At Pritzker Hageman, our burn injury legal team is dedicated to providing legal guidance to burn survivors and their families throughout their healing journey. One of the ways our law firm supports the burn survivor community is by partnering with the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.
Pritzker Hageman was proud to sponsor this year’s Phoenix World Burn Congress from October 4-7, in National Harbor, Maryland. The Phoenix WBC is the world’s largest gathering of burn survivors, their loved ones, and allied professionals. Pritzker Hageman lawyers Eric Hageman and David Coyle, who lead our burn injury legal team, share their reflections on attending the Phoenix WBC 2023.
How did you first learn about the Phoenix Society?
Eric: I heard about the Phoenix Society from a burn survivor client, who attended the World Burn Congress in 2016 and talked about how powerful and life-changing it was for him.
David: I first heard about the Phoenix Society from our firm’s late founder Fred Pritzker, who connected our firm with the Phoenix Society as a member of the American Burn Association.
What was your experience like at the Phoenix WBC?
Eric: It was incredibly inspiring to be around so many burn survivors and to hear their stories. So many amazing people!
David: It was a really great experience. It was a very well-run conference, and I enjoyed meeting burn survivors and hearing their stories.
What was the most memorable part of the Phoenix WBC for you?
Eric: The Open Mic sessions were very powerful. Hearing personal stories from burn survivors was so moving, especially to hear the resilience and optimism displayed by people who had experienced such tragedy.
David: Just getting to meet so many burn survivors from around the country and world that would come up to our booth and talk with us about what we do, and about their injuries.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering attending the Phoenix WBC in the future?
Eric: Go! You would be hard-pressed to find a more welcoming and supportive community of people than you will find at WBC.
David: Highly recommend it! The WBC was a very well-run conference that was meaningful and fun.
What motivated you to become a burn injury lawyer?
Eric: I became a personal injury lawyer because I wanted to help people who have experienced life-altering events and to be their advocate as they sought accountability. There is nothing quite as life-altering as being a burn survivor and it has been incredibly meaningful to me to help my burn clients pursue justice.
David: I wanted to advocate for individuals who had been harmed. I wanted to get to know them and their story and help them navigate the legal system.
What have you learned from your clients about being an ally to the burn survivor community?
Eric: Listen! You have to really listen to people’s stories in order to be able to advocate for them (which is really just a way of telling our clients’ stories).
David: Listening to the needs of our clients is critical not only to understanding their concerns about the legal process but also to understanding their future care and their needs moving forward.
What do you want burn survivors to know about taking legal action after a burn injury?
Eric: As burn injury lawyers, we will meet you wherever you are on your journey as a burn survivor, even if it is months (or even years) after you were injured. That being said, the sooner a lawyer can get involved in a burn case, the better. There is almost always evidence that gets lost over time and getting early access to a fire scene can be crucial to prevailing in your case.
David: Just feel free to reach out to an attorney. I am always happy to talk with someone to help them understand if they have a case that may be worth pursuing, and what taking legal action entails.
Related Resources
- The Pritzker Hageman Burn Injury Legal Team
- Taking Legal Action in Hopes of a Better Future
- Legal Action After a Burn Injury: Do I Have a Case?
- Finding and Hiring a Burn Injury Attorney
- Girls with Grafts Podcast Episode: Season One Podcast Sponsor Pritzker Hageman Discuss Legal Action After a Burn Injury with Special Guest Host Hailey Boyce of Team Courage Rising
Legal Action after a Burn Injury
The Pritzker Hageman burn injury legal team, in partnership with the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, has put together a handbook covering important topics related to legal action after a burn injury.
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