One of the most painful, permanent and disfiguring injuries a person may suffer is a burn. Burns may occur in a workplace injury, motor vehicle accident or building fire among other causes. When you suffer catastrophic burns due to someone else’s negligence or reckless actions, you have every right to feel the unfairness of the situation.
Fire, chemicals, radiation, boiling water and other sources can lead to burns of varying degrees and severity. Texas medical responders and emergency room physicians will carefully assess the types of burns you have suffered, and they will determine a course of treatment and what you can expect to achieve in your recovery. It is possible that the prognosis will not be good, and depending on the circumstances, you may have a great deal of pain and suffering to look forward to.
How bad is it?
Following a burn accident, responders will focus first on ensuring you can breathe and that your blood and other fluids are flowing as normally as possible. They may also check for spinal or brain injury before tending to your burns. A burn can damage far more than your skin and may cause rapid dehydration, shock and other dangerous conditions. In addition to treating these, your doctor will assess how deeply the burns affect your body, for example:
- A first-degree burn may be painful, but you can probably treat it at home with antibiotics and over-the-counter pain medication.
- A second-degree burn reaches the middle layer of skin and may require a skin graft to heal. You can expect such injuries to leave a scar.
- A third-degree burn damages the deepest layer of skin, the hair follicles, nerve endings and even your sweat glands. You will likely have extensive scarring.
- Doctors will also estimate what percentage of your body surface area is burned.
The most severe burns may even affect your internal organs and lead to chronic or fatal health issues. You can expect to spend years recovering from your injuries, undergoing skin grafts and fighting off infections.
In addition to the physical suffering that accompanies a severe burn injury, you can expect financial struggles as you cover the costs of your treatment. Burn injuries can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills. If your pain and suffering results from someone else’s negligence, you may find hope for a brighter future after speaking with a skilled and determined legal professional who can assist you in seeking the compensation you deserve.
