Burn injury settlements range from $50,000 to over $10,000,000 depending on burn degree, total body surface area affected, and permanent scarring. First-degree burns (superficial) settle for $5,000 to $25,000, while third-degree burns requiring skin grafts typically settle for $100,000 to $1,000,000+. Fourth-degree burns involving muscle or bone damage can exceed $10 million.
Burn injuries consistently produce some of the highest settlement values in personal injury law because they cause extreme pain, permanent disfigurement, and require years of ongoing medical treatment. Insurance companies and juries both recognize the catastrophic nature of serious burns.
Get your free burn injury estimate →Burn Severity Classification and Settlement Ranges
Burn severity is classified by degree, which measures how deep the burn penetrates through layers of skin and tissue. The degree of your burn is the single most important factor in determining settlement value because it dictates pain levels, scarring potential, treatment complexity, and long-term prognosis.
| Burn Degree | Settlement Range | Key Details |
|---|---|---|
| First-Degree (Superficial) | $5,000 - $25,000 | Affects outer skin layer (epidermis) only; sunburn-like redness and pain, heals in 1-2 weeks without scarring |
| Second-Degree Superficial | $25,000 - $75,000 | Extends into upper dermis; blistering, significant pain, heals in 2-3 weeks with possible minor scarring |
| Second-Degree Deep | $75,000 - $150,000 | Extends into deep dermis; waxy appearance, may require skin grafts, healing takes 3-8 weeks with scarring |
| Third-Degree (Full Thickness) | $100,000 - $1,000,000+ | Destroys entire skin thickness; leathery or charred appearance, always requires skin grafts, permanent scarring |
| Fourth-Degree | $500,000 - $10,000,000+ | Extends into muscle, tendon, or bone; may require amputation, catastrophic permanent disability |
Source: SetCalc analysis of court records, verdict databases, and burn center data, 2025-2026. Ranges reflect national data; your location and specific circumstances can shift values significantly. See settlement statistics by state.
Additional Burn Types and Their Values
Beyond the standard degree classification, certain burn causes carry their own settlement dynamics due to the unique nature of the injuries they produce.
Chemical Burns
Range: $50,000 - $500,000
Caused by acids, alkalis, solvents, or industrial chemicals. Often involve progressive tissue damage that worsens even after exposure stops. Frequently linked to workplace negligence or defective products.
Electrical Burns
Range: $100,000 - $2,000,000+
Electricity travels through the body, causing internal tissue damage that may not be visible externally. Can damage nerves, blood vessels, and organs. Cardiac complications are common.
Scarring / Disfigurement
Added Value: $50,000 - $500,000+
Permanent visible scarring adds substantial value on top of the base burn settlement, especially on the face, hands, and arms. The more visible the scarring, the higher the value.
Skin Grafts Required
Added Value: $100,000 - $300,000+
Each skin graft procedure adds significant value because it involves additional surgery, a secondary wound at the donor site, prolonged recovery, and additional scarring.
Why Burn Cases Settle Higher Than Most Injuries
Total Body Surface Area (TBSA): How Burn Extent Affects Value
Beyond burn degree, the total body surface area (TBSA) affected is the second most critical factor in determining settlement value. Medical professionals use the "Rule of Nines" to estimate TBSA — a system that divides the adult body into regions, each representing approximately 9% (or a multiple of 9%) of the total body surface.
The Rule of Nines
- • Head and neck: 9%
- • Each arm: 9%
- • Chest (front): 9%
- • Abdomen (front): 9%
- • Upper back: 9%
- • Lower back: 9%
- • Each leg (front and back): 18%
- • Groin/perineum: 1%
Why Larger Burns Mean Exponentially Higher Settlements
Settlement value does not scale linearly with TBSA — it increases exponentially. A burn covering 20% TBSA is not merely twice the value of a 10% TBSA burn. Here's why:
- •Systemic complications — Burns exceeding 15-20% TBSA trigger systemic responses including fluid loss, electrolyte imbalance, and increased infection risk. Treatment shifts from wound care to intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
- •Multiple surgeries required — Large burns cannot be grafted in a single procedure. Each surgery carries its own risks, recovery period, and costs. A 30% TBSA third-degree burn may require 5-10+ separate surgical procedures over 1-2 years.
