Parilman & Associates – Fighting for the Rights of Burn Injury Victims

Of all the injuries that could occur, perhaps the most painful in general are burn injuries.  No one who hasn’t suffered through this sort of experience can completely understand what it’s like to deal with the extreme pain and suffering that always results from severe burns, and for many people life is never the same.

This is especially true if someone suffers serious burn injuries as a result of the negligence or recklessness of someone else.  The victims of these situations are often left to attempt to pick up the pieces by way of ongoing and sometimes excruciating physical rehabilitation and surgery and attempting to regain their costs for medical bills and lost income. 

Below is a brief overview of the legal issues surrounding burn injuries.

Burn Injuries in General

Burn injuries occur in the United States at an alarming rate.  More than 2 million burn injuries are reported every year, and more than 600,000 of those burn injuries are treated at some level by medical professionals.  Additionally, more than 75,000 burn injuries required a stay in the hospital for intensive treatment.

Types of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are categorized in terms of degrees, and below is a brief explanation of each degree associated with the particular burn injury:

• First Degree Burns – First degree burns are the least severe relative to the other classifications, and often feature redness of the skin and the tendency for the affected area to blanch when it’s touched.  These injuries involve sometimes-severe pain but minimal long-term tissue damage, and examples of first degree burns include sunburns and burns from overexposure to tanning lamps. 
• Second Degree Burns – Second degree burns attack the person’s skin on more than one level, damaging both the outer layer of the skin, known as the epidermis, and the inner layer, which is known as the dermis.  The symptoms associated with second degree burns include swelling, redness and blisters, and if the burn is not treated promptly and/or properly, it could develop into a third degree burn.
• Third Degree Burns – Third degree burns are the most severe classification of burn injuries, and these burns involve a complete burning and/or charring of the skin tissue on every level.  While most burn victims experience numbness in the areas where the burns are this severe, extreme pain is also associated with these injuries because of the second degree burns that tend to surround them.  Many times, a person who suffers from third degree burns must undergo extensive medical treatment that can include skin and/or tissue grafts to replace the area that’s been burned beyond the possibility of recovery.

Inhalation

One of the most overlooked injuries that occurs from fires involves inhalation of the smoke and fumes that are always part of a fire.  It’s estimated that there are more than 100 different toxins and irritants present in any typical fire’s smoke and flames, and inhaling these substances for any period of time can cause extreme damage.  These specific inhalation injuries can be diagnosed as:

• Heat inhalation – While this is somewhat rare, inhaling gases that are too hot can lead to damage to the trachea.
• Inhalation of toxins – Toxins are just what they sound like – substances that are toxic to humans.  If too many or too much of them are inhaled, it can lead to long-term damage of the lungs and even the heart or brain depending on the circumstances.
• Smoke inhalation – Many people caught in a fire are killed because of smoke inhalation.  This is because the smoke can cause them to pass out, and when trapped inside a burning room the unconscious person can actually suffocate before being burned to death. 

 

How to Deal with Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are not always immediately severe, so if you’ve been burned or even exposed to fire for a long period of time, you need to assume that you need medical attention even if you don’t feel as though you do.  As mentioned above, some second degree burns can advance themselves into third degree burns if not treated promptly, which means that if you feel pain of any sort from a burn, have it examined by a doctor.

Depending on the location on your body and the severity of the burns involved, you could also face situations where extensive physical rehabilitation is necessary in order to regain the use of certain parts of your body.  This is sometimes necessary because severe burns can not only destroy skin tissue, but also nerve endings in that area of the body.  If nerve endings are burned and charred beyond the possibility of rejuvenation, that area of the body may never be viable again for the burn injury victim.

Finally, if you or someone you love has been burned, contact the burn injury lawyers at Parilman & Associates as soon as possible to schedule a free initial consultation.  You need to obtain an understanding of your legal rights and options, so get that process started today.

Summary

Millions of people suffer burn injuries in the United States every year, and tens of thousands require hospital stays.  There are different degrees of burns – first, second and third – that define the severity of them, and inhalation is also a common burn injury.  If you’ve suffered a burn, get medical attention and contact Parilman & Associates for a free initial consultation.