Burn Injuries

Burn injuries can be some of the most excruciatingly painful injuries that a person can experience. Burn injuries can happen in several different ways. In North Carolina, car accidents are a frequent cause of burn injuries of all levels of severity. When a vehicle catches fire after a car accident, the driver and any passengers or bystanders are at risk of suffering a burn. If you or a loved one suffered a burn injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident, you could be entitled to compensation.

Under North Carolina law, when someone’s negligence or recklessness causes another person’s injuries, the injured party can sue for monetary compensation. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we fight for our clients’ rights to compensation. We understand how difficult it is to attempt to pay expensive medical bills while trying to recover from painful burn injuries at the same time. Successful North Carolina personal injury plaintiffs are entitled to compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, lost consortium, and pain and suffering. If you have suffered from a burn injury due to another person's negligence, it is wise to speak to an attorney. Contact our law offices to set up your free consultation.

Though car fires are rare, they still happen and can cause severe burns. In a car fire, the collision causes a spark that ignites leaking fuel and causes an explosion or severe fire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) put standards in place in the 1970s that limit the amount of fuel that can spill from a motor vehicle's fuel system. The reason for these standards is to prevent too much fuel from spilling out of a car's fuel system during an accident and catching fire.

Car manufacturers are subject to rigid standards when it comes to the allowable amount of fuel spillage in a car accident. If your vehicle caught on fire in your car accident, your car might have had a defective design or a manufacturing problem that caused the fire. If so, you may be able to bring a product liability lawsuit against the car's manufacturer. Proving that a vehicle manufacturer failed to manufacture a reasonably safe product is not an easy task. Arnold & Smith, PLLC we know the best ways to investigate all of the facts relating to a motor vehicle accident. If a manufacturing defect or failure to comply with safety regulations caused your car fire and injuries, we can help you fight for compensation.

Most burns that occur during car accidents happen when the victim's skin comes in contact with fire, steam, hot water, or heated metal. The hot steam from leaking radiator fluid can cause mild to severe burns. If a vehicle was carrying toxic chemicals or substances when the car accident occurred, the driver or passenger could suffer from chemical burns if the chemicals come into contact with their skin.

Burns fall into four categories. First degree burns are the mildest burns. First degree burns only affect the epidermis, which is the outer layer of skin. In a first degree burn, the skin will have no blisters, but the burn site may be dry, painful, or red. Typically, first degree burns do not cause any long term damage to the skin except for changes in skin color in rare cases.

A second-degree burn affects the epidermis, or outside skin layer, and at least part of the dermis located beneath the epidermis. In second degree burns, the site of the burn may be painful, swollen, red, and blistered.

Third-degree burns destroy both the top layer of skin, the epidermis, and the dermis or second layer of skin. These severe burns may go down to the innermost skin layer called the subcutaneous tissue. Third-degree burn sites may look charred or black.

Fourth-degree burns burn through all layers of skin and possibly deeper tissue under the skin. The muscle and bones may be affected. Those with fourth-degree injuries will not be able to feel the affected area.

If you have suffered from burns as a result of another driver’s negligent driving, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the North Carolina burn injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC today to set up your free consultation.