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Burn injuries can significantly impact your physical and psychological well-being and often result in substantial medical costs and life-altering consequences. Burn injuries can occur in a variety of circumstances - at home, at work, in a car accident or even due to a defective product - and burn injuries are rarely limited to fire and flames. In fact, harsh chemicals or improperly prescribed medications can each cause a burn injury. No matter the scenario, if you suffered a burn as a result of someone else’s actions, you need to speak with burn injury lawyers.
Burn injury victims need immediate medical attention and in many instances, require long-term specialized care. Burn injuries run a higher risk of infection because damaged skin tissue cannot shield against germs and bacteria, and often releases harmful toxins. Medical treatment may be extensive, requiring lengthy hospital stays, multiple surgeries and consistent rehabilitation. The costs can become overwhelming, impacting both the victim and their loved ones.
A fire can occur in a variety of circumstances and burn injury victims are entitled to seek damages for incurred medical bills and resulting physical and psychological suffering. Some typical situations in which a burn injury may occur include:
Industrial workers are usually at a higher risk of burn injury because their work typically involves handling dangerous chemicals or susceptible machinery. Aging facilities and inadequate workplace safety policies can further enhance the risk of a burn injury. Employees working in chemical refineries, construction sites or factories are usually protected by workers’ compensation laws, designed to ensure that they are reimbursed for medical costs and lost wages when an accident occurs. However, workers may be entitled to receive additional compensation when a court finds that an employer failed to protect an employee from injury properly. Extensive safety measures should be in place to ensure that workers are not susceptible to devastating injuries from industrial accidents.
If you’ve been in direct contact with a substance that resulted in a burn injury or find yourself involved in an industrial fire, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention to prevent the injury from worsening over time. Once you’ve obtained medical attention, the next call you are encouraged to make is to a burn injury lawyer.
No matter how severe, an experienced burn injury attorney can ensure you receive adequate compensation to recover from your wounds. A proven personal injury lawyer will help you determine who is at fault for the injury, and initiate a claim against the negligent party.
Third-degree burns are the most severe type of burn injury and can require extensive surgical procedures and care for months to come. A third-degree burn occurs when every layer of skin - the outer epidermis, the middle dermis and the deeper hypodermis - appear peeled away and severely scarred. Third-degree burns can also cause significant harm to blood vessels, nerves and muscles, resulting in even more extensive damage and requiring additional medical care. If these burns do not receive proper treatment, the victim’s risk of infection increases significantly.
A third-degree burn victim will likely experience swelling, blackened skin that eventually browns the skin surface. Nerve endings may become dull or numb, resulting in the loss of motor functions. Some of the causes of third-degree burns include:
Burn injury victims should seek immediate medical attention and do everything possible to stop the burning process. Immerse the area in cold water and irrigate the wound with chemicals designed to minimize infection. A medical professional will stabilize the victim and determine the best course of action for healing.
Scalding burns typically occur after a victim is in contact with exorbitantly hot liquids. Often, these liquids have been heated beyond a reasonable measure, resulting in otherwise avoidable burn accidents. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people are treated for scalding burns, and care ranges from extensive hospitalization to outpatient treatment. In these incidents, negligence is almost always to blame for the accident. Children, the elderly and the disabled are at higher risk for scalding burn injuries, because they may not be able to verbalize that a liquid is painfully hot.
The severity of the burn will depend on how long the victim was in contact with the scalding liquid. If contact occurs, the victim should immediately submerge the affected area in cold water to alleviate the pain and stop the burn from intensifying. It’s advisable to refrain from driving or operating heavy machinery when holding or drinking hot liquids.
Burn injuries invariably lead to scars and, in some cases, disfigurement. These painful incidents often require extensive reconstructive surgery, and many victims will never fully appear as they once did. Bleached skin, deformed extremities or facial features, keloid and contracture scars are some of the most common occurrences after a severe burn injury. While skin grafting may be medically necessary to encourage the growth of new healthy skin, it can also contribute to a patient’s disfigured appearance. In our image-driven world, these scars and deformities often lead to intense psychological suffering and setbacks.
The medical care required to mitigate scarring and disfigurement is often cosmetic and rarely covered by insurance. However, a burn injury attorney will help you receive medical compensation for any cosmetic procedures undertaken after a burn injury.
Oftentimes, a burn injury occurs because a negligent party failed to take adequate precautions to prevent accidents. Burn injury victims should speak with an attorney after an incident has occurred to ensure that negligent parties are held accountable. In these cases, a burn injury lawyer will help you conduct a thorough investigation of the facts, and help you assess the total compensation needed to cover your damages.
Some negligent parties in a burn injury accident might include:
Burn injury victims will frequently experience a variety of issues that significantly impact their day-to-day lives. From expensive medical care to lost wages, burn injury victims may be able to seek recovery for:
If you or someone you know is burned due to an accident, follow these steps:
Our experienced attorneys understand that recovering your health after a burn injury includes sound legal guidance. If you’ve suffered a burn injury, schedule a free consultation with the burn injury lawyers from our firm, so we can accurately assess your case. Contact us online, call 310-273-7300 or email us to speak with an attorney today.