The Types and Causes of Burn Injuries
Experienced Burin Injury Lawyer serving Nationwide
Throughout the United States, there are thousands of people every year
that will suffer a burn injury sustained in a household accident, at work,
while driving and other causes. Burns can be extremely careful regardless
of the degree of the burn. In instances of more severe burns, there’ll
be cases that require long periods of rehabilitation and recovery, which
are accompanied by:
- Costly Surgeries
- Extended Stays in the Hospital
- Ongoing Medical Treatment
Whenever
burn injuries are the result of reckless conduct or the negligence of another party,
you have the ability to file a personal injury lawsuit in order to receive
compensation for:
- Medical Bills
- Pain and Suffering
- Other Injury Related Expenses
A Texas burn injury lawyer at
The Doan Law Firm is able to assist you in the litigation of your personal burn injury lawsuit
to help you obtain the financial compensation you’re entitled to
receive. Call The Doan Law Firm 24/7/365 to speak with one of our catastrophic
personal injury lawyers. An actual lawyer is available to answer your
calls no matter the day or the time, even weekends and holidays.
Types of Burns
The rating system for burns is done in the degree of the burns severity,
it ranges from first degree burns (the less serious), to second degree
burns (more serious), to third degree burns (the most severe of the burns).
It’s possible for burn victims to have different degrees of burns
on different parts of their body and isn’t completely uncommon to
sustain two or even all three burn degree types. There are many different
types of burns and their causes, we’ll cover:
- First Degree Burns
- Second Degree Burns
- Third Degree Burns
- The Causes of Burns
- Heat Burns
- Electrical Burns
- Chemical Burns
- Scalding
- Oil and Gas Explosions
First-Degree Burns
First degree burns is the least serious of the burn categories and only
affects the thin top layer of the skin called the epidermis. First degree
burns can be caused by many things, including touching the metal handle
on a boiling pot of water briefly, or just grazing your skin on a hot
curling iron. First degree burns usually don’t ever require any
medical treatment, nor do they cause any permanent body or skin damage.
They’ll likely result in puffiness, minor pain and redness at the
point of the burn. These types of minor injuries aren’t likely to
ever result in any viable lawsuit.
Second-Degree Burns
Second degree burns are more serious than a first degree burn as the name
implies. Second degree burns will extend deeper into the skin, past the
epidermis and affect the superficial or papillary and reticular dermis.
There’ll be more intense pain, as well as blistering of the skin
and can be caused when the skin is exposed directly to an open flame or
any other high source of heat. Due to the fact that second degree burns
may not extend deep enough down into the skin to damage any of the nerve
endings, it’s not uncommon for second degree burns to only seem
mildly painful initially. Once the skins nerve endings have had a chance
to recover though, there’ll be an increase in pain sensation. An
extensive second degree burn can be a very serious thing.
Third-Degree Burns
Third degree are the most serious of all the burn types and will most commonly
be evidenced by the burn area leaking purple fluid, a visible charring
of the skin, and the formation of eschars, which are leathery skin legions.
Almost always the nerve endings in the skin will be affected by third
degree burns. This will make the burn feel much less painful right after
the initial burn and will lead many third degree burn victims into believing
that their burn isn’t all that serious. Bone and muscle tissue can
also be affected by a third degree burn. If you believe you’ve suffered
a third degree burn you must seek medical attention immediately as this
will help guard against both infection and all other complications.
If you’ve suffered a burn injury, please contact The Doan Law Firm
immediately in order to get a free case evaluation and to get the proper
guidance for your legal claim. After seeking the proper medical professionals
to get medical attention so your wounds can get treated and get you on
the road to recovery, your next call needs to be The Doan Law Firm to
get proper legal guidance. Actual personal injury lawyers are on call
24/7/365 to answer your call, day and night, Christmas or New Years at
(800) 349-0000.
Causes of Burns
There are many different ways a burn injury can occur, whether it be from
an explosion, a fire, caustic chemicals, coming into accidental contact
with a downed electrical wire, molten liquid that’s erupted from
an improperly designed plastic injection extruder or molder, or anything
else. Most commonly burns are associated with flames from a fire; however,
burns can also occur from coming into a hot liquid.
