One second, you’re clocking in, grabbing lunch, or walking through a park. The next, your skin is on fire—scalded by boiling liquid, seared by faulty wiring, or blistered from a chemical spill. That instant becomes a before-and-after moment. And life after a serious burn injury is never the same.
Whether it happened at work, in a public space, or at a private event, the pain isn’t just physical. It’s emotional, financial, and deeply personal.
At Marko Law, we know that burn victims are often blamed, brushed off, or told it was “just an accident.” But we also know the truth: many of these burns could have been prevented. Someone didn’t follow safety protocols. A company ignored faulty wiring. A landlord failed to replace broken equipment. A business served piping hot coffee in a cup that couldn’t hold it.
That’s not an accident. That’s negligence. And in Michigan, you may have the right to fight back.
Burn injury cases are complex. But you don’t have to figure this out alone. When you’re facing pain, trauma, and the overwhelming task of rebuilding, you need more than a lawyer—you need a legal team that fights like hell for justice.
Workers’ Compensation vs. Personal Injury
If you suffered a burn injury at work, your employer or HR rep might quickly mention Michigan Workers’ Compensation. And yes—under the Workers' Disability Compensation Act of 1969, you're entitled to some benefits. But here's the catch: workers’ comp doesn’t cover everything—and it rarely covers enough.
What Workers’ Comp Does Cover
- Medical bills: Emergency care, surgeries, rehab
- Wage loss: A portion of your income while you're out of work
- Vocational rehab: If you can't return to the same job
These benefits kick in regardless of fault. But that’s where the upside ends.
What Workers’ Comp Doesn’t Cover
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Emotional trauma
- Punitive damages
It also caps your wage replacement, usually around 80% of your after-tax average weekly wage. And in severe burn cases that involve permanent disfigurement, multiple surgeries, or PTSD, that’s not enough.
When You Can Sue Outside of Workers’ Comp
Workers’ comp typically bars you from suing your employer directly. But there are important exceptions—especially in burn injury cases. You may have a separate personal injury case if:
- A third-party contractor (not your employer) caused the accident.
- You were burned by a defective product or unsafe machinery.
- A property owner, vendor, or delivery company created the hazard.
- The injury happened offsite, but during the course of your work.
These “third-party liability” claims allow you to pursue full compensation, including:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
- Punitive damages
- Full lost wages and future earnings
At Marko Law, we don’t stop at the workers’ comp claim. We investigate every angle to find out who else might be liable—and how we can get you more.
Public & Private Premises Liability
Where Premises Liability Burn Cases Often Happen
- Restaurants: Scalding coffee, hot trays, malfunctioning kitchen equipment.
- Retail Stores: Exposed heating elements, faulty displays, lack of warning signage.
- Public Parks or City Events: Barbecue pits, fireworks, exposed wiring, chemical treatments.
- Rental Properties: Broken stoves, space heaters, water heater malfunctions, electrical fires.
Whether you’re a customer, visitor, or tenant—you’re owed a basic level of safety. And when that’s breached, it’s not just a property issue—it’s a legal one.
What Michigan Law Requires
Under Michigan premises liability laws:
- Property owners must maintain safe conditions.
- They must warn about known hazards that aren't obvious.
- They are responsible for fixing dangerous issues in a reasonable amount of time.
If they fail to do so—and someone gets hurt—it’s more than bad business. It’s negligence.
This duty applies to:
- Business owners
- Private landlords
- Municipal governments
- Event hosts or organizers
When a City or Landlord is at Fault
Burned in a public housing complex, on city property, or during a municipal event? The government’s legal protections (like immunity) don’t shield them from accountability when they’re negligent. But timeframes are short—often just 120 days to file notice.
Key Signs You May Have a Claim
- No warning signs posted near hot surfaces or liquids.
- Poor maintenance of heating or kitchen equipment.
- Burned by a known issue that wasn’t repaired (and there were complaints).
- Burned in a public space that lacked proper safety oversight.
