costs exceeding $1,000,000–$10,000,000. Compass Law Group retains life-care planning experts who calculate the full projected cost of future medical care, including skin graft revisions, scar revision surgeries, laser treatments, reconstructive plastic surgery, and long-term pain management.
We evaluate three damages tiers: past and future medical costs (burn unit hospitalization, emergency debridement, grafting, reconstructive surgery, infection treatment, physical therapy, occupational therapy, psychological counseling), economic losses (lost wages during extended recovery, permanent reduction in earning capacity due to disfigurement or limited mobility, cost of home modifications for severe burn survivors), and non-economic damages (pain and suffering—which is extreme in burn cases—permanent scarring, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, PTSD, and sexual dysfunction from burns to intimate areas). In cases involving willful misconduct—such as a landlord who knowingly ignored fire code violations—punitive damages under Civil Code §3294 may dramatically increase the total recovery.
Compensation Available for Los Angeles Burn Injury Victims
- Burn unit hospitalization and ICU care — Burn ICU stays average $10,000–$50,000 per day. A 30% total body surface area (TBSA) burn requiring 30+ days of inpatient care can generate hospital bills exceeding $1,000,000 before surgery
- Skin grafting and reconstructive surgery — Split-thickness and full-thickness skin grafts, flap reconstruction, tissue expansion, and laser resurfacing performed at LAC+USC Burn Center, UCLA, or Cedars-Sinai; most severe burn victims require 5–20+ surgical procedures over several years
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement damages — Hypertrophic scars, keloids, contractures, and skin discoloration cause profound emotional suffering and social isolation; California places no statutory cap on non-economic damages in personal injury cases
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity — Severe burns require months to years of recovery; victims with visible scarring on the face, hands, or arms may face employment discrimination and reduced career options
- Pain and suffering — Burn pain is classified among the most intense forms of human suffering; wound debridement, dressing changes, and physical therapy are described by patients as more painful than the original injury
- Psychological treatment for PTSD, depression, and anxiety — Over 30% of burn survivors develop PTSD according to the American Burn Association; treatment costs include years of psychiatric care, medication, and counseling
- Loss of enjoyment of life — Inability to participate in sports, outdoor activities, intimate relationships, and social events due to scarring, pain, or mobility limitations
- Punitive damages — Available under CC §3294 when the defendant acted with malice, oppression, or fraud—such as a landlord who disabled smoke detectors to avoid maintenance costs or a manufacturer who concealed known fire risks
Burn Degree Classification and Legal Impact
The severity of a burn directly drives case value. California courts and insurance adjusters evaluate burns using the standard medical classification system:
- First-degree burns (superficial) — Affect only the outer layer of skin (epidermis). Sunburn is the most common example. These burns cause redness, minor swelling, and pain but typically heal within 7–10 days without scarring. Case values are modest unless the burn covers a large area or was caused by egregious negligence.
- Second-degree burns (partial thickness) — Damage the epidermis and part of the dermis. Blistering, severe pain, swelling, and potential scarring result. Superficial second-degree burns may heal in 2–3 weeks; deep second-degree burns can take months, often require grafting, and leave permanent scars. These cases frequently settle in the six-figure range when scarring is visible.
- Third-degree burns (full thickness) — Destroy the entire epidermis and dermis, damaging nerve endings (the burn area itself may be painless due to nerve destruction, while surrounding tissue is excruciating). The burned skin appears white, brown, or charred. Skin grafting is always required. Contractures—tightening of scar tissue that restricts movement—are common and may require years of physical therapy and additional surgeries. Case values routinely exceed $500,000 and reach into the millions.
- Fourth-degree burns — Extend through skin into underlying fat, muscle, tendon, and bone. These catastrophic injuries occur in prolonged fire exposure, high-voltage electrical burns, and chemical immersion. Amputation is frequently necessary. Lifetime care costs are measured in millions of dollars, and wrongful death is common.
How Insurance Companies Fight Burn Injury Claims in Los Angeles
Insurance companies know that burn injury claims carry enormous potential verdicts, so they deploy aggressive tactics to minimize or deny these claims. Compass Law Group anticipates and counters every strategy:
- Disputing the severity of burns — Insurers hire their own medical examiners who downgrade burn classifications—calling a deep second-degree burn “superficial” or arguing that grafting was “elective” rather than medically necessary. We counter with treating physician testimony and independent burn surgery experts.
