Burned in an Accident—What Now?
A major burn is one of the most painful injuries you can sustain. Burns over large areas can cause excruciating agony, permanent disfigurement and intense emotional distress. Some burn victims suffer long-term psychological damage from the pain and disfigurement.
While burns are most often caused by exposure to heat, flame or scalding liquids, caustic chemicals can also burn any flesh that is exposed to them. Mild burns generally won’t need treatment beyond first aid, but major burns can land you in the hospital and may need extensive treatment.
Three Levels of Burns
Depending on the accident, you may get more than one degree of burn at a time, in different places. First-degree burns are a relatively minor injury, as are most small second-degree burns, less than two inches wide.
- First-degree burns affect just the outer layer of the skin. They cause pain, swelling and redness.
- Second-degree burns affect both the outer and underlying layer of skin. They cause pain, swelling, redness and blistering.
- Third-degree burns affect the deep layers of skin. They cause white or blackened, charred skin. The skin may be numb, with pain only around the edges of the burned area.
Serious burn injuries include all third-degree as well as large second-degree burns. Smaller second-degree burns on the face, hands, feet or genitals are also serious. Additionally, these burns are particularly serious in small children and in elderly adults.
Legal Help for Burn Victims
After a serious burn injury, you may be facing an uncertain future. Aside from your mounting medical bills, you may also be missing work while you recover. The most serious burn injuries may require extensive treatment and can still leave you permanently disfigured.
If you’ve suffered major burns because of someone’s careless or reckless behavior, you may be able to collect compensation not only for your expenses, but also for your emotional anguish, pain and suffering, and future medical expenses.
You don’t have to face an uncertain future alone. Working with a caring, experienced personal injury attorney can be instrumental in helping you secure your future after a serious burn injury.