The American Burn Association states that there are 1.1 million yearly burn injuries in the United States that are bad enough for treatment. About 45,000 of these injuries require a hospital stay with approximately 4,500 deaths per year. Burn injuries are often caused by the intentional, reckless, or negligent conduct of another party. Burns can be caused by defective products, automobile accidents, fires, and work-related injuries, among other disasters.

These injuries can lead to severe disfigurement, life-threatening infections, and extreme pain, and victims often need ongoing surgeries and treatment that lead to high medical costs. Because burns can result in temporary or permanent disability, many victims have months or years of lost income. If you or someone you love suffers an accidental burn injury, it’s important to speak to an experienced Long Beach burn injury attorney about recovering financial compensation.

Burn Classifications

With a burn injury case, it’s vital to understand the financial and medical impact of the various burn classifications. Burns are classified by cause or type. The most common types are electrical burns, chemical burns, and thermal burns. Electrical burns result from electric currents passing through the body. Chemical burns result from caustic chemicals such as solvents, detergents, alkalines, and acids encountering the eyes or skin. Thermal burns are caused by an external heat source raising the temperature of the skin which causes it and the underlying tissue to die. Hot metals, scalding liquids, steam, and flames can all result in thermal burns.

Treatment for Burns

Nerve endings get damaged when a person’s skin is burned, which causes extreme pain. Many medical providers believe that serious burns are the most painful injury a person can experience. Because burns damage the skin’s protective barrier, they often lead to infection with up to 10,000 people in the U.S. dying each year as a result.

Burn treatment may involve debridement, which is the surgical removal of dead tissue. If the damage is so bad that it prevents healing, a skin graft may be needed. Grafts take a piece of skin from an unburned body area and transplant it to the damaged area. Burn victims may also need physical therapy to keep the injured areas flexible and minimize scarring. In children, graft replacements may be necessary as the child grows because grafts do not expand.

Outcomes of Serious Burns

Burn treatments are progressing. Injuries that were once fatal are now survivable. Just twenty years ago, if half the body was burned, it was a death sentence. Today, even burns that cover up to 90 percent of the body don’t have to be fatal, though they leave serious and permanent impairments.

Not only do burn victims suffer physically, but they also deal with emotional and monetary repercussions. They may require years of physical therapy, nursing, and psychological care. They often must live with scarring, disfigurement, and life-long emotional issues. Because of these physical hurdles, they also face the loss of earnings, high medical bills, and other financial damages.

Choosing a Long Beach Burn Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious burn, it’s imperative that you contact a law team with the necessary experience to handle the physical, emotional, and legal challenges facing burn injury survivors. At JML Law, we understand the complicated medical and legal issues involved in these injuries and have the expertise to successfully present these issues before a jury. Our well-respected firm has substantial resources that allow us to prosecute the most complicated cases and a history of obtaining substantial recoveries for burn victims. Call us today at 818-610-8800 for a free case evaluation.

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