- Challenging causation — In product liability and premises liability burn cases, insurers argue that the victim’s own conduct (leaving a stove unattended, misusing a product) caused the fire. We retain fire-cause-and-origin investigators and product engineers to establish defect or negligence.
- Minimizing future medical costs — Adjusters rely on software algorithms that drastically undervalue the cost of future skin graft revisions, scar treatments, and psychological care. Our life-care planners produce detailed, year-by-year cost projections that hold up under cross-examination.
- Pre-existing condition arguments — If a burn victim has diabetes, vascular disease, or prior skin conditions that complicate healing, insurers argue the extended treatment was caused by the pre-existing condition, not the burn. California’s “eggshell plaintiff” doctrine means the defendant takes the victim as they find them.
Products Liability for Defective Products Causing Burns in Los Angeles
California’s strict products liability doctrine, established in Greenman v. Yuba Power Products (1963) and codified in practice through decades of appellate law, holds manufacturers, distributors, and retailers strictly liable for injuries caused by defective products—without any requirement to prove negligence. Three defect theories apply to burn cases:
- Design defect — The product was inherently dangerous as designed. Examples: a space heater that tips over and ignites carpet, a lithium-ion battery pack in an e-bike without adequate thermal management, a gas water heater without a flame-arrestor plate
- Manufacturing defect — The individual product deviated from its intended design during production. Examples: a faulty weld on a propane tank, a defective thermostat in a commercial oven, a miswired electrical component in a consumer appliance
- Warning/labeling defect (failure to warn) — The manufacturer failed to provide adequate warnings about known fire or burn risks. Examples: a chemical product without proper HMIS labeling, a portable generator without carbon monoxide and fire-proximity warnings, a children’s costume without flammability disclosure
Under California’s strict liability framework, the burn victim does not need to prove that the manufacturer knew the product was dangerous—only that the product was defective and that the defect caused the injury. This is an enormous advantage in burn cases, where proving exactly what a manufacturer knew and when can be extremely difficult. Our attorneys at Compass Law Group work with fire scientists, metallurgical engineers, and product safety experts to establish the defect and trace the chain of distribution from manufacturer to the product that caused your burn.
What to Do After a Burn Injury in Los Angeles
- Call 911 and get emergency medical treatment — For serious burns (second-degree covering a large area, any third- or fourth-degree), call 911 immediately. Paramedics will transport to the nearest burn center—LAC+USC Medical Center’s Burn Unit is the primary receiving facility in Los Angeles for critical burns. For chemical burns, remove contaminated clothing and flush the area with clean water for at least 20 minutes. Do not apply ice, butter, or ointments to severe burns.
- Preserve the scene and the product — If a defective product caused the burn (appliance, e-bike battery, heater), do not discard it. Photograph the product, the burn scene, electrical panels, gas appliances, smoke detectors (present or absent), and any fire damage. If a vehicle fire occurred, photograph the vehicle before it is towed. This physical evidence is critical for product liability and premises liability claims.
- Request a fire investigation report — If LAFD responded to the incident, an arson/investigation unit will produce a fire origin-and-cause report. Request a copy. For workplace burns, your employer must file an incident report and you should request a copy of any Cal/OSHA investigation findings.
- Document your injuries throughout recovery — Photograph your burns from multiple angles in consistent lighting every 2–3 days throughout the healing process. Document wound care procedures, dressing changes, grafting stages, and scarring progression. Keep a pain journal recording daily pain levels, sleep disruption, emotional state, and activities you can no longer perform. This documentation is essential for proving non-economic damages.
- Contact a Los Angeles burn injury attorney before accepting any insurance offer — Insurance companies move quickly on burn cases because they know the bills are mounting and victims are desperate. An early lowball offer will not cover a fraction of future surgical and rehabilitation costs. Call Compass Law Group at (213) 516-9809 for a free consultation. We advance all case costs and you pay nothing unless we win.
