The Four Categories of Burn Injuries

How do medical professionals determine the severity of burn injuries in Charlotte, North Carolina? First, they evaluate how many layers of skin the burns have destroyed or injured. They also consider the surface area of the body that has been damaged by the burns. Have you or a loved one experienced a burn injury? If so, our experienced burn injury lawyers can help. Contact our Charlotte personal injury law firm, Arnold & Smith, PLLC, today to schedule your initial consultation. We offer potential clients a free case evaluation. Do not delay in seeking legal help because time is of the essence in personal injury lawsuits.

Burn injuries that happen in the workplace or home are incredibly common. These types of personal injuries are some of the most severe and complex to treat. Burn injuries can be mentally, emotionally, and physically disabling. According to the Centers for Disease Control, someone dies from a fire every two hours, on average, in the United States.

Someone becomes injured from burn injuries every 23 minutes in the United States. Additionally, every year, 1.1 million burn injuries require some sort of medical attention. Approximately 50,000 of these injuries require hospitalization. Of these injuries, over 20,000 involve major burns that cover at least 25% of a person's total body surface.

Burn injuries are more common than you might think. Many common household items can cause burn injuries. Contact with fire, boiling liquid, hot surfaces, and other sources can cause burn injuries. Burn injuries can happen almost anywhere, from the kitchen, in a car accident, in a restaurant, or in a workplace accident. In some cases, faulty electrical wiring causes serious accidents.

The least severe burns are categorized as first-degree burns. Nonetheless, first-degree burns can cause infections if not treated and can be extremely painful. Common causes of first-degree burns include burns from hot liquid or sunburns. In many cases, people can treat first-degree burns at home and do not need to seek medical treatment. However, depending on your circumstances and health conditions, a first-degree burn can still cause extensive pain or other medical conditions. Even if your burn injury is only a first-degree burn, you may still be able to seek damages if someone wrongfully caused your injury.

Second-degree burns happen when the top two layers of skin become burned. Blisters often form and skin can become painful and red. When second-degree burns are not properly treated, decreased blood flow and swelling can cause the burn to become worse and categorized into third-degree burns.

Third-degree burn injuries are the most severe type of burns that someone can experience. Exposure to fire, extremely hot steam, chemicals, electricity, exposures, and scalding hot liquid can all cause severe third-degree burns. Those who suffer third-degree burns need to seek immediate medical attention.

Many people are surprised to find that smoke inhalation kills more people every year than being exposed to fire directly. The victims of smoke inhalation often do not receive the necessary medical treatment they need because they might not appear to be injured. Nonetheless, heat inhalation can cause serious injuries in the upper airways including the esophagus, trachea, and the mucous membranes of the lungs. When extreme smoke inhalation happens, the lungs can directly become injured.

Smoke inhalation is also incredibly dangerous to a person's lungs. Many fatalities from burn injuries happen due to smoke inhalation. Severe smoke inhalation can cause lung problems in the long term and can even cause heart attacks and death.

When many people think of burn injuries, they probably think of skin injuries. However, burn injuries can also cause systemic toxins. Systemic toxins affect the body's ability to absorb oxygen and can lead to permanent brain damage or damage to other organs. Additionally, carbon monoxide poisoning is an example of systemic poisoning.

Those victims who suffer serious burn injuries can suffer dangerous complications. Infections are one of the main causes of death as a result of burn injuries. Particularly with third-degree burns, the infection possibility is extremely high. The more skin graft surgeries that a person must endure, the more risk of infection.

Our skilled burn injury lawyers are here to help. Contact our Charlotte personal injury lawyers as soon as possible to schedule your free case evaluation. Our attorneys have extensive experience in guiding burn victims through the difficult process of litigation.