Is There Justice for Burn Victims?

If you or someone you love is a burn victim, either by someone else’s ill intent, the neglect of an employer, or the carelessness of a business, it can feel like you will never get your life back.

Burns are a unique injury. Burn victims suffer from severe pain, increased risks of infection, and scarring.

Burn victims also tend to suffer from more emotional and psychological damage as well. Burn victims are forced to live with painful scarring that can limit their range of movement for the rest of their lives. People who survive a burn injury may feel like they are forced to relive their traumatic experience every single time they see their scars in the mirror.

It can start to feel like there is no justice for people who have suffered from a burn-related injury.

What Are Burn-Related Injuries?

Burn injuries don’t only result from coming in contact with fire. Stanford Medicine recognizes four main categories of burn.

Thermal Burns

Thermal burns occur when an external heat source raises the temperature of the skin and tissues, causing tissue cell death or charring. Coming in contact with hot metal, scalding liquids, steam, and fire can cause thermal burns.

Radiation Burns

Extended exposure to the sun and other ultraviolet light can cause radiation burns. Other types of radiation burns can occur when coming in contact with X-rays.

Chemical Burns

Chemical burns can occur when you come in contact with potent acids, alkalines, solvents, or detergents. They are especially dangerous for sensitive tissues such as the eyes and lungs.

Electrical Burns

Electrical burns occur when an electrical current passes through a person.

When we hear about burns, we also tend to hear what “degree” the burn is. There are four levels of burn severity, from first-degree to fourth, with the fourth being the most severe.

First-Degree Burns

These burns affect the outer layer of the skin. First-degree burns result in red and painful skin but shouldn’t blister.

Second-Degree Burns

Second-degree burns affect the outer layer, or epidermis, and the dermis, the layer of skin below that. They can appear red, swollen and even shiny. Someone suffering from a second-degree burn will likely have blistering.

Third-Degree Burns

This burn destroys all the layers of your skin. It can appear blackened, white, or yellow. People sometimes say these burns don’t physically hurt, which is a result of the burn damaging the nerve endings.

Fourth-Degree Burns

Fourth-degree burns are the most severe and are often life-threatening. They destroy all layers of skin, muscles, bones, and tendons.

Burns can start as less severe first- or second-degree burns but turn into more severe burns if the damaged skin and deeper layers continue to spread after the burn.

It is important to know that burns can vary wildly. Not all burns are readily visible, manifesting in the throat and lungs. If you think you have been in a situation where you have been burned, seek medical attention immediately.

When and Where do Burns Occur?

This may seem like a silly question because burns can happen anywhere there is heat, right? But understanding the different kinds of burns, you now realize that heat is not always a factor when it comes to burn risks.

Burn injuries can happen at the workplace, at your place of residence, while you are in your vehicle, and even at places we frequently visit, like the grocery store!

Can You File a Claim for Burn Injuries?

Suppose the negligence or carelessness of someone else, a business, or an employer leads to your burn injuries. In that case, you are likely in a position where you can pursue a lawsuit to recover some or all of the damages you have suffered.

It is important to know that in the eyes of the law, burn injuries are similar to other injuries in that another party’s negligence resulted in you being injured. They are accountable for getting you back in a position where you are made whole again.

Where Should You Start?

While dealing with extreme pain, infection risks, doctor visits, and missing hours from your job, the thought of a lawsuit may not have crossed your mind, or it may seem like an impossibility. Your day-to-day life already takes up your time, and now your injuries.

Working with a personal injury lawyer is the best way to ensure that those who are responsible for your injuries are brought to justice. The compassionate team at O’Malley Tunstall PC is equipped with the knowledge and skills to get the justice you deserve.

Working with our team of personal injury attorneys, you can rest assured that every single piece of evidence will be collected and utilized in an effort to get you the best settlement possible.

We will use witness testimony, surveillance, and the specialized knowledge of expert witnesses and healthcare professionals to paint a picture that shows you are owed compensation. We will also use the testimony of your friends, family, and coworkers, people who best know you, to show the court the kind of person you are and how this has affected your personal life.

By calling 919-277-0150, you can start your obligation-free consultation with our experienced team. Even if the other party has already made attempts to settle this incident out of court, know that they already have a team of lawyers advising them on what to do.

Don’t get burned again. Call today and schedule your free consultation!