Phillips Webster - Fighting for Victims of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are all too common in the United States, and few injuries present as many difficult challenges. A burn injury is not only excruciatingly painful, but can be extremely difficult to treat and can involve seemingly endless recovery times. Additionally, the scarring and residual effects of a burn injury can last a lifetime.

Below is a look at some of the causes of burn injuries, the types and degrees of severity of burn injuries, the general fallout that occurs as a result of them and how you should proceed if you or someone you love has suffered a burn injury as a result of someone else's actions.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries can be caused in any number of ways, but of the nearly 2.5 million people in the United States who suffer from burn injuries every year, below are some examples of the most common causes:
  • Fire accidents
  • Auto accidents
  • Motorcycle accidents
  • Defective household products
  • Defective outdoor products
  • Defective in-home wiring
Clearly, there are additional causes of burn injuries, but regardless of the specifics, if the cause of this injury can be attributed to the wrongful conduct of another, Washington law will come into play, especially if one considers the pain and suffering that every burn injury victim experiences based on the breakdown of the types of burn injuries discussed below.

Types of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries can be categorized in a basic sense into two categories - burn injuries of varying severity and injuries caused by smoke and other elements of a fire. Each is briefly described below.

Degrees of Burn Injuries

  • First Degree Burns - A first degree burn is the least severe of the burn injuries defined, as it is marked by redness and pain on the outer layer of the skin. Many different first degree burns will heal on their own with a bit of help from lotions.

  • Second Degree Burns - Second degree burns are more severe, and they usually involve symptoms that include damage to both the inner and outer layers of skin, including the formation of blisters. Second degree burns that are not promptly treated can progress to a more severe stage.

  • Third Degree Burns - These represent the most severe types of burns, where the skin is burned through and charred. These burns penetrate every layer of the skin tissue and create numbness in the affected area. Many third degree burns can only be treated with invasive and difficult surgery known as skin grafts.

Smoke-Related Injuries

When a fire erupts, there are many other potential injuries that can result aside from contact with flames and high temperatures. Smoke is a toxic substance, and depending on the substances being burned, it can lead to a poisoning of anyone who inhales it. Below is a look at a few of these injuries:
  • Smoke Inhalation - It is estimated that more than half of all fatalities that occur as a result of fires are the result of smoke inhalation. The reasons are quite clear - inhaling toxic substances in huge volumes can destroy the respiratory system, shut down organs and lead to a painful death whereby the victim basically suffocates.

  • Heat inhalation - Smoke is also hot in terms of temperature, and inhaling it not only allows toxins to invade the system, but it also leads to the potential for the lungs to be singed or even burned from the inside out if the inhalation is of substances that are too high in temperature. This is incredibly painful and usually leads to a death filled with suffering if the victim is not treated immediately.

Burn Injury Fallout

Obviously, injuries such as these that are so severe in nature can lead to a lifetime of medical, emotional and financial consequences. Below are just a few examples of what burn injury victims must deal with as they fight to recover.
  • Skin graft procedures - Skin graft surgery is the process whereby burned and dead skin tissue is removed and replaced with live tissue. The new skin tissue must be sewn onto the affected area, and the results are far from guaranteed. It's also a given that the patient will have to deal with a tremendous amount of pain and suffering while the tissue attempts to regenerate.

  • Scarring - Even if procedures such as skin grafts prove successful, it's nearly impossible to avoid deep and permanent scarring in and around the area of the original injury and the surgery if such a procedure was performed.

  • Rehabilitation - Some burn injuries affect the limbs and other areas of the body that lead to nerve damage, thereby requiring the patient to undergo intensive physical rehabilitation in order to regain as much of the use of those areas as possible.

How to Proceed

Clearly, all of the fallout described above involves substantial costs. If you or someone you love has suffered from burn injuries in Washington as a result of someone else's actions, you need to contact the burn injury lawyers at Phillips Webster today to schedule a free initial consultation.
 



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