Burn Injuries

What is a burn injury?  It is an injury to the skin and tissues of the body caused by heat, electricity, chemicals or radiation.

Approximately, two million people suffer burn injuries each year in the United States.  This  results in 300,000 serious injuries and 6,000 deaths annually.

There are three main types of burn injuries:

Chemical burns are caused chemical energy converting to thermal energy. The burns occur when tissue is exposed to a strong acid or alkali, such as phosphorus or mustard gas. The severity of a chemical burn depends on how long the chemical is in contact with the skin; flushing the skin with large amounts of water is essential.

Electrical burns are caused when an electrical current from an external source runs through the body at temperatures up to 5,000 degrees Celsius. The electrical current causes the body to incur a burn injury in several areas. This includes the current's point of entry and exit on the skin, as well as the muscles and tissue through which the current passes. Damage to the bones, blood vessels and nerves can also occur, and a fatal heart attack may result if the electrical current passes through the center of the body.

Thermal burn injuries are the most common and occur as a result of residential fires, automobile accidents, matches, gasoline, heaters or electrical malfunctions. Thermal injuries from fire or hot objects include: flame burns, deep burns that penetrate thick areas of skin and muscle; hot liquid burns, deep burns caused by liquids such as coffee, hot grease, soup or hot water; and flash injuries (burns to exposed skin usually caused by explosions).

Burn injuries are classified as first-, second- or third-degree burns:

First-degree burns affect the outer layer of skin, or epidermis. These are superficial burns that usually cause redness, swelling and pain. Sunburn is an example of a first-degree burn; although painful, it will usually heal on its own and not cause permanent damage.

Second-degree burns are serious injuries causing damage to several layers of the skin, going beyond the epidermis to the layer below (the dermis). Classified as either superficial or deep, second-degree burns can affect the outer part of the dermis or the innermost layers (deep). Superficial burns only affect the outermost part of the dermis, causing pain, sensitivity, redness and blisters. Deep burns extend to the deepest layers of the dermis. They appear as dry, white areas that are very painful to the touch. Second-degree burns usually don't require surgery, however, skin grafting is sometimes an option for people with extensive injuries. Scarring may result from second-degree burns.

Third-degree burns are the most serious type of burn injuries. All layers of skin are affected, as well as underlying tissue, producing a brown or black leathery appearance. Because the nerves are usually destroyed, third-degree burns usually are not painful, but they require surgical skin grafting or transplantation.

These kinds of serious injuries can result in life long damages.  Often the best way to receive fair treatment and compensation is by contacting a personal injury attorney for help.