How the Burn Injury Occurred
In the summer of 2010, two young men decided to consume alcohol, then pour gas on a fire outside a home in Fairfield County, SC. "Sarah" had served as a designated driver earlier in the day, and later that evening was sitting away from the fire in a swing. As the two young men tried to pour gasoline into a cup, then onto the fire, they bumped into each other, causing gasoline to spill out of the cup. When that happened, the fire shot back towards them. In a panic, one of the young men threw the cup as far as he could. When he did, flaming gasoline flew out of the cup and struck Sarah. In an instant, a beautiful, innocent young woman became a burn victim.
When the flaming gasoline hit her, Sarah immediately stopped, dropped, and rolled. Another young woman rushed her to Fairfield Memorial Hospital. Sarah was then transferred to multiple burn centers in Augusta, GA. Even after skin grafts, stapling, debridements, surgeries, and prolonged wound care, Sarah's scars remain visible.
$300,000 Settlement Result for Sarah's Burn Injury
Sarah asked the homeowners and fire-starters whether they had any insurance that could help with her medical bills. Everyone told her "no." It was not until the spring of 2013 that she came to our firm as a last ditch effort at justice. Given the extent of her injuries, as well as her high character, we went to work on Sarah's case without hesitation. While we did not know whether we would find any applicable insurance policies to compensate Sarah for her losses, we could not simply turn her away and allow her story to end with injustice.
After approximately 12 months of litigation, we finally obtained some degree of justice for Sarah in the form of a $300,000.00 homeowner's policy. The policy covered the home in which the gasoline thrower was living at the time of the incident, and thus extended to some of the young man's actions outside the home. While no amount of money can undo the harm Sarah sustained, we were able to recover every penny of insurance coverage we could after investigating the matter at length.
If you have questions about a burn injury case or any other type of accident, my personal injury firm is here to help. Call our Columbia, SC office today for a free consultation at 803-790-2800. You can also start a live chat to speak with a team member at any time.
