Burns are among the most common types of injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on average, there are about 450,000 burn injuries per year that require medical treatment. Unintentional burns may occur for a variety of reasons. Motor vehicle accidents, fires, scalds, electrical or chemical burns, and contact with a hot object are all ways that burns might happen. Burns can be very painful and serious injuries. If a burn occurs because of someone’s negligence, the victim may be owed compensation for their injuries. A knowledgeable personal injury attorney will help you get the money you or your loved one deserves.
Burn Diagnosis and Treatment
Doctors classify burn injuries by severity. Burn symptoms increase when deeper layers of skin are involved. It can take more than a day for full symptoms to develop after a patient suffers a burn injury. There are three main classifications for burn injury severity:
- 1st Degree Burns – Minor burns that affect the outer layer of skin. Minor burns are painful, and the skin will be red in the area of the burn.
- 2nd Degree Burns – Burns that affect the top two layers of skin. The skin may be red and swollen. There may be blisters, and the pain might be severe.
- 3rd Degree Burns – These are the most severe burns. The injury reaches below the skin and into the fat tissues. The burns may appear black, brown, or white in color. The burns may reach and destroy nerves and might cause numbness.
Burns are extremely painful, and recovery can be lengthy. In some cases, skin grafts are necessary to improve the condition and appearance of severe burns. This is particularly true if the burns are located on the face. Severe burns that extensively cover the body are more serious and can be life-threatening.
Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney Matt Arnold answers the question: “The insurance company wants to send me to their own doctor for a second opinion. Do I have to go?”
Preventing Burns
Burn injury awareness week occurs every year in February. The American Burn Association topic of this year’s burn awareness campaign is “Hot Liquids Burn Like Fire!” Scalding burns are caused by hot liquids or steam that comes into contact with the skin. These types of burns are most often associated with cooking. Ranges are the most common cause of cooking burns. Keep children away from a hot stove while cooking and face the pot handles away from the edge of the stove. Do not hold a child while you are cooking. Cooking fires can escalate quickly and result in entire home fires. Always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen so you can act quickly if a fire occurs.
Negligence in Burn Injuries
Burns can happen in many different settings. When burns are caused by the negligence of another, that person may be responsible for your damages. Damages include your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other matters directly related to your injuries. To prove negligence, you will need to show that the person had a duty of care, and they breached that care, causing your injuries. You must prove that you suffered damages due to the breach of duty. For example, in a car accident case, you must show that the driver was negligent and should have known that their actions or failure to act could result in harm to another.
For years, the attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC have been helping victims of personal injury in Charlotte and throughout North Carolina as they navigate the process involved in recovering monetary compensation for damages. Contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC today for insight into your personal injury case. If you or a loved one suffered burn injuries as the result of negligence, you may be owed money for your damages. Call (704) 370-2828 to receive a video, phone or in-person consultation with our lawyers to explore your legal options or fill out our contact form. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville and Monroe.
The skilled personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to maximizing the financial recovery and obtaining justice for every personal injury client injured by another party’s negligence. The issues our personal injury clients may be facing include, but are not limited to, slip and fall injuries, wrongful death, product liability, catastrophic injuries, dog bite claims, car and truck accident injuries, motorcycle injuries, traumatic brain injury (TBI), nursing home negligence, spinal cord injury, boating accidents, and defective medical device injury. Our personal injury attorneys understand the devastating impact such an injury can have on a person’s life, and that the effects so often go beyond physical pain and suffering. The personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC are dedicated to helping clients determine the strength of their claims, and to aggressively pursuing the means necessary to achieve the best possible end result for each client’s particular situation.
Source:
National Burn Awareness Week – American Burn Association (ameriburn.org)
Burns – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
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