California Statute of Limitations for Burn Injury Claims
Under CCP §335.1, you have two years from the date of the burn injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in California. This deadline applies to negligence-based claims against property owners, employers, and drivers. For product liability claims, the same two-year statute applies from the date of injury, though the discovery rule may extend the deadline if the defect was not immediately apparent. If the burn was caused by a government entity’s negligence—such as a city-owned building with faulty wiring or a Cal Fire failure—a government tort claim must be filed within six months under Government Code §911.2. If the burn victim is a minor, the statute of limitations is tolled until the child turns 18. Missing these deadlines permanently bars your claim regardless of injury severity.
OSHA Workplace Burn Regulations in California
California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) enforces workplace burn prevention standards that are among the most comprehensive in the nation. When an employer violates these regulations and a worker suffers a burn injury, the violation is powerful evidence of negligence in a third-party civil claim:
- Title 8 §3401–3410 (Hot Processes) — Requires fire-watch personnel during welding, cutting, and brazing operations; mandates fire-resistant barriers and readily accessible fire extinguishers
- Title 8 §5189 (Process Safety Management) — Applies to facilities handling highly hazardous chemicals; requires written safety programs, hazard analyses, employee training, and emergency response plans
- Title 8 §3221 (Electrical Safety) — Requires proper grounding, circuit protection, lockout/tagout procedures, and arc-flash hazard assessments for workers exposed to electrical burn risk
- Title 8 §3382–3384 (Personal Protective Equipment) — Mandates flame-resistant clothing, face shields, gloves, and eye protection for workers exposed to heat, chemical, or electrical burn hazards
- Title 8 §6151–6184 (Construction Fire Prevention) — Requires fire prevention plans, hot-work permits, and fire suppression equipment on construction sites
When a Cal/OSHA investigation finds violations related to a workplace burn injury, the findings are admissible as evidence of negligence per se in California civil courts. Our attorneys obtain Cal/OSHA investigation files, citation histories, and employer safety records to build third-party liability claims that go beyond workers’ compensation.
Evidence in Los Angeles Burn Injury Cases
Burn cases require aggressive evidence preservation because fire destroys the scene. Compass Law Group’s investigation team moves within hours of retention:
- LAFD fire investigation reports — Origin-and-cause determination, fire spread analysis, and photographs taken by fire investigators before the scene is disturbed
- Product preservation and expert inspection — In defective product cases, we issue spoliation letters to all parties to prevent destruction of the product, retain fire-cause-and-origin experts, and engage metallurgical or electrical engineers to examine the device
- Cal/OSHA investigation records — For workplace burns, we obtain the full investigation file including employer citations, violation history, witness interviews, and photographs
- Medical records from burn centers — LAC+USC Burn Unit records, surgical reports, wound-care documentation, skin graft donor/recipient site records, physical therapy progress notes, and psychological evaluations
- Building inspection and code compliance records — For premises liability cases, we subpoena LADBS inspection reports, fire safety inspection records, smoke detector and sprinkler maintenance logs, and any prior code violation citations
- Surveillance and witness evidence — Security camera footage from businesses and residences near the burn site, 911 call recordings, bystander cell phone video, and witness statements from first responders
- Utility company records — For gas line explosions and electrical fires, we subpoena maintenance records, leak survey data, and infrastructure age reports from SoCalGas and LADWP
Los Angeles Burn Injury Statistics
- Over 500 acute burn admissions per year at LAC+USC Burn Center — As one of the nation’s busiest verified burn centers, LAC+USC treats some of the most severe burn cases in California, with an average total body surface area burn of 12–15% among admitted patients
- LAFD responds to approximately 11,000 structure fires annually — According to LAFD data, the department handles over 400,000 emergency incidents per year, with structure fires causing hundreds of civilian burn injuries
- California averages 300+ wildfire-related civilian injuries per year — Cal Fire statistics show that major wildfire events in LA County (Woolsey Fire 2018, Palisades fires) cause mass civilian burn injuries and property destruction
- Lithium-ion battery fires increased over 200% in major US cities since 2020 — NFPA and CPSC data show that e-bike and e-scooter battery fires are a rapidly growing category of urban burn injuries, with Los Angeles among the hardest-hit cities
- Workplace burn injuries in California exceed 5,000 annually — Cal/OSHA data indicates that burns are among the top five workplace injury types in California, with the highest rates in manufacturing, food service, and construction
Contact Compass Law Group — Los Angeles Burn Injury Lawyers
A burn injury changes everything—the pain is relentless, the treatment stretches across years, the scars are permanent, and the financial burden can destroy a family. California law provides powerful protections for burn victims, from strict products liability to premises liability to employer negligence, but insurance companies fight these claims aggressively because the stakes are so high. At Compass Law Group, we handle every aspect of your burn injury case from the initial fire-scene investigation through expert medical documentation, settlement negotiation, and trial. Our Los Angeles office at 633 W 5th Street, 26th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071 is staffed 24/7, and we serve every community in the city—from Downtown to the Valley, from the Westside to East LA.
