Burn Injury Claims Lawyers
Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma and throughout Washington
Burns are among the most painful of injuries, the slowest to heal, and the most prone to leaving large scars.
Sources of Burn Injuries
Heat of some kind causes most
burns, but some are also caused by friction, as in some falls, or extreme cold, e.g. frostbite. Burn experts think of burns in 6 groups:
- Open flames - residence fires, car accidents, gas appliances
- Scalding - from hot liquids, grease and steam, e.g., in home or restaurant kitchens
- Contact burns - from touching a hot surface or substance
- Radiation - from ultraviolet light such as sunlight, or from a home furnace or fireplace
- Chemicals - spills at home or at work, defective products
- Electricity - ungrounded wiring, broken wires
Burns are most frequently from the first 3 groups.
Types of Burn Injury
Depth of the burn
- First degree - only the top layer of skin is burnt, as in mild sunburn
- Second degree - the top and second layers are burnt and blisters form. First and second degree burns can be treated with first aid and heal by themselves.
- Third degree - the entire skin as well as some underlying tissue is burnt and the burn is dry to the touch. The skin is numb and often white, hard, and waxy.
- Fourth degree - the entire skin and underlying tissue even down to the bone is burnt. These burns look dark, even black.
Third and fourth degree burns require expert medical treatment and will probably leave a lot of scarring.
Size of the burn
- Minor burns - affect less than 10% of body area, or in children and the elderly, less than 5%. They need only outpatient care.
- Moderate burns - affect 10-20% of the body, or in children and the elderly, 5-10%. They need hospitalization.
- Major burns - affect more than 20% of the body, or in children and the elderly, more than 10%. They require treatment in a special burn unit of the hospital.
Treatments
Our skin has many functions and one is to protect us from fluid loss. When the skin is burnt, it can't do this, so we become dehydrated. Severe dehydration causes blood to become thick and therefore to circulate poorly, which can damage the heart, and cause other serious conditions.
Treatment of severe burns demands very careful attention. Here are some examples:
- Close monitoring for infection, since another of the skin's functions is to protect us from harmful bacteria
- Dressings must be changed often
- Antibiotics are given
- Burnt areas are kept extremely clean
- A skin graft may be required -- skin taken from elsewhere on the body and used to replace the lost skin
- Other surgery may be needed
- Physical therapy may be needed to help restore movement when muscles and ligaments have been burnt
Burn Injury claims
Since burns are among the most difficult, expensive, and time-consuming injuries to treat, compensation tends to be large.
Negligence
If the burn is the result of another person or company's carelessness, you may have a legal claim for compensation for the damages you have suffered. At Fuller & Fuller we've helped burn victims. Don't delay in consulting an experienced attorney.
At Fuller & Fuller, we understand how painful life can be if you've sustained a burn injury, or if a loved one has. If you've sustained a severe burn injury, or if a loved one has, contact our injury lawyers today for a free case evaluation.
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