Heat Burns
Exposure to heating elements, fire and other heat sources is the most common
burn injury cause. Things that are common to the majority of homes hold
the responsibility for thousands of yearly burn incidents. These are things like:
- Auto Parts
- Fireplaces
- Barbeques
- Ovens
Heat burns come in any type of burn degree, from the most minor to the
serious and the most severe, the third degree burn.
Electrical Burns
Whenever there are electrical currents transferred to the body the internal
organs and skin tissue can sustain serious injuries. Coming into contact
with wall outlets or “live” electrical wires are the most
common sources of electrical burn injuries. Also, electrical burns can
be caused by lightning strikes; however, those are much rarer. Electrical
burns can be particularly dangerous due to the fact that the body’s
electromagnetic structure and internal organs can be critically injured.
Without seeking proper medical attention immediately these injuries can
continue to manifest as the area of the body where the electrical current
entered can appear relatively unscathed even though there is severe internal
damage. Regardless of how your skin appears, seek immediate medical attention
if you’ve suffered an electrical burn.
Chemical Burns
Whenever someone comes into contact with a caustic chemical compound, a
chemical burn is the result of the contact. An example of a caustic compound
would be acid. Some of the most common sources of a chemical burn are:
- Nitric Acid
- Silver Nitrate
- Hydrofluoric Acid
- Sulfuric Acid
- Sodium Hydroxide
Additionally, we cement can cause an alkaline burn and some household solvents
and cleaners are threats to cause a chemical burn. The Doan Law Firm is
available to review your case and make the determination on whether or
not your chemical burn is the result of an unreasonably dangerous product
or a defective product. If it is you could have the basis for a personal
burn injury lawsuit.
Scalding
Scalding burns can be caused whenever you come into contact with hot water,
other hot liquids, or gasses. Scalding burns will most often occur in
the home. The most common examples of scalding burns are:
- A Pot of Hot Cooking Oil Falls from the Stovetop
- A Pot of Hot Water Falls from the Stovetop
- Someone Steps into or a Child Is placed into a Bathtub with Water that’s
Far Too Hot
Mots typically a scalding burn will be localized, only affecting the body
area that’s come into direct contact with the hot gas or liquid,
however, they can be extremely painful. Those that work in an industrial
area that has any exposed water or steam pipes may suffer a scalding burn
on the job. If you’ve suffered a burn injury on the job you may
have the basis for a personal burn injury lawsuit.
Oil or Gas Explosions
An oil or gas explosion is the cause of some of the worst burn injuries.
Whenever gas is exposed to eat it expands, at which point it may expand
sufficiently enough to cause a failure in the vessel holding the gas.
At this point, any source of ignition (including static electricity) near
the exposure of the escaping gas can cause an explosion on a massive scale
and causing severe injuries to anyone caught in its path. An open flame
near a leaking propane tank can also be the source of a serious explosion
leading to a severe burn injury.
Whenever an oil or gas explosion has occurred, it’s important that
you contact The Doan Law Firm immediately so they can ensure the scene
is fully investigated and done with the appropriate experts, as well as
consulting with the local public authorities that are investigating the
accident. This will ensure that the cause of the gas escape, and the source
of the ignition, is determined appropriately.
Cold Burns
Hot surfaces and fires are so closely associated with burn injuries; there
are many people that are surprised to actually learn that cold elements
can cause serious burns as well. One of the most common types of cold
burns is frostbite. Frostbite happens when the skin has prolonged exposure
to freezing cold temperatures. Keeping that in mind, there can also be
quick causes of cold burns, such as when the body has come into contact with:
- Dry Ice
- Liquid Nitrogen
- Liquid Helium
- Compressed and Canned Air (Specific Types)
A cold burn can result in the same types of symptoms and injuries as the
more common burn types that are caused by heat and cold burns should be
taken just as seriously as a burn caused by heat of any type.
Consulting a Lawyer
In order to get additional information and the legal rights that you have
relating to your burn injury, contact The Doan Law Firm, day or night,
24/7/365. Our experienced burn injury lawyers are available to answer
your call and offer a no obligation,
free consultation to evaluate your burn claim and give you all your legal options and rights.
Call now at (800) 349-0000.