Burn Injury Attorney Austin
Reclaim Your Life with Relentless Legal Advocacy
Recovering from a severe burn is one of the most painful experiences a person can endure. Beyond the immediate physical trauma, you face a gauntlet of surgeries, skin grafts, and the psychological weight of permanent scarring. When these injuries are caused by someone else's negligence, you need more than just sympathy—you need a fighter.
At Smith & Vinson Law Firm, we provide aggressive, compassionate legal representation for burn victims in Austin. We understand that burn injuries often require years of medical treatment. Our team stands between you and the insurance companies, ensuring that your settlement covers not just today's hospital bills, but the lifetime cost of your recovery. We handle the legal battles so you can focus entirely on healing.
Call (512) 359-3743 to speak with an attorney who fights for you.
Understanding the True Cost of a Burn Injury
Severe burns impact every aspect of your life—financial, physical, and emotional. As dedicated Austin burn injury lawyers, we look beyond the initial emergency room visit. We meticulously document every loss to maximize your compensation.
We aggressively pursue damages for:
- Medical Expenses: Burn units, surgeries, skin grafts, and infection management.
- Rehabilitation: Physical therapy to restore mobility and occupational therapy to relearn daily tasks.
- Lost Wages: Reimbursement for time off work and compensation for loss of future earning capacity.
- Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the intense physical pain and the emotional trauma of the event.
- Disfigurement and Scarring: Damages for the permanent physical changes that affect your quality of life and self-esteem.
If you've been hurt due to someone else's negligence—whether in a car accident, slip and fall, or workplace incident—you may have a right to compensation.
Local Insight for Austin & Travis County Cases
Burn injury cases in Austin face unique requirements due to state filing deadlines and Travis County court procedures. Our established presence in Austin gives us the insight needed to tailor our approach to local judges and juries.
Whether your injury occurred at a construction site in North Austin, a restaurant downtown, or a residential complex, we understand the local ordinances and safety codes that may have been violated. We use this local knowledge to build a foundation of negligence against the responsible party.
FAQs
What are the most common causes of burn injuries in Austin?
Burn injuries often result from house fires, workplace accidents, car crashes, electrical faults, defective products, or building hazards. In Austin, building code issues and construction zone accidents are frequent contributors.
How long do I have to take legal action after a burn injury in Texas?
Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury lawsuits, including burn injury claims. You must file your claim within this period or risk losing your ability to recover damages.
What compensation can I seek after a serious burn injury?
Pursuing compensation often means covering medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, long-term care, property damage, and support for psychological trauma. The specifics depend on your case details and losses.
How does fault affect burn injury claims in Texas?
Texas uses a modified comparative fault system. If you are partially responsible for the incident, your compensation may reduce. If your share of fault exceeds 50%, you may not recover compensation.
Do burn injury claims always go to court in Austin?
Many burn injury claims resolve before trial through negotiated settlements. However, if parties cannot agree, your attorney may represent you in court to protect your interests and pursue fair results.
What if I can't afford a lawyer?
You don't need money to hire us. We cover all upfront costs of the investigation and litigation. We only get paid a percentage of the settlement or verdict we win for you.
Why Trust Smith & Vinson Law Firm with Your Burn Case?
Burn injury cases are medically complex and legally demanding. Insurance adjusters often try to downplay the long-term impact of scarring or nerve damage to save money. We don’t let that happen. Smith & Vinson Law Firm brings the resources of a large firm and the focused attention of a boutique practice to every case.
- Trial-Ready Preparation: We prepare every case as if it will go to verdict. We signal to the opposition that we are ready to fight in a Travis County courtroom if they fail to offer a fair settlement.
- Medical & Technical Expertise: We work with medical experts to fully value your claim, understanding the difference between second and third-degree burns, the costs of skin grafting, and the necessity of long-term physical therapy.
- Detailed Investigation: Whether the burn resulted from a workplace explosion, a defective product, or a vehicle accident, we preserve critical evidence immediately to prove liability.
- No Win, No Fee: We operate on a contingency fee basis. You pay us nothing unless we successfully recover compensation for you.
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Case Dismissed DWI
Our client left 6th Street at 2:00 AM after celebrating an anniversary and fell asleep at the wheel. He was arrested for DWI at 4:30 AM and blew a .138 on the breathalyzer.
