Burns range from pink cheeks after a day in the sun to full-body third-degree injuries. Healing can take a day or two, weeks, months, or years—those who experience more severe burns never fully heal.
Calling a knowledgeable catastrophic harm lawyer is crucial when you sustain a burn injury. Understanding the difference in types and severity of burns is critical to demanding the compensation you deserve from the person who caused your injury. A Southlake burn injury lawyer could fight to protect your rights and long-term prospects in court.
What Are Burn Injuries?
While most associate burns with a flame, these injuries can also involve heat, radiation, friction, chemicals, or electricity. Medical professionals gauge the degree of most burns on the size and depth of the injury. For example, the damage from electrical burns manifests differently from other types of burns. Therefore, medical professionals may or may not use the same degree system to describe injuries.
First-Degree Burns
First-degree burns are superficial. They may cause mild pain, dryness, and discomfort but have a low risk of long-term damage.
Second-Degree Burns
Second-degree burns impact the epidermis and part of the dermis, causing blisters or swelling. These injuries are significantly more painful than first-degree burns.
Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns destroy the epidermis and dermis, making the skin appear charred, leathery, or waxy. They may also destroy nerves and underlying tissues like fat, muscle, and connective tissues. These burns are severe, require immediate medical attention, and lead to permanent damage; however, because of nerve damage, they may not be as immediately painful as less severe burns.
Some professionals include an additional category, fourth-degree burns, which have bone or tendon damage. While any accident can cause disfigurement, it is prevalent in burn cases. Fortunately, anyone who sustains burn injuries in Texas can get monetary damages for disfigurement. These damages exceed medical expenses related to correcting the damage. A knowledgeable attorney in Southlake could determine what type of burn someone sustained and collect evidence of the injury to present in court.
For a free legal consultation, call (817) 775-5364
Inhalation Injuries Caused by Heat
Fire and heat cause thermal burns as well as combustion. Combustion releases particles into the air, which can cause inhalation injuries. Signs of inhalation injuries include coughing, throat or sinus irritation, breathing problems, chest pain, runny nose, and headaches.
These injuries can be temporary or lead to long-term, causing heart or lung issues. They are especially dangerous to people with underlying health conditions. A Southlake area lawyer could explain inhalation injuries and how they might factor into a burn injury claim.
Southlake Burn Injury Lawyer Near Me (817) 775-5364
How to Treat Burns
Treatment for burns varies tremendously. For instance, a person can apply aloe vera at home to treat a first-degree burn but require extensive medical intervention for a third or fourth-degree injury. Likewise, someone could require hydrotherapy, skin grafts, antibiotics, IV fluid, surgery, and even amputation for severe burns.
Not long ago, severe burn injuries could not be treated, leading to many fatalities. Even when people did survive, the injuries permanently impacted their quality of life. Fortunately, medical advances have made it easier to reduce scarring, increase mobility, and improve quality of life following a burn injury. Reconstructive surgery can also help enhance post-burn appearance; however, the treatments are expensive. A dedicated attorney in Southlake could help the injured person determine the cost of their treatment for their burn and demand appropriate compensation on their behalf.
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Contact a Burn Injury Attorney in Southlake for Help With a Case
When someone else is responsible for causing your burn, they should also be responsible for paying to treat it. A consultation with a Southlake burn injury lawyer is the first step towards getting the money and the justice you deserve. Call today to schedule a meeting with our legal team members.
Call (817) 775-5364 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
