Burn injuries can result in a lifetime of physical and emotional pain, so it’s crucial to know how to proceed after this type of accident.
Burns are catastrophic injuries that can completely alter the course of someone’s life. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, burns and fires are the fifth most common cause of accidental death in children and adults each year. This accounts for an estimated 3,500 adult and child deaths per year. Burns are serious injuries that should not be overlooked, whether you were wounded in a house fire, work accident, construction incident, explosion, or car accident.
Read on to learn more about the different types of burn injuries and how you can recover compensation through a personal injury claim.
Different Types of Burns
The American Burn Association reports that nearly 500,000 burn injuries receive medical treatment each year. Burns are a very common injury, and they come about in many different ways. Here are some of the most common types of burns that people can sustain:
- Thermal burns – Thermal burns occur when something hot comes in contact with your skin. Most of these burns happen from touching a fire, hot liquid, steam, or a scalding object such as a stove or an iron.
- Chemical burns – Chemical burns happen when you come into contact with a chemical irritant such as chlorine, ammonia, battery acid, bleach, or another corrosive substance.
- Electrical burns – Electrical burns occur when your body comes in contact with an electrical current, such as lightning, stun guns, or a household current. The most common electrical burns come from cords where the insulation has been worn down, and the wires become exposed.
- Friction burns – Friction burns occur when your skin rubs against another surface quickly. Rug burns are a common type of these burns.
How Severe Is My Burn?
Burns vary in severity and treatment. Most people have heard the terms “first, second, third-degree burns,” but the meaning behind them might be a little less known. Medical professionals use these terms to classify the severity of burns and how to treat them. Here is more information about the three primary types of burn levels:
- First-degree burns – First-degree is the mildest type of burn. These injuries only affect the skin’s superficial or first layer. The skin is usually red, unblistered, and tends to heal within a few short days. A mild sunburn is one of the most common occurrences of a first-degree burn.
- Second-degree burns – Second-degree burns affect the first and second layers of skin. The wound is usually red, blistered, and often looks wet. These painful injuries generally take one to three weeks to heal, and medical treatment is advised.
- Third-degree burns – Third-degree burns completely damage the first two layers of skin, along with hair follicles and sweat glands. These wounds differ from the first two because they are not red but can be black, yellow, or even white. These burns do not heal on their own, and skin grafting is often necessary.
Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton Burn Injury Lawyers
Burn injuries can leave victims with intractable pain, disfiguration, loss of income, hefty medical bills, and more. If you have been injured in a burn accident, the personal injury lawyers at Flickinger Sutterfield & Boulton are here to help you receive the compensation you deserve.
We serve Utah residents and have offices located in Provo, Orem, Saratoga Springs, and West Jordan, Utah. Contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation today.