- •Extended hospitalization — Burn unit stays are among the most expensive in medicine, averaging $10,000-$20,000 per day. A major burn patient may spend weeks to months in a burn center.
- •Compounding disfigurement — Larger burns mean more visible scarring across multiple body regions, dramatically increasing the disfigurement component of damages.
Critical Threshold: Burns Over 20% TBSA
The Disfigurement Factor: Why Burn Cases Settle Higher
Disfigurement is the single most powerful value driver unique to burn injury cases. While broken bones heal invisibly and soft tissue injuries leave no external trace, burn scars are permanent, visible reminders of the trauma — and juries respond to them with deep sympathy. Here's how disfigurement impacts settlement value.
Visible Scarring on Face, Hands, and Arms
Burns on areas that cannot be covered by clothing carry the highest disfigurement premiums. Facial burns are valued highest because they affect the victim's identity, self-image, and how they are perceived by others. Hand burns affect function as well as appearance. Arm and leg burns in visible areas also command significant premiums, especially for younger victims and those in public-facing careers.
Psychological Trauma and PTSD
Burn victims experience among the highest rates of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal of any injury type. Studies show that 25-45% of burn survivors develop clinically significant PTSD. The psychological damage compounds the physical injury — burn victims often avoid social situations, struggle with intimacy, and experience profound changes in self-esteem. These psychological damages are compensable and can add $50,000-$200,000+ to a settlement.
Social and Professional Impact
Visible burn scars affect employment opportunities, social relationships, and quality of life in ways that are difficult to quantify but very real. Research documents hiring discrimination against individuals with visible scarring. Burn victims in customer-facing roles, performers, models, or public speakers may experience career-ending consequences that dramatically increase the economic damages component of their claim.
Reconstructive Surgery Costs
Burn scar revision and reconstructive surgery is a multi-year, multi-procedure process. Victims may undergo 5-20+ surgical procedures over several years to improve range of motion, reduce contractures, and improve cosmetic appearance. Each procedure costs $15,000-$50,000+, and the cumulative cost of reconstruction alone can reach $200,000-$500,000 — all of which is recoverable as economic damages.
The "Day in the Life" Video
Types of Burn Accidents and Liability Frameworks
The cause of your burn injury determines not just who is liable, but also which legal theories apply and what damages are available. Different accident types have different liability frameworks — and some offer access to punitive damages that can multiply your settlement value.
Car Fires and Vehicle Accidents
Vehicle fires can result from collisions that rupture fuel tanks, defective fuel system design, or electrical malfunctions. Liability may fall on the at-fault driver, the vehicle manufacturer (product liability), or both. Cases involving defective fuel tank placement — such as the historic GM side-saddle tank cases — have produced some of the largest burn injury verdicts in history.
Typical liability: negligence (driver), strict product liability (manufacturer)
Chemical Exposure
Chemical burns occur in workplaces (factories, laboratories, cleaning services), from consumer product defects, or environmental contamination. Employers have a duty to provide proper protective equipment and safety training. Chemical manufacturers must provide adequate warnings and safe containers. Failure in either area creates strong liability claims.
Typical liability: employer negligence, workers' comp + third-party claims, product liability
Workplace Burns
Industrial settings including kitchens, factories, construction sites, and oil fields are common sources of burn injuries. Workers' compensation covers medical costs and partial lost wages regardless of fault, but it caps pain and suffering damages. However, if a third party (equipment manufacturer, subcontractor, property owner) contributed to the injury, you can pursue a separate personal injury claim for full damages including pain and suffering.
