Burn injuries can seriously affect a person’s health and livelihood. Those who suffer from severe burn injuries often require a lengthy, painful recovery and may sustain permanent damage to their bodies and psyche. Medical costs and lost wages may be recovered in circumstances in which burn injuries are caused by another person’s negligence. If you have suffered from a burn injury, you may be entitled to compensation. To learn more about burn injury causes, contact our Provo, UT law firm, Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks.
The Different Types of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries may be external or internal. External burns occur when the skin is exposed to heat, chemicals, radiation, or electricity. Internal burns may occur when superheated gas or liquids are inhaled, the body is electrocuted, or certain chemicals are ingested. Burn injuries may be more or less severe depending on how many layers of skin and tissue are damaged.
- First-degree burns: First-degree burns, although painful, are the mildest. First-degree burns only affect the outer layer of skin, resulting in pain and redness of the tissue.
- Second-degree burns: Second-degree burns are more severe and affect the outer layer of skin, the epidermis, and the lower layer of skin, the dermis, causing pain, swelling, redness, and blistering.
- Third-degree burns: Third-degree burns, also called full-thickness burns, are the most severe, affecting the deeper tissues, which can include the bone and muscle. Third-degree burns can leave the skin blackened, charred, or white.
Causes of Burn Injuries
Both external and internal burns have a variety of causes. Thermal burns, caused by contact with something hot, are the most common burn injury and can occur in the home or may occur at work, especially in professions where employees are exposed to steam, scalding liquids, or hot metals. Some of the most common causes of burn injuries include:
- Contact with fire
- Contact with a hot object, like iron or oven
- Contact with steam or boiling liquid, such as coffee or hot water
- Contact with chemicals
- Contact with electricity
- Radiation
- Friction
- Defective products, like appliances or electronics
Your Legal Options after a Burn Injury
If you or a loved one have suffered a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence or a defective product, such as electronics or other appliances, you may be entitled to recovery of medical bills, lost wages, and personal damages. A personal injury lawyer can evaluate your case and determine if the circumstances of your case are grounds for legal recovery of compensation.
Contact the Attorneys of Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks
If you or a loved one have been the victim of a burn injury as a result of a defective product or another person’s negligence, it is important to meet with a personal injury attorney to learn more about your legal options. To learn more about your legal rights, we welcome you to contact our personal injury attorneys today.