What should have been a peaceful adventure for former New England Patriots player Donte’ Stallworth quickly turned into a nightmare. Stallworth suffered serious burn injuries while riding in a hot air balloon that struck electrical power lines while in flight. The collision, which sent Stallworth and another passenger to the hospital for treatment, occurred in Southern Florida.

Hot air balloon rides are popular with individuals across the country, but unfortunately, as seen in this case, the rides can result in potentially dangerous accidents. Injuries from burns can result from activities ranging from hot air balloon rides to accidents suffered while performing daily chores and employment-related tasks. Because burn injuries can arise from a variety of circumstances, burn victims should be aware of their rights regarding compensation for recovery.

Burn injuries such as those suffered by Stallworth can cause significant pain and suffering to victims and can lead to high medical expenses. While Stallworth’s injuries are not expected to keep him from playing football, other burn injury victims may not be as fortunate with respect to returning to their jobs. In addition to costly medical treatment expenses, burn victims may be unable to immediately return to work due to their injuries and suffer lost wages. Others may be injured so seriously that they are unable to ever return to work.

Burn injuries can also remain visible long after they have healed and can result in significant scarring. While medical procedures such as skin grafts exist that may help alleviate the pain and disfigurement that burn injuries can inflict, such procedures are costly and may not be financially feasible for victims with limited resources.

Victims of burn injuries may have a right to compensation from the individuals or parties responsible for their injuries. Getting the right information about potential options can be extremely important in the aftermath of these injuries.

Source: USA Today, “Donte’ Stallworth injured in hot air balloon accident,” Mike Garafolo and Tim McGarry, March 16, 2013