Product Liability for Defective or Dangerous Products
Common Burn-Causing Product Defects
- Exploding lithium-ion batteries (phones, vapes, e-bikes)
- Faulty space heaters or toasters
- Electric blankets or heating pads with malfunctioning thermostats
- Kitchen appliances with poor heat insulation
- Chemicals or cleaners that cause unexpected burns
- Children’s toys or products with flammable components
When these items overheat, spark, or catch fire, they can cause devastating thermal or chemical burns.
Legal Grounds for a Product Liability Claim
Under product liability law, you may be able to sue based on:
- Design Defect – The product was dangerous from the start due to poor design (e.g., a stove that heats unevenly and causes flare-ups).
- Manufacturing Defect – The product was designed safely, but something went wrong during production (e.g., a missing thermal sensor in one batch).
- Failure to Warn – The product didn’t include adequate warnings about potential burn risks or safe use instructions (e.g., a curling iron without a “hot surface” label).
Each of these grounds may support a lawsuit against:
- Manufacturers
- Distributors
- Retailers
- Third-party component suppliers
The Role of Experts and Recalls
These cases often hinge on expert testimony—engineers, fire investigators, and safety specialists who can prove how and why the product failed. We also dig into:
- Product recalls
- Prior lawsuits or complaints
- Internal company memos or testing logs
If the company knew their product was dangerous and sold it anyway, we’ll fight for punitive damages—to punish them and protect others.
Types of Compensation You May Be Entitled To
Economic Damages: The Visible Costs
These are your direct, measurable losses—the bills piling up in your mailbox and the income you’ve lost while healing:
- Emergency room and hospital care
- Skin graft surgeries, wound care, infection treatment
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Burn specialists and long-term medical monitoring
- Lost wages and job-related benefits
- Out-of-pocket costs for transportation, bandages, medications, and home care
- Future medical care if your burns require ongoing treatment or surgeries
We work with medical and financial experts to calculate every cent of your past and future financial loss. If you can’t return to work or your career is affected, we’ll also pursue:
- Loss of earning capacity
- Vocational retraining or disability accommodations
Non-Economic Damages: The Pain They Can’t Price—But We Can
Some damages don’t show up on a bill—but they change your life forever. In burn injury cases, these are often the most emotionally powerful parts of the claim:
- Physical pain and chronic discomfort
- Emotional trauma, PTSD, depression
- Loss of confidence or self-worth due to scarring or disfigurement
- Fear of heat, fire, or returning to the place of injury
- Loss of enjoyment of life—from intimacy to social life to hobbies
You didn’t just lose comfort. You may have lost a piece of who you are. We make sure juries and insurers feel that.
Punitive Damages: When Negligence Turns Outrageous
If your burn injury was caused by gross negligence, willful misconduct, or a company that ignored known risks, Michigan law may allow for punitive damages.
These are not meant to “compensate”—they’re meant to punish the wrongdoer and send a message that cutting corners or endangering people has consequences.
Examples:
- A product manufacturer that failed to act on internal reports of exploding batteries.
- A landlord who ignored repeated tenant complaints about a broken stove.
- An employer who bypassed basic fire safety protocols to save money.
When we see this behavior, we go all in.
Burned, But Not Broken
You didn’t ask for this injury. You didn’t cause the faulty equipment, the neglected property, the unsafe worksite, or the defective product. But now you’re the one suffering—with pain, scars, fear, and a future full of uncertainty.
Here’s the truth: you still have power. And what you do next can shape your recovery, your finances, and your justice.
Burn injuries leave a mark—but they don’t define you. What defines you is your decision to speak up, to seek accountability, and to demand a life beyond pain. At Marko Law, we’re here to make sure your story is heard, your injuries are respected, and your rights are protected.
We don’t settle for sympathy. We fight for results.
Contact Marko Law for a Free Case Evaluation
📱 Phone: 1-833-MARKO-LAW or 1-313-777-7LAW
📍 Main Office: 220 W. Congress, 4th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226
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