A burn injury can cause severe harm, pain, and even permanent damage. Those who suffer from burn injuries may have sustained them because of the negligent actions of someone else. If this has happened to you, seeking your legal options with a Jackson burn injury lawyer from Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC may put you on the right path to move forward. Our experience, skill, and compassion drive us to get you the justice you deserve. We’ll work diligently so you can get compensation for your injuries.
The Facts About Burn Injuries
There is more than one way to get a burn injury, and some people may not even be aware of the ways it can happen. Burn injuries can be caused by the following:
- Flames
- Hot Liquids
- Hot Surfaces
- Chemicals
- Electric Currents
They’ve provided the following information about burn injuries and how many people they affect every year:
- There are nearly 10,000 fatalities a year from burn-related infections in the United States.
- 1 million burn injuries need medical attention each year.
- Of those 1.1 million, about 50,000 need hospitalization, 20,000 have burns that cover 25 percent of their body surface, and 4,500 people die.
With the ways that burns can happen and the high number of injuries each year, Pittman, Roberts & Welsh know it’s important to be well-versed in how these incidents occur. Sometimes, the injury happens because of negligence. Someone’s careless decision can leave another with debilitating, painful injuries that will require intense medical care.
The Extent of Burn injuries
Burn injuries can be categorized into two groups: minor and major. The differences are as follows:
- Minor burns include first-degree burns and second-degree burns that are less than two to three inches wide.
- Major burns include second-degree burns and third-degree burns that are wider than two to three inches and are on particularly sensitive areas like the face, hands, feet, over a joint, and more.
The Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM) breaks down the different types of burns and what happens with each one. The degree of the injury will correlate to the amount of time spent in the hospital and care required to treat it.
- First-Degree Burns. These burns affect the upper layer of the epidermis. They’re usually dry, painful, and appear red and swollen. Sunburn is a common form of a first-degree injury.
- Second-Degree Burns. This affects more layers of skin, reaching the dermis. The area may be moist, red, and painful.
- Third-Degree Burns. At this stage, the skin is destroyed and the burn reaches the tissues underneath. There will likely be less pain because the nerves are destroyed. Skin grafts may be needed to heal. The wound will likely scar.
- Fourth-Degree Burns. These are the most severe kind of burn injury. At this point, the burn reaches the muscle, tendon, and bone. Skin grafts do not work at this stage. There could be permanent disfigurement or disability as a result.
It’s possible to have more than one kind of burn at a time. If you’ve suffered from a serious burn, you need to seek medical care immediately. This may help prevent the wound from leaving a permanent mark or disability.
Wrongful Death from Burns
In some cases, burns can be fatal. As mentioned above, about 4,500 people a year die from burn injuries that cover more than a quarter of their body, and 10,000 people die every year from burn-related infections. This shows how dangerous burns can be, and how easily they can lead to serious and fatal consequences.
If you’ve lost a loved one because someone’s actions caused fatal burn injuries, you can get justice for them in Mississippi. While the process may be difficult and painful, you deserve the chance to speak up for your loved one. We know that this won’t replace them, but it may provide some financial security and peace of mind.
How Can Burn Injuries Occur?
There are a number of ways that a person can suffer from a burn injury. Some of the causes are:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents. Car wrecks, truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents can all cause these types of injuries. The crashes could cause fires that harm the passengers. Motorcyclists are also at risk of road rash, or burns when there is friction between their skin and the ground, if they’re thrown off their vehicle.
- Workplace Injuries. If someone works near flammable or hot objects, they could get an injury if their place of employment doesn’t have strict safety policies.
- Fires. Household or apartment fires can be a cause of these injuries.
- Defective Products. When a product isn’t safe, there’s a chance it could have electrical problems, making it a fire hazard for consumers.
- Exposure. When skin comes into contact with scalding water, radiation, or chemicals, burns can develop.
No matter how your injury happened, a Jackson burn injury lawyer from our firm can investigate your case and find the cause, who was responsible, and how it affected you.
How To Prevent Burns
When it comes to preventing burns, the best way to keep yourself from getting a burn injury is by focusing on preventing fires. Fire safety is important even though many people don’t think about how a fire could greatly affect their life. Here are some of the tips that the CDC mentions to help you prevent fires, or how to quickly identify and avoid a fire:
- Have smoke detectors in every floor of your home.
- Change the batteries of your smoke detectors every year.
- Draw floor plans so that you can identify your emergency exits and best routes for escape in the event of a fire.
- Know the exits and pathways for escape in any building that you enter.
- Never leave your food cooking on the stove unattended.
- Don’t leave candles unattended.
- Keep grills over 10 feet away from your home.
- Don’t smoke indoors and don’t toss cigarette butts in the grass or anywhere near the house.
In the event of a house fire or a fire in a building, make sure to check the doors and doorknobs with the back of your hand to check to see if there is a fire burning in that room. It’s also important that you don’t use any elevators when there is a fire—always use the stairs. If the air is filled with smoke and it’s hard to see, crawling on the ground could provide you with the cleanest air that you’ll be able to see through and inhale less smoke.
Smoke inhalation can be just as dangerous as burns, so it’s important to evacuate a burning building as soon as possible so that you can avoid both types of injuries from becoming serious. If you’ve suffered from burn injuries as a result of a fire or another scenario that was caused by another person’s negligence, then you could use the help of a Jackson burn injury lawyer. We’ll help you recover compensation for the damages you’ve suffered.
How Burn Injuries Are Treated
Depending on the severity of a burn, there are different ways that a burn is treated. If you get a mild burn, there are some things you can do for first aid to help it heal and keep it from getting infected. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends running cool water over the burn, but never place ice on the burn. If the burn is from chemicals, be sure to use a lot of water to dilute the chemical and remove it from the skin. When you’re done running it under water, place clean bandages on the injury.
Other than not using ice on the burn, you also should never place oil, pastes, turmeric, or raw cotton on your burns, as they could worsen the injury. Even if you think you just have a mild burn, you should get medical treatment. That way, you can get proper care for your injuries and ensure your burns heal as best as possible.
Pittman, Roberts & Welsh, PLLC Will Fight for You
It’s easy for people to become overwhelmed when they’re recovering from a serious injury. They’re worried about missing work, affording hospital bills, and how quickly they can recover; however, they need to give themselves time to rest and heal. The attorneys from Pittman, Roberts & Welsh will defend your rights so you don’t have to do it on your own. We’ll demand fair compensation and make sure the people who caused your injuries are held liable for their actions. Get in touch with us today for a free consultation. We’re here to help.