Typical liability: workers' comp + potential third-party negligence or product liability
Defective Products
Faulty appliances, electronics, heaters, pressure cookers, e-cigarettes, and other consumer products cause thousands of burn injuries annually. Product liability claims use strict liability — you don't need to prove the manufacturer was negligent, only that the product was defective and caused your injury. These cases often involve punitive damages if the manufacturer knew about the defect and failed to recall the product.
Typical liability: strict product liability, potential punitive damages
Electrical Burns
Electrical burns carry unique danger because the visible burn at the entry and exit points often understates the internal damage. Electricity travels through the body along nerves and blood vessels, causing deep tissue destruction, cardiac arrhythmias, and neurological damage that may not manifest for days or weeks. Liability often falls on property owners, utility companies, or contractors who failed to de-energize power lines or maintain safe electrical systems.
Typical liability: premises liability, contractor negligence, utility company negligence
Punitive Damages in Burn Cases
Long-Term Costs That Drive Burn Settlement Value
Burn injuries are among the most expensive injuries to treat long-term. Unlike a broken bone that heals in weeks, serious burns require years of ongoing medical care, multiple surgeries, and daily wound management. These future costs are a major component of settlement value and must be properly documented and projected.
Ongoing Medical Costs
| Treatment Type | Estimated Cost | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Skin graft surgery (per procedure) | $20,000 - $50,000+ | Multiple procedures over 1-3 years |
| Scar revision surgery | $15,000 - $40,000+ | Ongoing, may continue for 5-10+ years |
| Compression garments | $3,000 - $8,000/year | 1-3 years minimum, replaced every 2-3 months |
| Physical/occupational therapy | $5,000 - $15,000/year | 6 months to 2+ years depending on severity |
| Psychological counseling/therapy | $5,000 - $20,000/year | Often long-term; PTSD treatment may be ongoing |
| Pain management (medications, procedures) | $3,000 - $12,000/year | May be lifelong for severe burns |
For a serious burn case, the cumulative future medical costs can easily reach $500,000 to $2,000,000+ when projected over the victim's expected lifespan. A life care planner — a medical professional who specializes in projecting long-term treatment needs — is essential for documenting these future costs in your settlement demand.
Don't Settle Before Understanding Future Costs
Proving Damages in Burn Injury Cases
Burn cases have one advantage over many other personal injury claims: the injuries are visible and undeniable. However, maximizing your settlement still requires comprehensive documentation that captures both the immediate trauma and the long-term consequences.
Burn Unit and Hospital Records
Your burn center admission records are the foundation of your case. They document the burn degree classification, TBSA percentage, initial treatment protocols, surgical procedures, infection complications, and length of stay. Request complete records including nursing notes — these often contain the most detailed descriptions of pain levels and daily wound care procedures.
Key point: Burn center records carry more weight than regular hospital records because burn centers are specialized facilities with expertise in burn classification and treatment.
Photograph Everything Throughout Healing
Take dated photographs of your burns at every stage: initial injury, during wound care, after each surgery, during healing, and at the final scarring stage. Include close-up detail shots and wider shots showing the burn in context of the body. Photograph the donor site from skin grafts as well — this is a separate injury that adds to your damages.
Key point: A visual timeline of your burn healing is one of the most compelling pieces of evidence in a burn case. Insurance adjusters and juries respond powerfully to photographic evidence of burn progression.
Plastic Surgeon Testimony
Retain a plastic or reconstructive surgeon to provide expert testimony on the permanence of your scarring, the number and cost of future revision surgeries needed, and the cosmetic and functional impact of the burn damage. A board-certified plastic surgeon's assessment that your scarring is permanent and will require years of reconstructive procedures carries enormous weight in settlement negotiations.
