Each year, approximately 1.25 million Americans seek medical attention for their burn injuries. The consequences of a burn injury can be catastrophic not only due to the pain and suffering caused by the burned layers of the skin but also due to the emotional scars that can last for decades.
Burn injuries range in severity from first-degree (minor) to third-degree (the most severe). Many people sustain burn injuries due to the negligent, reckless, or irresponsible behavior or actions of other persons and entities. Looking for legal advice from a local law firm in Missouri or the Kansas City area for your burn injury case can allow you to seek the fair compensation you deserve.
Regardless of how your serious injury occurred, you may be entitled to compensation even if you think that you were to blame for the accident, be it a car accident, defective product, or other situations. Do not make assumptions until you consult a Kansas City burn injury attorney from Townsend Law, LLC.
Let us evaluate your situation and determine who is at fault for your burn injuries. We offer a free consultation on personal injury cases to determine how we can help you seek compensation for things such as medical bills, suffering, and more.
Our injury attorneys are experienced in dealing with insurance companies and can fight for you and your loved ones and build a lasting attorney-client relationship.
How Do Burn Injuries Occur?
A burn injury occurs when the skin tissue is damaged by chemicals, heat, sunlight, electricity, or nuclear radiation. Even a minor burn can cause a tremendous amount of pain. Surprisingly, the most severe injuries (third-degree) are not as painful due to nerve damage; however, this does not diminish the fault of the negligent party in injury cases.
Many burn injuries can be prevented with adequate safety regulations, appropriate warnings, proper safety equipment, and responsible behavior.
When a burn injury results from someone else’s irresponsible behavior, recklessness, or negligence, the at-fault person should be held liable for the resulting damages and losses. The potential for medical malpractice due to the medical care required for this burn injury is also a concern. In this and many other situations, a Kansas City burn injury lawyer can help victims demand appropriate compensation from the at-fault party for medical bills, punitive damages, pain and suffering, and more.
Types of Burn Injuries
Generally, burn injuries fall into three categories that are classified by the extent of damage to the layers of the skin:
- First-degree burn. Typically, the most painful one is due to little to no damage to the nerves that transmit pain signals. First-degree burn injuries are associated with damage to the epidermis, the outer layer of the skin.
- Second-degree burns fall into two subtypes: Superficial and Deep. Superficial second-degree burns affect the skin tissue below the epidermis, while deep burns penetrate more deeply into the dermis. Superficial ones are characterized by moisture and pink color, while deep ones are dry and whitish.
- Third-degree burns. Typically, the victim does not feel pain because the nerves have been destroyed. Both the epidermal and dermal layers of the skin are damaged, while the skin looks charred and resembles a piece of leather.
Sources of Burns
There are also multiple sources of burn injuries:
- Fire. A victim suffers a burn injury from direct contact with an open flame.
- Flash. The injury occurs due to the rapid ignition of a flammable substance such as liquid or gas.
- Contact. A person can suffer a contact burn when a blazing hot object comes in contact with the skin (for example, a kettle, pan, or cigarette).
- Scalds. A person can suffer a scald injury or the so-called boiling water burn when the skin comes in contact with hot liquids.
- Steam. When a person’s skin is exposed to extreme steam temperatures, he or she is at risk for a steam burn.
- Electrical. An electrical burn wound can occur when electricity is passed through the skin tissue.
- Chemical. When a person’s skin is exposed to caustic substances such as acid, he or she can suffer a chemical burn.
Consequences Of Burn Injuries
A burn injury affects the skin, nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and even bones. A burn is not just some visible damage to the skin, other consequences and effects of burn injuries can include:
- Permanent scars
- Disfigurement
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
- Psychological damage
- Damage to the nerves and muscles
- Infection
- Permanent disability
- Skin grafts
- Blisters
A severe burn injury can result in massive medical bills, and the medical treatment for these includes painful skin grafts and long-lasting effects. Wrongful death is possible in a severe burn injury, and the devastation in the aftermath for the victim’s loved ones can be far-reaching.
You can get financial compensation for the damages and losses you have endured due to your burn injury. Let our Kansas City burn injury attorney investigate your case and help you prove that another party’s negligence, recklessness, or carelessness caused you irreparable or severe harm.
It is important when considering what course to take your legal actions, and there’s much more to personal injury law than medical costs and disclaimers.
Contact the law office of Townsend Law, LLC, for a free case evaluation and initial consultation. Call at 816-408-6583 or fill out our short contact form right now.