Orange County Burn Injury Attorney

Skilled Burn Injury Attorneys Serving Orange County, California

Serious burn injuries change every part of a victim’s life. Aitken Aitken Cohn has represented Southern California injury victims for more than 50 years, and our trial team holds an AV Preeminent rating for legal ability and ethical standards. Our Orange County burn injury attorneys pursue negligent conduct by property owners, employers, manufacturers, and drivers whose failures caused a catastrophic loss.
orange county burn injury attorney

Burn victims face emergency treatment, skin grafts, infection risk, permanent scarring, and nerve damage. At Aitken Aitken Cohn, our Santa Ana office represents burn victims injured by unsafe property conditions, workplace incidents, vehicle fires, defective products, and preventable explosions throughout Orange County, the Inland Empire, and Southern California.

In Santa Ana, the Orange County Health Care Agency tracks regional burn treatment resources, and severe cases often require extensive ongoing care. Our attorneys coordinate quickly with treating physicians so that every claim reflects the full cost of recovery.

Burn Severity and Long-Term Consequences

Burns are classified by depth, from first-degree injuries to full-thickness fourth-degree burns. First-degree burns damage only the outer skin layer. Second-degree burns penetrate the dermis and often blister. Third-degree burns destroy nerve endings and cause lasting disfigurement. Fourth-degree burns reach muscle, tendon, and bone.

The legal value of a burn claim depends on more than the degree of injury. Surgeries, infection risk, scarring, disability, lost income, and psychological harm all factor into a claim for recover compensation. Many victims require multiple reconstructive surgeries over several years.

Who May Be Liable for a Burn Injury in Orange County?

Liability for a burn injury may rest with several different parties, depending on how the incident occurred:

  • A negligent driver after a fire-related vehicle collision
  • A property owner who ignored fire or electrical hazards
  • A landlord who failed to maintain safe premises
  • An employer or contractor who violated statutory compliance requirements
  • A manufacturer that sold defective batteries, appliances, or industrial equipment
  • A utility or maintenance provider
  • A restaurant, hotel, or business that created an unsafe condition

Burn cases require fast evidence preservation. Our attorneys inspect products, obtain fire reports, and review maintenance records without delay. We determine whether the incident involved negligent conduct, code violations, or a defective product before the defense can shape the narrative.

Compensation in an Orange County Burn Injury Case

A burn injury claim may include compensation for emergency treatment, hospitalization, surgery, skin grafting, rehabilitation, and future medical needs. Victims may also recover lost income, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and permanent disfigurement. The most serious cases require damages reflecting years of reconstructive treatment.


$8,950,000 Settlement

$8,950,000 Settlement: Polaris RZR Fuel System Fire Causes Catastrophic Burn Injuries to Teen Passenger

  • Case Type: Products Liability – Defective Off-Road Vehicle Fuel System / Catastrophic Burn Injuries
  • Date of Incident: November 30, 2013
  • Date of Settlement: April 10, 2017
  • Plaintiff Age: 13 years old
  • Outcome: $8,950,000 Full Settlement

The Incident & Liability Challenges

Our firm secured an $8,950,000 settlement for a 13-year-old passenger who suffered catastrophic burn injuries covering 45% of his body after a brand-new Polaris RZR 1000 caught fire during normal operation. A fuel system malfunction engulfed the passenger area within seconds, causing severe burns to his face, head, back, arms, hands, chest, hips, legs, and buttocks, along with permanent lung scarring from smoke inhalation. He survived only because other members of his traveling group were trained fire responders.

Our Strategic Approach

Our team pursued a strict products liability theory against the manufacturer, establishing that the RZR 1000’s fuel system was defectively designed to allow fuel contact with ignition sources during ordinary use. The case also required minor plaintiff conservatorship proceedings to protect the recovery. Multiple major surgeries and months of rehabilitation formed the foundation of a damages case extending well beyond initial medical costs.

Securing Full Compensation

The $8,950,000 settlement covered past and future medical expenses, including ongoing scar revision surgeries, permanent physical limitations, and the profound non-economic impact of disfigurement and disability that began in childhood.

Last Updated: April 2026

Our Strategy After a Serious Burn Injury

Our Orange County burn injury attorneys move quickly to preserve fire scene evidence, product samples, and eyewitness statements. We retain fire investigators, product engineers, and life care planners so every claim accounts for the full scope of harm. We handle every step required to recover compensation while our clients focus on treatment.

Our attorneys are familiar with litigation practice at the Orange County Superior Court Central Justice Center in Santa Ana, and we coordinate directly with the Orange County Fire Authority when a fire report is central to liability. When the case involves a workplace fire, we also work within California’s statutory compliance framework governing employer responsibility.

Frequently Asked Questions About Burn Injuries in OC

Orange County's economy spans manufacturing, construction, restaurant and hospitality, and chemical industries, all sectors with elevated burn risks. Industrial facilities in Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Fullerton handle chemicals and high-heat equipment that cause thermal and chemical burns. Restaurant workers across OC face daily grease fire and steam hazards. If you suffered a workplace burn, you may have both a workers' compensation claim and a separate lawsuit against a third party.
Yes. Orange County landlords, property managers, and business owners have a legal duty to maintain safe premises under California law. Common scenarios include faulty electrical wiring, gas leaks, defective stoves, and fire code violations. A burn injury attorney can evaluate whether the property owner's negligent conduct created the hazard.
Yes, this is one of the fastest-growing areas of burn injury litigation in Southern California. Orange County's large e-bike population has been accompanied by a rise in lithium-ion battery fires. If a defective battery caused your burns, you may have a strict product liability claim requiring no proof of negligence.
UCI Medical Center in Orange is a designated regional trauma center with burn treatment capabilities. Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach and Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo are major trauma facilities. Children's Hospital of Orange County handles pediatric burn cases. Proper medical documentation of burn severity is foundational to your injury claim.
OC's major freeways, including the 5, 405, 22, 55, and 91, see multi-vehicle accidents that can result in fires and severe burn injuries. Liability may rest with a negligent driver, a trucking company, or a manufacturer whose defective fuel system caused the fire. Post-crash fires frequently produce the most catastrophic burn injuries.
Workers' compensation is generally your exclusive remedy against your direct employer for a work-related burn. However, it pays nothing for pain and suffering. If a third party, such as an equipment manufacturer or subcontractor, contributed to your burn, you can pursue a separate personal injury lawsuit while receiving workers' comp benefits.
Yes. Permanent scarring and disfigurement are compensable damages in California personal injury cases. Orange County juries take burn disfigurement seriously, particularly when injuries affect the face, neck, or hands. California does not cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases, unlike medical malpractice claims.
Third and fourth-degree burns affecting large body surface areas command the highest damages. Disfigurement to the face or hands is treated as especially serious. Multiple surgeries and documented psychological trauma substantially raise the value of a claim. Reckless or intentional conduct can also support punitive damages.
Yes. California's strict product liability law allows you to hold any party in the distribution chain liable for burns caused by a defective product, even without proving negligence. You only need to show the product was defective and caused your injury.
California's statute of limitations for personal injury burn claims is generally two years from the date of injury. If a government entity contributed to your burn, you have only six months to file a government tort claim. For minor victims, the statute of limitations is generally tolled until they turn 18.

Contact an Orange County Burn Injury Attorney

Contact our Santa Ana office for a formal case evaluation. No fee unless recovery. Call 1-866-434-1424 or complete our contact form for a prompt response.