Available 24/7Suffering a burn injury can be one of the more painful experiences that a person can endure. While many burns are the result of coming into contact with fire, other sources, such as chemicals or steam, can cause the most severe injuries. There are many degrees of burns that present with their own unique challenges and symptoms.
If the burns were suffered as the result of another person’s negligence, or while at work, a San Diego burn injury lawyer is here to help. A skilled catastrophic injury attorney can represent the interests of people who suffered burns due to others’ negligence to recover the compensation that they deserve.
Science Behind Burns
Burns are most often caused by direct exposure to a heat source. Direct contact with a flame, stovetop, or radiator are common examples. However, there are many other ways that a burn can occur.
Exposure to certain caustic chemicals, a radiation source, electricity, and friction can all result in a burn wound. Symptoms associated with burns include:
- Blisters
- Pain
- Peeling Skin
- Redness
- Swelling
- Charred Skin
Different Degrees of Burns
The symptoms and their associated treatments are connected to the degree of the burn. There are three degrees of burns. A first-degree burn is simply a burn of the topmost layer of skin. Many have experienced these burns as the result of a kitchen accident or staying in the sun for too long. These wounds can be treated with aloe or other topical creams and are usually only a mild discomfort.
Second-degree burns are more severe and are the result of the lower layers of skin being affected. These are commonly the result of direct fire exposure, chemical spills, or industrial accidents. Symptoms include blistering, swelling, and severe pain. Treatment for second-degree burns can involve antibiotics and topical creams.
The most severe burns are third-degree burns. This is when the burn goes entirely through the skin and affects deep tissue. Oddly, these burns can be less painful than second-degree burns since the nerves are all destroyed. Treatment for these burns can include skin grafts and intense antibiotic regimens.
Burns and the Law
Many burns happen in the course of everyday life which are no one’s fault. Staying out in the sun for too long, touching a hot stove, or burning yourself while camping, carry no legal ramifications for anyone. Most legal cases involving burns are associated with a negligent act.
For example, a severe car accident, where a person cannot escape from their car, can certainly result in burn injuries. Industrial accidents in workplaces involving caustic chemicals can be the result of worker negligence, or in the case of a person hurt while at work, a workers’ compensation claim. Essentially, if a person is burned when another person is negligent, a San Diego burn injury lawyer can help a person potentially recover compensation in a personal injury claim against the defendant.
How Our San Diego Burn Injury Attorneys Can Help
A San Diego burn injury lawyer can understand how these injuries can affect a person’s life. Not only will burn victims be in intense pain during the recovery process, they may be facing a lifetime of disfigurement and limited physical activity.
When such injuries are the result of another person’s negligence or occurred while the person is at work, they have the right to be compensated for those injuries. A lawyer can take care of the paperwork and the insurance companies so that the burn victim can focus on their recovery.