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NOT GUILTY DWI
911 caller reported our client passed out in the middle of an intersection. Police arrived on scene, and would later find meth, cocaine, and THC gummies inside the car. There were also two open containers of alcohol in the front console. Client was very groggy and unintelligible but woke up pretty quickly after officers arrived. According to the officers, the client failed the field sobriety test. But, of course, they always say this.
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Not Guilty 2nd DWI
911 caller reported a major rollover, single car accident. EMS and fire arrived on scene. They had to break the window to get our client out of the car. He said he had swerved to miss a deer and had been up close to 18 hours before the crash. Police later arrived on scene, spoke to our client and he admitted to coming from a bar and drinking 2 martinis.
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Case Dismissed Felony DWI w/ Child Passenger
After spending Thanksgiving Day with her family, our client drove home with her daughter in the backseat of her car. She was pulled over for speeding and given a warning. At that point, she should have been free to leave. Instead, a backup officer arrived on scene and demanded that the client step out of the car so he could perform an “investigation.”
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Case Dismissed DWI
Our client was stopped by a police officer for driving the wrong way down a one-way street. A Blood Warrant was issued, and the test came back .09. Our client was new to the area and attempting to get a job. Pleading guilty to a DWI was not an option. After negotiating with the prosecutor, our firm was able to get the DWI charge dismissed after successful completion of 18 months deferred prosecution.
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Probation (was looking at 25 to life in prison) Felony DWI
Our client was arrested and charged with DWI. The alleged BAC was 0.083. However, because he had 6 prior DWI’s and had previously been to prison multiple times, the client was facing 25 years to life in prison. The client accepted responsibility for the crime and our attorneys set this case for a sentencing hearing in front of the judge, where we put on a strong mitigation case with multiple witnesses. We were able to avoid prison or jail for the client. He was sentenced to probation.
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Case Dismissed Intoxication Assault
Our client had allegedly been drinking with friends after work. He woke up in the hospital after an accident that severely injured another person. We fought for our client in our negotiations with the prosecutor on his felony Intoxicated Assault charge and worked with the injured party’s insurance company on a plan to compensate her for her injuries. The felony was ultimately dismissed and reduced to a misdemeanor DWI charge.
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Not Guilty 2nd DWI
Our client was pulled over for a traffic violation. Officer smelled alcohol, client admitted to consuming a few drinks. Officer also noted slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. Client performed the SFST’s (roadside tests). Officer said he failed all 3, eye test, walk and turn and one-leg stand. Officer placed client under arrest and asked him for a sample of breath and/or blood. Client refused. Officer did not get a blood warrant.
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Motion to Suppress Granted During Trial DWI .11 Blood Warrant
Second jury trial (first hung 4-2 not guilty). State dismissed mid-trial after we won motion to suppress. Client asleep in driver’s seat of parked truck, engine running. Officers claimed alcohol odor from vehicle but couldn’t specify source.
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Case Dismissed DWI
Our client was charged with a DWI in Waco when he was caught crossing through a ditch to get to a frontage road during traffic. He admitted to having three drinks and performed SFSTs. However, he refused to provide breath or blood to the officers.
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Pre-Trial Diversion DWI Voluntary Blood Draw
Our Client was pulled over and investigated for DWI. He was asked to perform Standard Field Sobriety Tests and subjected to an eye movement test. He also voluntarily provided a blood sample to be tested. The results were twice the legal limit. Our client has a prior felony conviction. The State waited a full 2 years after the incident and right before the deadline of the statute of limitations were to expire to file the charges against our Client.
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Case Dismissed 2nd DWI
Our client was involved in a vehicle accident in La Grange where she was ejected from the vehicle and had to stay in the hospital. There was alcohol in the car, and she had prior DWIs. The ethanol levels in her blood came back at a .13 so she was charged with Driving While Intoxicated. This client was unaware that she was charged after she left the hospital which resulted in the charge of Bail Jumping. However she maintained that she had only an 8% functioning liver due and upon researching her medical hist
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Case Dismissed/Charges Reduced DWI With Child Passenger - Felony
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Case Dismissed; Charges Reduced Felony DWI
Our client was arrested for her fourth DWI with an alleged BAC of 0.168. The State aggressively prosecuted this case and sought prison time. We were able to work with the client on a mitigation strategy that resulted in the State agreeing to drop the felony and offer probation on a misdemeanor, keeping the client out of jail.
