Our Credentials
Michael Kaplen
Chair
New York State Traumatic
Brain Injury Coordinating Council

Vice President
New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers

3 Term President
Brain Injury Association of
New York State

Past Chair
Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation
Group: American Association
For Justice

Past Chair
Motor Vehicle, Highway, Premises
Liability Section: American Association
For Justice

National Advisory Board
Association of Interstate
Trucking Lawyers of America

Past Co-Chair
Tort Section, New York County
Lawyers Association

Board of Directors
Trial Lawyers for Public Justice

Board of Governors, American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys

Board of Directors
New York Academy of Trial Lawyers

Editorial Board
Neurolaw Letter

Board Certified
Civil Trial Advocate
National Board of Trial Advocacy*

Board Certified
American Board of Professional
Liability Attorneys
Medical Liability*

Sustaining Member:
American Association for Justice
Public Justice Foundation

Member:
N.Y.S. Trial Lawyers Association
Florida Academy of Trial Lawyers
Southern Trial Lawyers
Association-Fellow
North American Brain Injury Association

Honors & Awards:

New York Super Lawyer
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Top 100 New York Trial Lawyers -
American Trial Lawyer Association

Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
Public Achievement Award

Shana DeCaro

Treasurer
Traumatic Brain Injury Litigation Group: American Association for Justice

Board of Advisors
Civil Justice Foundation

Fellow
American Association for Justice

Editor
Law Update
New York Academy of Trial Lawyers

Honors and Awards

Trial Lawyers for Public Justice
Public Achievement Award

Who's Who in American Women

Who's Who in American Law

Top 100 New York Trial Lawyers-American Trial Lawyers Association

Elite Lawyers Of America


Member:

New York Academy of Trial Lawyers

New York State Trial Lawyers Association

Brain Injury Association New York State

North American Brain Injury Association

* The National Board of Trial Advocacy and the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys are not affiliated with any government authority. Certification is not a requirement for the practice of law in the State of New York and does not necessarily indicate greater competence than other attorneys experienced in this field of law.

Burn Classification -- Burn Staging

DEGREE OF BURN:
Burns are classified as first, second or third-degree, depending on how deep and severe they penetrate the skin surface. The treatment for a burn is influenced by its degree.

First Degree Burns: First degree burns affect only the skin surface, also known as the epidermis. The burn site often is red, painful and dry. Sunburn is a good example of a first degree burn.

Second Degree Burns: Second Degree Burns penetrate the skin surface and involve the next lawyer of skin tissue known as the dermis. The burn site is often red, blistered, swollen and painful. These burns are frequently caused by scalding injuries from hot fluids, flames and brief skin contact with a hot object.

Third Degree Burns: Third Degree Burns are deep burns that destroy the outer and inner skin protections. In these burns the epidermis and dermis tissue is destroyed. Often times in a third degree burn in addition to skin damage, bones, tendons and muscles are also injured. The skin appears to be white or charred. In a third degree burn nerve tissue is also damaged causing varying amounts of pain. Like second degree burns, third degree burns are frequently caused by a scalding liquid, skin that comes into contact with a hot object, flames and electrical or chemical contact.

METHOD OF BURN:

Burns are also classified by the agent or substance that caused injury to the skin. The treatment of a burn is also influenced by the substance that caused it.

Thermal Burns: These burns are caused by flames, contact or coming into close proximity with heat from fire, steam, hot liquids or other hot objects.

Chemical Burns: These burns are caused by skin contact with caustic chemical substances.

Electrical Burns: These burns are caused by electric current, lightening, electricity or electrocution.

Radiation Burns: These burns are frequently caused by ultraviolet rays from the sun and nuclear sources.

No Fee Payable Until Conclusion of Case

The New York burn injury lawyers at DeCaro & Kaplen, LLP will represent you for your burn injury on a contingency fee basis. This means that no fee is due to our law firm until the conclusion of the case based upon any recovery that we receive for your burn injury. If no recovery is received, then you owe us nothing. For a free, no obligation legal consultation regarding your burn injury, contact a New York burn injury lawyer at De Caro & Kaplen, LLP. Call us toll free at 1 866 BRAIN LAW. We represent burn victims in New York City and throughout New York State. We can work with you on your burn injury case in Brooklyn, Bronx, Manhattan, Staten Island and Queens as well as the surrounding counties of Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland and Westchester. We also handle burn injury cases in other areas of New York including Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and adjoining areas.