Case Study: Burn Injury Requiring Skin Grafting, and PTSD

Background: Sarah Mitchell, a 35-year-old restaurant chef, suffered severe second- and third-degree burns to her arms, neck, and upper chest when a defective gas stove exploded. She underwent multiple skin grafting procedures and extensive wound care. Despite successful grafting, she was left with significant scarring, contractures, and disfigurement, requiring additional plastic surgeries in the future. In addition to her physical injuries, Sarah developed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), causing anxiety, nightmares, and an inability to return to work in a kitchen setting.

Challenges: The defense argued that Sarah’s skin grafting was successful, downplaying the severity of her scarring and the need for future procedures. They also attempted to minimize the impact of PTSD on her ability to work, claiming she could transition to another job outside the kitchen.

1. Life Care Plan

A life care planner provided a detailed report on Sarah’s ongoing medical needs, including additional plastic surgeries, laser treatments, scar management, occupational therapy for contractures, and lifelong mental health treatment for PTSD. This plan quantified the costs of her long-term recovery and mental health care.

2. Present Value Assessment of Life Care Plan

An economist calculated the present value of Sarah’s anticipated medical expenses, ensuring that her compensation reflected the full financial impact of future surgeries, therapy, and ongoing psychological treatment.

3. Vocational Loss of Earnings

A vocational expert assessed Sarah’s ability to return to work. Due to her PTSD, physical pain, and self-consciousness about visible scarring, she was unable to continue in her previous high-stress role as a chef. The expert determined that her employment opportunities were significantly limited, justifying compensation for diminished earning capacity.

4. Present Value Assessment of Loss of Earnings

An economist provided a present value analysis of Sarah’s lost wages and future earning potential. Given her extensive medical and psychological challenges, the assessment demonstrated the need for substantial financial compensation to cover her career losses.

5. Medical Bill Reasonableness of Charges Analysis

A certified life care planner reviewed Sarah’s past medical expenses, ensuring that the charges for skin grafts, hospital stays, and psychiatric treatment were reasonable and customary. This analysis helped counter defense attempts to undervalue her medical costs.

Outcome: With damages valuation expert reports and testimony supporting the extent of her physical and psychological injuries, Sarah’s legal team established her medical expenses, lost earnings, future care needs, and pain and suffering, ensuring she had the financial resources to manage her lifelong recovery.

Conclusion: For injury attorneys handling severe burn injury cases, comprehensive life care planning, economic assessments, and vocational evaluations are essential. By leveraging expert reports and testimony, attorneys can effectively demonstrate both the physical and psychological toll of these injuries and achieve a just outcome for their clients.