When the fire started, Ed was wedged between the 18-wheeler that hit his truck and the concrete median barrier. Unable to open a window or door, he was in danger of cooking alive. By the time a bystander broke out the windshield and pulled Ed to safety, he had second and third degree burns over a third of his body. He spent the next month in the hospital in severe pain, but refusing pain medication due to his fear of drug addiction. Afterward, he had extensive scars and sensitivity to the sun.

Because of Ed's poor education and lack of sophistication, his case was settled with an annuity to be paid to him every month for life. While Ed returned to work for a few years until he qualified for retirement, the annuity enabled him to live comfortably on land that had been in his family since long before the Civil War. When he died of unrelated causes about 15 years later, a family member who had looked after him called to express appreciation for what we had done to enhance the quality of his life after his injury.

That was the first serious burn injury case Ken Shigley handled, years ago. It was far from the last.

Following are some resources that may be of interest to burn injury victims and their families.