Burned because of somebody else’s negligence? Maryland has only two designated burn centers of its own, and where you were treated shapes both your recovery and the record your claim will rest on.
Burn cases turn on the treatment record, the burn-size assessment and the years of reconstruction that follow. There is no cost to talk to us, and you pay nothing unless we win.
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At Pinder Plotkin, the initial consultation is free, whether by phone or in person. You have the right to an attorney, and we work on a contingency basis — you do not pay attorney fees up front while dealing with medical bills and lost wages, and our fee comes only after you win.
Pediatric burn cases recorded in Maryland rose 13% in two years — 624 in 2021–22, 657 in 2022–23, and 707 in 2023–24. Adult admissions at the state’s only ABA-verified adult burn center ran between 661 and 715 across the same period. Source: MIEMSS Annual Report, 2023–2024 edition
Maryland has a small, formally designated burn system. Knowing which center treated you, and what the state registry recorded, matters to a claim more than most people expect.
The Johns Hopkins Burn Center at Bayview is the only adult burn center in Maryland verified by the American Burn Association, and the MIEMSS-designated specialty referral center for burn patients aged 15 and above. It opened in 1968.
The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center pediatric burn program is the only one of its kind in Maryland.
Two further centers serve Maryland patients from outside the state under memorandum of understanding — Children’s National Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Neither is a Maryland-designated center.MIEMSS; Johns Hopkins Medicine
Adult burn admissions at Bayview ran 661 to 715 across the three most recently reported years.
Pediatric burn totals have risen 13% in two years — 624 in 2021–22, 657 in 2022–23, and 707 in 2023–24. The Johns Hopkins pediatric burn program alone went 320, then 380, then 418.MIEMSS Annual Report, 2023–2024 edition
Work-related burn hospitalizations are separately tracked: 12 in 2020, a rate of 0.4 per 100,000 — the most recent year published.Maryland Occupational Health Indicator 6
Maryland EMS protocols replaced the Rule of Nines with the Palmar Method — the patient’s own palm as the unit of measure — effective 1 July 2024.MIEMSS Maryland Medical Protocols, 2024 edition
That matters in a claim because burn size drives triage, transfer and the whole treatment record. If the field estimate and the burn center’s assessment disagree, that gap is worth understanding early rather than at deposition.
| County of injury | Burn registry cases |
|---|---|
| Baltimore City | 209 |
| Baltimore County | 150 |
| Anne Arundel County | 58 |
| Harford County | 24 |
| Howard County | 21 |
| Washington County | 15 |
| Cecil County | 12 |
| Frederick County | 12 |
Source: MIEMSS Annual Report, 2023–2024 edition, burn registry tables. Counties with fewer than 12 recorded cases are not listed separately; 116 records carried no county value.
Survival is high, and that cuts both ways. Across burn center admissions nationally in 2024, survival was 97.6%, the median patient was 40 years old, 66% were male and 61% of incidents happened at a private residence.American Burn Association, 2025 Burn Injury Summary Report — 32,993 cases across 114 centers in 38 states and DC
A 97.6% survival rate does not mean burns are rarely serious. In the national inpatient data the extensive-burn subgroup — those needing surgery and prolonged ventilation — still carries 17.8% mortality, and burns requiring surgery without prolonged ventilation carry 2.6%. Surviving a severe burn usually means years of reconstruction, scar revision and therapy, and that is the part an early insurance offer is designed not to pay for.
Burn injuries aren't one thing. What caused the burn decides who is liable and which insurance applies. We handle:
Landlords who ignore smoke detectors, faulty wiring, or blocked exits.
Often a workers' compensation claim plus a third-party claim against an equipment maker or contractor.
Restaurants, daycares, and defective appliances.
Acids, solvents, and industrial chemicals.
Exposed wiring, utility, and job-site electrocution.
Fuel-fed fires and defective fuel systems.
Gas leaks and industrial accidents.
A/C units, batteries, and other products that overheat or ignite.
Serious burns in Maryland are usually treated at the Johns Hopkins Burn Center at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center — the region's adult burn center. Children are treated through the Pediatric Burn Center at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, and longer-term burn rehabilitation is available at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Maryland. Keeping your records from these centers is important evidence in a burn claim.
The main reason behind hiring legal counsel is that you want to ensure that you will be able to receive the compensation that is rightfully yours. It is highly likely that the insurance company representing the negligent party will contact you shortly after the accident. Whatever you do, it is important that you do not speak with the insurance company or discuss settlements or compensation with the representative alone.
Many of these insurance representatives will even go as far as to pretend that they are on your side. Instead, the representative is only looking for a reason to later question your injuries and even blame you for the accident. Other insurance representatives will try to take advantage of your financial situation by offering low-ball settlements they are hoping you will accept so the claim can vanish.