Psychological Evaluation
Obtain a formal psychological evaluation documenting PTSD, depression, anxiety, body image disorders, and social withdrawal related to your burn injuries. A clinical psychologist or psychiatrist's diagnosis — supported by standardized testing like the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5) and the Burns Specific Health Scale — provides objective evidence of psychological damages that significantly increases claim value.
Vocational Impact Assessment
If your burns affect your ability to work — whether through physical limitations, visible scarring that impacts your profession, or psychological barriers — a vocational rehabilitation expert can quantify the economic impact. This expert calculates your reduced earning capacity, the cost of job retraining, and any career limitations caused by the burn injury, translating the impact into concrete dollar figures.
The Power of Medical Photography in Burn Cases
Realistic Burn Injury Settlement Examples
Here's what real burn injury settlements look like when you account for burn degree, TBSA, scarring, treatment costs, and case-specific factors. These examples are based on SetCalc's analysis of actual settlement and verdict data.
Example 1: Second-Degree Burns from Car Accident in Texas
Case Details:
- Rear-end collision caused engine fire in Dallas, TX
- Second-degree burns to both forearms and hands (8% TBSA)
- Emergency debridement, wound care for 6 weeks
- No skin grafts required; moderate scarring
- Medical bills: $45,000
- Lost wages: $12,000
Settlement Breakdown:
- Economic damages: $57,000
- Pain & suffering + disfigurement: $28,000
Settlement:
$85,000
TX modified comparative fault, clear liability, visible forearm scarring added disfigurement value
Example 2: Third-Degree Burns from Workplace Chemical Exposure in Ohio
Case Details:
- Chemical splash at manufacturing plant in Columbus, OH
- Third-degree burns to chest and right arm (12% TBSA)
- 3 weeks in burn unit, 2 skin graft procedures
- Employer failed to provide required PPE
- Medical bills: $185,000
- Lost wages (8 months): $42,000
- PTSD diagnosis, ongoing counseling
Settlement Breakdown:
- Economic damages: $227,000
- Pain & suffering + disfigurement: $178,000
- Future medical (scar revision, therapy): $70,000
Settlement:
$475,000
Third-party claim against chemical supplier (beyond workers' comp), employer PPE violation strengthened liability
Example 3: Severe Burns from Defective Product in California
Case Details:
- Defective space heater ignited bedroom in Los Angeles, CA
- Third and fourth-degree burns to face, neck, and torso (25% TBSA)
- 6 weeks in burn center ICU, 8 skin graft procedures
- Permanent facial disfigurement, limited arm mobility
- Medical bills: $620,000
- Lost earning capacity: $380,000 (projected)
- Severe PTSD, depression, social withdrawal
Settlement Breakdown:
- Economic damages: $1,000,000
- Pain & suffering + disfigurement: $750,000
- Future medical/reconstructive: $350,000
Settlement:
$2,100,000
CA strict product liability, manufacturer knew of defect (punitive damages leverage), LA County venue, catastrophic permanent disfigurement
Calculate Your Burn Injury Settlement Value
Calculate Your Burn Injury Settlement Value
Every burn injury case is different. The ranges and examples above give you a starting point, but your specific settlement value depends on the unique combination of your burn degree, body area affected, TBSA percentage, scarring severity, treatment costs, and case circumstances.
SetCalc's AI-powered burn injury settlement calculator analyzes your specific details against real settlement data from your state to generate a personalized estimate. Unlike generic calculators, we factor in:
Burn-Specific Analysis
- • Burn degree and depth classification
- • Total body surface area affected
- • Burn location (face, hands, visible areas)
- • Skin grafts and surgical history
Location-Specific Data
- • Your state's comparative fault rules
- • Local jury verdict tendencies for burn cases
- • Regional medical cost variations
- • State-specific damage caps and laws
What Is Your Burn Injury Really Worth?
Stop guessing with generic formulas. Get a location-specific, injury-specific estimate based on real settlement data for your type of burn injury — reviewed by a licensed personal injury attorney.
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