Call (213) 516-9809 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation. With our No Win, No Fee guarantee, you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Hablamos español. We also speak Farsi and Korean.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a burn injury case worth in Los Angeles?+
What is the statute of limitations for a burn injury lawsuit in California?+
Can I sue a landlord for a burn injury from an apartment fire in Los Angeles?+
What should I do if a defective product caused my burn injury?+
Does workers’ compensation cover burn injuries in California?+
How long does recovery take from a severe burn injury?+
Can I sue for wildfire burn injuries in California?+
What is the difference between first-degree and third-degree burns?+
Who pays for burn injury treatment if I cannot afford medical bills?+
Can I get punitive damages in a burn injury case in California?+
Talk to a Los Angeles Burn Injury Lawyer Today
Call Compass Law Group at (213) 516-9809. Free consultation, no fees unless we win. 24/7. Visit our LA office.
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With Joseph Shirazi and Simon Esfandi at the helm, our firm is a trusted name in accident law in California.
Meet Our Managing Partners
National Top 100 Trial Lawyers and Avvo 10.0 Superb. Loyola Law School graduate. Recognized for his $14,500,000 truck accident verdict and a $13,000,000 trial verdict.
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Super Lawyers Rising Star. Southwestern Law School graduate. Led the firm’s $9,870,000 motorcycle accident settlement and a $2,250,000 rideshare recovery.
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Jerry
After 10 accidents and 9 attorneys, the client met Simon, who stood out for his honesty and clear communication. Years later, after another accident, the client called Simon and was impressed by his professionalism and follow-through. Simon explained everything, connected him with top doctors, and kept every promise. It was the first time the client felt truly supported—highly recommending Simon and Joseph for their integrity and dedication.
Jacob
Jacob was rear-ended by a big rig and left nearly paralyzed for a year. He found Cooper Law Group, and Joseph and Simon personally helped him through the legal process. Over two years, they ensured he got the medical care and surgeries he needed, helped repair his car, and secured the compensation he deserved. He highly recommends them for truly fighting for their clients.
Blandine
During the early days of COVID, Blandine was hit by a car while biking to work. Alone and unsure of what to do, they found Compass Law Group. Joseph was the first to respond with care and clarity. Throughout the case, the team—Joseph, Simon, and Julie—provided support, regular check-ins, and made the client feel safe and cared for. They now consider the firm like family and highly recommend them for their compassion and competence.
Understanding Your Rights:
Frequently Asked
Questions
#1 Do I have a case?
Understanding whether a claim exists is one of the challenges of personal injury law. This is why we offer free initial consultations to help you make this determination and allow you an avenue to vindicate your rights.
We’re committed to fighting for the rights of accident victims throughout Southern California, and, unlike other California personal injury attorneys, we will take on any case if we can help, no matter how big or small.
#2 What is personal injury?
Personal injury involves harm to an individual’s body or property caused by someone else’s negligence. It can range from minor to significant injuries, often requiring legal action to recover damages. We specialize in representing and securing fair settlements for such victims.
#3 Why hire Compass Law Group?
Our client-focused approach ensures personalized attention, detailed case building, and compelling evidence presentation. We’re skilled in negotiating settlements and prepared for trial with aggressive strategies. Our firm maintains transparent communication, involves clients in the process, and utilizes a wide network of expert witnesses and resources to strengthen cases. Choosing us means trusting a team dedicated to your success and justice.
#4What if I didn't go to the hospital?
No matter the injury size, you have rights that need defending. Many injuries seem minor at first but can worsen over time. Ignoring treatment or legal advice risks your health and compensation. Seek immediate medical and legal help after any accident to ensure proper diagnosis and strengthen your compensation claim.