We at Pinder Plotkin will begin an investigation of the accident immediately after we receive your case, and use the evidence obtained to prove your claim and identify all persons and entities liable for your injuries.
The most common type of burn is the thermal burn — resulting when the skin comes into contact with fire, steam, hot objects, or hot liquid. Electrical contact and chemical exposure can also cause burns, along with radiation burns (UV, ionizing, or thermal radiation exposure) and friction burns. Burns are categorized into different degrees:
Sunburns fall under this category. A first-degree burn causes the top layer of the skin (epidermis) to become painful and can turn red in color after exposure to UV rays, hot water, etc. This type of burn typically heals in a few days.
These burns affect the first two layers of skin (epidermis and dermis). Blistering usually occurs, and in some cases it can lead to scarring and grafts. These burns typically heal within a few months.
These burns are extensive because they can affect nerves, sweat glands, and deep tissues. These burns are treated by skin grafting, and some victims may also need surgery to repair the damage.
Victims rarely survive these types of burns, and they do not occur as often as the first three degrees. Fourth-degree burns go beyond the first three degrees and affect a person's body fat. Fifth-degree burns go into the muscles of the body and sixth-degree burns affect the entire body, including the bones.
There are several reasons why burn injuries occur, and these are the types of injuries that commonly end up in settlements out of court or personal injury lawsuits:
There is one aspect of burn injuries that is frequently forgotten about, and that is the breathing in of dangerous fumes that enter into the air during a fire. Burn victims often ingest dangerous substances when they are exposed to fire, substances, and other flammable materials. Carbon monoxide poisoning is also common with burn victims — it is not easily detectable, and by the time medical professionals realize a patient has it, there is often not much that can be done.
In some cases, burn wounds leave a victim permanently disfigured and/or scarred. Even with plastic surgery, some victims are not able to totally get rid of the physical signs of the accident and the pain that they have suffered. Other types of damages burn victims can receive compensation for in Maryland, Maryland, include:
In some burn injury cases, family members may also be able to receive damages for the loss of consortium — meaning the family member has lost their loved one's companionship, love, or support due to the accident and injury.
Maryland recorded 73 fire-related deaths in 67 fires in 2024, a 13.1% decrease from the 84 deaths reported in 2023. Residential fires caused 79% of those deaths, and smoking, transportation, and electrical malfunctions were among the leading causes.
Maryland recorded 73 fire-related deaths in 67 fires in 2024. Nationally, U.S. hospitals record about 29,165 burn admissions a year, and burn centers report a 97.6% survival rate (2020–2024).
Pinder Plotkin Legal Team holds a 4.9-star average across 900+ verified client reviews. Here’s what injured Marylanders say about working with us.
I have worked with Pinder Plotkin on a car accident and they were nothing but professional. The whole team were very caring and kept me informed through the whole process. I could not think of a better firm to represent me.More
Received support from Day 1. No question went unanswered and they worked to make sure I was comfortable and understood everything. Very patient in ensuring my needs are met. I am grateful.More
I been a client since 2017 and I had a good experience with them as far as getting results and being treated like family, I had a major injury and the whole team was very supportive and stayed on top of my case, I was able to maintain my bills due to being out of work for a year and had a favorable outcome with my settlement which helped me start my business ventures, so thanks again to the team and if need be I’ll have them represent me in the future.More
Jason, Charlotte, and Tony were absolutely amazing! I was in a car accident 4 years ago, they made sure I was taken care of and even though we had a lot of set backs due to Covid, they never made me feel like my case (or me) were not important. Tony knew my medical history better than I did, Charlotte was always an absolute delight to talk to and was so kind, and Jason was just great! I'm really sad that I won't be talking to them anymore, they became like family! I know that is something a lot of people say, but it is 100% true with this team.More
Great team took my cases when most wouldn’t did all the work fluently and worry free would not be any happier 😊. Highly recommend them for your legal servicesMore
I cannot thank the team at Pinder Plotkin enough for their compassion, patience, and relentless dedication throughout my car accident case. They went above and beyond — jumping through hoops, explaining every step with care, and standing by me when I felt overwhelmed or lost. The communication was incredible, and I always knew I was in good hands. I truly appreciate everything they did to help me get through such a stressful time. Highly recommend to anyone looking for people who genuinely care about their clients.More
Mr Jason, Mr Balsamo, Nancy and the team worked on my case meticulously until I got justice. Thanks Nancy for your assurance and patience. If you need a team of injury lawyers, Pinder Plotkin team should be your first call.More
To be honest, I wasn’t sure how this process would go since I usually let the auto insurance company handle accident. However, I would not hesitate to call upon the Pinder Plotkin legal team FIRST. They took on my case and exceeded expectations and removed any doubts I had. The folks at Pinder Plotkin fought through a long drawn out case, keeping my best interests in mind. A settlement was reached, more than what I would say, your insurance company would give. I’m extremely happy with the Pinder Plotkin team for their hard work, dedication to me as a client and as a veteran. I was treated with compassion, empathy and they communicated every step of the process. I high recommend the Pinder Plotkin legal team for your legal services. Thank you Pinder Plotkin, truely, thank you.More
Get medical care right away — burns can worsen or become infected if they're not treated promptly. Once you're stable, document the scene and your injuries if you can, keep records of your treatment, and avoid giving a statement to an insurance adjuster before speaking with an attorney. Contact us for a free case review.
