Burn injuries from car accidents are among the most physically devastating and financially catastrophic injuries a person can sustain. When a crash ignites a fuel fire, deploys a defective airbag causing chemical burns, or causes an electric vehicle’s lithium-ion battery to enter thermal runaway, the victim faces months of excruciating treatment, years of reconstructive surgeries, and permanent disfigurement. Nevada imposes no cap on non-economic damages for burn injuries, and the full scope of a serious burn case often reaches into the millions. Marathon Law Group handles serious burn injury cases in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada.
How Car Accidents Cause Burn Injuries
Vehicle accidents cause burns through several mechanisms: post-crash fuel fires from a ruptured fuel line or tank igniting from engine heat or collision sparks; airbag propellant chemical burns when sodium azide contacts skin or eyes at deployment; friction burns from road rash when a motorcycle rider or ejected occupant contacts pavement at speed; electric vehicle battery thermal runaway — EV batteries involved in serious crashes can ignite at temperatures exceeding 1,000°F, are extremely difficult to extinguish, and can re-ignite hours after apparent extinguishment; and hazardous material tanker fires when commercial vehicles carrying flammable cargo are involved in collisions.
Burn Severity and Treatment at UMC Las Vegas
Burn injuries are classified by depth: first-degree burns affect only the epidermis and typically heal without scarring; second-degree partial-thickness burns penetrate the dermis and often require skin grafting for deeper injuries; third-degree full-thickness burns destroy all skin layers and require autograft skin grafting and long-term reconstructive care; fourth-degree burns extend into fat, muscle, or bone and may require amputation. In Las Vegas, University Medical Center (UMC) operates the regional burn unit — the referral center for serious Nevada burn injuries. Serious burn cases require 30-90+ days of inpatient burn ICU care at $2,000-$5,000 per day, multiple grafting surgeries at $15,000-$50,000 each, pressure garments worn 23 hours per day for 12-24 months, scar revision procedures continuing for 5-10 years, and long-term physical and psychological therapy. A life care planner retained by Marathon Law Group documents and projects all future costs over the victim’s life expectancy.
Product Liability for Defective Fuel Systems and EV Batteries
When a vehicle fire results from a defective design — a fuel tank positioned to rupture in rear-end impacts, a fuel line lacking adequate crash protection, or an EV battery pack without adequate thermal management — the vehicle manufacturer bears strict product liability under Nevada’s adoption of Restatement (Second) § 402A. Pursuing both the at-fault driver (for the underlying crash) and the manufacturer (for the fire itself) maximizes the recovery available to a seriously burned victim. Nevada’s non-economic damages — for permanent disfigurement, chronic pain from scar contractures, loss of enjoyment of life, emotional distress, and loss of consortium — are uncapped and can be substantial for serious facial, hand, and body burns. Contact Marathon Law Group for a free Las Vegas burn injury consultation.