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Not Guilty DWI .17 Blood Result
A soldier on base at Fort Hood hit a parked car in the parking lot of his barracks while attempting to back into a parking space. A bystander called 911, believing the driver to be drunk. Military Police investigated the incident and performed field sobriety tests. The soldier was arrested for DWI and his blood was drawn for analysis. The lab results came back, showing an alleged blood alcohol content of 0.178.
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Case Dismissed DWI
Our client was pulled over for failure to signal intent to turn. The arresting officer claimed the vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed (67 MPH in a 30 MPH zone) resulting in a chase. When our client stopped, the officer noted the smell of alcohol on our client’s breath.
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Not Guilty DWI .24 Blood Warrant
Our client, an older male working professional, was stopped for a traffic violation while leaving downtown Round Rock. A major issue arose with the blood analysis conducted by a DPS analyst who had a prior disciplinary history.
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Pre-Trial Diversion DWI Voluntary Blood Draw
Our Client was pulled over and investigated for DWI. He was asked to perform Standard Field Sobriety Tests and subjected to an eye movement test. He also voluntarily provided a blood sample to be tested. The results were twice the legal limit.
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Case Dismissed DWI
Our client, a veteran, fell asleep at the wheel and was involved in an accident. He was arrested for DWI and refused to give a breath or blood sample to the police. He came to us concerned that a DWI conviction would put an end to his military benefits. We received a plea offer for a DWI conviction with 15 months of probation, but we knew we could do better.
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Motion to Suppress Granted; Case Dismissed DWI 2nd .209
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Case Dismissed DWI
Our client was stopped for a headlight that had gone out and was then arrested for and charged with DWI. He consented to a breath test and blew a .11. Upon reviewing the dash cam video, we discovered that the field sobriety tests were performed off camera. We knew that the video would not be usable in trial and used this information to pressure the prosecutor during our negotiations.
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Not Guilty DWI .22 Blood Warrant
This was the 2nd time we tried this case. First one ended in a mistrial last year. 911 caller reported 2 people leaving a restaurant belligerent and stumbling. Officer arrived on scene, conducted field sobriety tests and arrested client for DWI. Client refused to provide a sample. Warrant was obtained and blood came back a .22.
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“Brad really takes the time to get to know your situation. He was sharp, respectful, and didn’t sugarcoat anything.”- Kayla S.
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“I’ve worked with a few law offices over the years, but Smith and Vinson made the biggest impression. From the first time I heard and met with them, they were professional, kind, and genuinely attentive.”- Thomas A.
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“They didn’t waste time, explained everything clearly, and were super prepared. If you need a criminal defense lawyer in Austin, this is a firm you can trust!”- Keira C.
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“From the first call to the last, they stayed in communication with me and let me know every step of the way. The attorneys at this office and the support staff got my case dismissed with no problems. If you find yourself in a situation, I highly recommend calling this firm.!”- Lyndsey O.
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“Very professional and efficient throughout my entire case. They took my situation seriously, explained every step, and made sure I felt supported. You can tell they’ve handled serious cases in Travis County before.”- Destiny E.
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“The entire staff was incredibly helpful, responsive, and made me feel supported every step of the way. I’m truly grateful for their expertise and care, they made a stressful situation so much easier to navigate.”- Cielo J. R.
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“From our very first consultation, Charlie took the time to truly understand my situation, explain my options clearly, and guide me every step of the way. I highly recommend him and his staff.”- Didi C.
Our Process: How We Support You Step-by-Step
Navigating the aftermath of a serious injury can feel overwhelming. We simplify the legal process, providing a clear roadmap from your first consultation to your final check.
- Immediate Case Evaluation: We listen to your story, answer your questions, and identify your most urgent needs.
- Evidence Preservation: We move quickly to secure fire department reports, surveillance footage, and witness statements before evidence disappears.
- Medical Coordination: We ensure you are seeing the right specialists. Austin is home to top-tier medical facilities; we make sure your treatment is documented thoroughly for your claim.
- Strategic Negotiation: We demand full compensation from insurance carriers. We know their tactics and how to counter them.
- Litigation: If a fair agreement cannot be reached, we are fully prepared to represent your interests in court.
Contact a Burn Injury Attorney in Austin Today
You have already survived the trauma of the injury; you should not have to survive the stress of a legal battle alone. Connect with the relentless advocates at Smith & Vinson Law Firm. We take the time to learn your story and fight for the justice you deserve.
Your recovery is our priority.
Call (512) 359-3743 today for your free, confidential consultation.