Burns are classified by degree: first-degree (superficial), second-degree (partial-thickness), third-degree (full-thickness), and fourth-degree (extending into muscle, tendon, or bone). Any of these can support a claim if someone else's negligence caused the burn — the degree affects the severity of your injury and damages, not whether you have a case.
You may be able to recover your medical expenses, lost wages, and future rehabilitation costs, along with compensation for pain, suffering, and scarring or disfigurement. What you can actually recover depends on the facts of your case — a free case review is the best way to find out.
Maryland's statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, including burn injuries, is three years from the date of the injury (Md. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc. § 5-101). Waiting can cost you evidence and options, so it's best to talk to a lawyer as soon as you can.
Yes. Maryland is one of the few states that still follows pure contributory negligence — if you're found even partly at fault, you can be barred from recovering anything. That makes it especially important to have an experienced attorney build your case carefully from the start.
Maryland has two designated centers, both Johns Hopkins. The Burn Center at Bayview is the only adult burn center in Maryland verified by the American Burn Association and the MIEMSS-designated specialty referral center for patients aged 15 and above. The Johns Hopkins Children’s Center pediatric burn program is the only one of its kind in the state. Two further centers treat Maryland patients under memorandum of understanding from outside the state — Children’s National Hospital and MedStar Washington Hospital Center — but neither is Maryland-designated.
Maryland EMS protocols replaced the Rule of Nines with the Palmar Method — using the patient’s own palm as the unit of measure — effective 1 July 2024. Burn size drives triage, whether you are transferred to a burn center, and the shape of the whole treatment record. Where the field estimate and the burn center’s assessment disagree, that gap is worth understanding early rather than being surprised by it at a deposition.
No, and it is a common misreading. Survival across burn center admissions nationally was 97.6% in 2024, but the extensive-burn subgroup — patients needing surgery and prolonged ventilation — still carries 17.8% mortality in national inpatient data. Surviving a severe burn usually means years of reconstruction, scar revision and therapy. That long tail of future treatment is precisely what an early insurance offer is built to avoid paying for, which is why the offer often arrives before the treatment plan is finished.
Maryland is one of a small number of states that still follows contributory negligence. In most states, being found partly at fault reduces what you recover. In Maryland it can bar your claim entirely, even if the other side was far more to blame. Maryland’s highest court reaffirmed the rule in Coleman v. Soccer Association of Columbia, 432 Md. 679 (2013), over a strong dissent, and said any change to it is for the General Assembly rather than the courts. That is why an insurance adjuster’s first move is so often to suggest you did something wrong. Being blamed is not the same as being at fault, whether the rule actually bars a claim depends on the specific facts, and it is the reason to be careful about what you say and to get advice early.
Three Maryland offices — Baltimore (Nottingham), Laurel and Bel Air — and we travel statewide to meet clients who cannot travel to us. Call (888) 844-5373 to schedule a visit.
We handle burn injury cases throughout Maryland.
We take cases anywhere in Maryland — all 23 counties and Baltimore City. Each name links to that jurisdiction's official local government website.
Source: MDOT Zero Deaths Maryland jurisdiction crash data summaries, 2023. Statewide totals: 577 fatal crashes and 621 traffic deaths.
Jason Plotkin was born and raised here, and he has lived in six Maryland jurisdictions — Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Howard County, Allegany County and Worcester County. Mountains to shore. That is not a marketing line; it is where he has actually lived.
Marc Hassan, Tony Balasamo and Joshua Fannon were born and raised in Maryland too, and Christian Miele served in the Maryland House of Delegates. When you work with our firm, you are working with people who know this state — its roads, its courts and its neighbors.
If you or someone you loved has sustained burn injuries due to an accident that was not your fault, you may be able to get financial compensation. Our consultations are completely free and we do not charge you any fees unless we are able to get a judgment or settlement for you. Call (888) 844-5373.
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