Charlotte Thermal Burn Injury Lawyers

Thermal burn injuries are heat burns that happen when some or all of the skin cells or other tissue become destroyed due to exposure to high temperatures. The most common cause of thermal burns is hot liquids, hot solids, or flames. Many thermal burns cause an extreme amount of pain and injury and require extensive medical treatment. Indeed, severe thermal burns can cause damage to the surface of the skin as well as the underlying layers of muscle, bone, and tissue.

The delicate tissue of the nose, mouth, and eyes can become severely damaged by thermal burns. Thermal burns can also occur on less delicate other skin tissues. If you have suffered a severe thermal burn injury caused by someone else's negligence, you may have a claim for compensation. Many severe thermal burns cause permanent injury or disfigurement. The windpipes and lungs can also suffer damage when people inhale superheated air. Contact our skilled personal injury lawyers at Arnold & Smith, PLLC today to schedule your initial consultation.

Thermal burns often take place in the workplace from fires, explosions, or exposure to dangerous chemicals. Thermal burns can also happen in a Charlotte motor vehicle accident when gas leaks or a fire or explosions takes place because of the car accident. Explosions, electrocution, electrical burns, exposure to toxic chemicals, and exposure to high levels of electricity can also cause thermal burns.

Thermal burns that occur in the workplace account for a significant portion of burn victims who need to seek treatment in a hospital for their wounds. Workplaces throughout North Carolina are required to follow strict safety guidelines. Laboratories, construction sites, metal shops, steel mills, and refineries are all places at which a fire could break out and cause thermal burns. Workplaces must comply with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) safety standards. Doing so helps prevent the chance of dangerous conditions in the workplace that could cause or result in thermal burns.

The most common causes of fires and explosions that cause or result in thermal burns include the following:

• Exposure to hot vapor and steam
• Explosions
• Corrosive substances including strong acids and alkaloids
• Hot liquids including grease and water
• Hot glass, metal, and objects
• Electric current
• Rust removers, caustic cleaning agents, drain cleans, and other toxic chemicals

Workplaces have a duty to maintain safety standards to prevent fires and explosions that can cause a thermal burn. Additionally, when fires, explosions, or chemical spills happen, companies must have ways to stop the fire as soon as possible. Companies should have functional fire extinguishers, fire suppression systems, and sprinklers to put out any fires that start. The business location must have signs that clearly indicate where to exit the building, and the exits must remain unblocked and accessible.

Most Charlotte employers are required to carry workers' compensation insurance. When workers become injured at work, they have a right to file a workers' compensation claim to recover monthly or lump sum payments for their injuries. When a business's negligence caused the fire that resulted in an employee's severe thermal burns, the employee likely has a right to bring a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. For example, if a company knew or should have known that dangerous conditions existed in their warehouse or factory and that negligence caused a fire, they could be liable for their employee's injuries.

Burns can be some of the most excruciating injuries from which to heal. Thermal burns often cause catastrophic, debilitating injuries that alter people's lives for the negative. Many thermal burns are severe enough to require skin grafts. Skin grafts are some of the most painful surgeries to undergo. Recovery from skin grafts can take years. In a skin graft, surgeons take skin from a healthy part of the body and transfer it to the burned part of the body. Not only will the burned part of the body continue to experience pain and disfigurement, but the healthy part of the skin will also become injured and scarred from the procedure.

Anytime an individual suffers a severe thermal burn injury, it is important to speak to a skilled personal injury burn lawyer as soon as possible. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we have extensive experience representing burn injury victims and we can use that experience to help you. Contact our personal injury law firm today to schedule your initial consultation. Now taking cases throughout North Carolina with offices in Uptown Charlotte, Mooresville, and Monroe.