A burn is primarily caused by heat, radiation, radioactivity, electricity, friction, or chemical contact. Thermal (heat) burns occur when some or all of the cells in the skin or other tissues are destroyed by scalding hot liquids, contact burns, or flames.
Burn injuries are painful and can leave long-lasting physical and psychological scars. You may need an experienced burn injury lawyer to make sure you are compensated for your medical costs and suffering.
Burns are preventable injuries. They mostly occur at home and in the workplace but are a leading cause of morbidity in the world. A burn is an injury to the skin or other organic tissue. If you or a loved one have suffered serious burns as a result of negligence, contact Mike Agruss Law today to speak with one of our skillful catastrophic injury lawyers.
Burn Injury Causes
Burn injuries occur in a variety of ways; some of the most common examples are the following:
- Chemical burns occur after contact with chemicals, such as acids or alkalis
- Contact burns occur after prolonged contact with something hot
- Flame burns occur because of contact with fire or flame
- Flash burns occur from the heat of an explosive blast
- Electrical burns happen because of electricity passing through the body and heating the skin and underlying tissue
- Grease burns happen when a person comes in contact with hot grease
- Scald burns occur due to contact with hot liquids or hot steam
The severity of your injuries will play a role in determining how much financial compensation you are owed after your burn accident. It also will affect how those burns are classified and treated. Speak with a burn injury law professional if you have more questions.
Burn Injury Classifications
Burns are classified as first-, second-, third-degree, or fourth-degree, depending on how they penetrate the skin.
First-degree burns are superficial and affect only the outer layer of skin. The burn site is red, painful, dry, and with no blisters. This is what happens when you have a mild sunburn. There rarely is any long-term damage or scarring, but the skin color may increase or decrease.
Second-degree burns are partial-thickness burns. Second-degree burns involve the epidermis and part of the lower layer of skin. These burns appear red, blistered, and may be painful or swollen.
Third-degree burns or full-thickness burns destroy the epidermis and dermis. These burns are dangerous because they may penetrate the innermost layer of skin, the subcutaneous tissue. Third-degree burn sites look charred.
Fourth-degree burns go through both layers of the skin. They penetrate into the deeper tissue and possibly into the muscle and bone. Fourth-degree burn victims lose feeling at the burn site because the nerves are destroyed.
Burn Injury Size
Clinicians use a formula that considers the injured person’s age and a diagram called the Rule of Nines to estimate burn size. First-degree burns are excluded from TBSA (Total Body Surface Area) burn assessments.
Burn Injury Diagnosis
Doctors assess the severity of your burn by examining your skin. Typically they’ll recommend that you be transferred to a burn center if your burn covers more than 10 percent of your TBSA, is deep, on the face, feet, groin, or meets other criteria established by the American Burn Association.
Clinicians and Injury law officials will consider many factors when determining the severity of your burn injury, including:
- Age
- Degree and depth of your burns
- Health issues such as diabetes, heart problems, or alcoholism
- Inhalation of toxic gases and smoke
- Location of the burn
- Percentage of the skin that is burned
- Traumatic injuries like bone fractures and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)
- Type of burn
Burn Injury Compensation
Burns can be expensive and traumatic injuries to treat. Third-degree burns can take years to heal and affect the victim’s quality of life and ability to work. Extensive burns can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars for treatment, repeat admission, and rehabilitation.
If you have been the victim of a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence or carelessness, you will need an experienced personal injury attorney to protect your rights.
You Need A Top Burn Injury Lawyer
Burn accidents can be devastating to deal with. They can result in countless medical conditions, and the cost of care can be enormous. That is why we are here to help you. One of our experienced attorneys will work tirelessly with you to protect your rights and get these medical expenses out of the way through a successful injury claim or lawsuit.
Some damages that you can recover after a burn injury include the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future loss of earnings
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of consortium
If you or a loved one has been injured due to a burn that was caused by another’s negligence, contact our office today for a free consultation.
