Product Liability Laws For Burn Injury Victims

Burn injuries caused by defective consumer or industrial products can change a life in seconds. When a home appliance shorts out or a piece of workplace equipment overheats, the resulting flames or scalding liquid often leave victims facing long hospital stays, graft surgeries, and months of lost income.

For more than 20 years, we have held manufacturers, distributors, and retailers accountable under Nebraska’s product liability statutes. Attorneys Jason Ausman and Michelle D. Epstein lead this practice area, building solid claims for people harmed by dangerously designed or poorly assembled goods. If you are searching for an Omaha, NE burn injury lawyer, the information below outlines how product liability law can help you move forward.

How Defective Products Cause Severe Burns

Products can ignite, overheat, or leak corrosive substances when they contain hidden faults. We routinely investigate incidents involving:

• Electrical goods – space heaters, phone chargers, kitchen appliances that spark or short-circuit.
• Automobiles – fuel system leaks, battery fires, and faulty engine components leading to engine compartment blazes.
• Industrial machinery – molding machines or welding tools that lack adequate temperature control or safety guards.
• Household chemicals – cleaning supplies and aerosol cans with unstable propellants or inadequate labeling.

In each scenario, a preventable flaw sits at the root of the accident, whether that flaw traces back to a poor design blueprint, cost-cut manufacturing shortcuts, or the absence of proper warnings.

Legal Theories We Use To Prove Fault

Nebraska recognizes three primary routes to recover damages in a product liability claim:

1. Design defect – The product was unsafe from the outset because the design itself posed an unreasonable risk.
2. Manufacturing defect – The design was sound, but something went wrong on the assembly line that made the single item, or a whole batch, dangerous.
3. Failure to warn – The manufacturer sold the product without clear instructions or hazard warnings that ordinary users needed to stay safe.

Our team works with engineers, fire investigators, and medical professionals to trace the chain of events. We collect charred components, digital schematics, recall data, and maintenance records to show exactly where the process broke down. Because product makers often fight hard to shift blame, early evidence preservation is critical.

Statute Of Limitations And Other Key Deadlines

Nebraska generally gives burn injury victims four years from the date of harm to file a product liability lawsuit. However, shorter limits can apply if the claim involves wrongful death or workers’ compensation overlap. Critical evidence, such as the defective item itself, can also degrade or disappear quickly. Reaching out to counsel right away allows us to send preservation letters, obtain incident reports, and secure witness statements before memories fade.

Damages Available To Burn Injury Victims

A successful product liability action can provide relief for:

• Past and future medical bills, including surgeries, rehabilitation, and scar-revision procedures.
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity.
• Physical pain and emotional distress linked to disfigurement or mobility limitations.
• Home or vehicle modifications when burns lead to long-term disability.
• Punitive damages in rare cases where a company acted with reckless disregard for safety.

Because every case differs, we calculate losses with help from vocational specialists, economists, and life-care planners to reflect the full impact on your career and daily living.

Contingency Fees And Client-Focused Representation

We represent plaintiffs only and accept burn injury product cases on a contingency-fee basis. That means our clients pay no upfront legal fees; we are paid only if we recover compensation through a verdict or negotiated settlement. This model keeps the courtroom door open for families who might otherwise struggle to afford litigation against a large manufacturer.

Talk With Us About Your Options

If a faulty product left you or a loved one with severe burns, let us review the facts and advise you on the best next steps. Ausman Law Firm P.C., L.L.O. offers free consultations, and an Omaha, NE burn injury lawyer from our team will meet with you in person, by phone, or over video. Call us today or fill out our online form so we can start pursuing the justice and financial recovery you deserve.