Houston Serious Burn Injuries Attorney | Take That To Trial
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It is safe to affirm that few injuries are as painful and devastating as severe burns. Even though many burns happen at home, there are lots of preventable severe burn injuries that happen outside the home. Some significant causes of fire outside the home include industrial fire and the collision of motor vehicles. It is worth stressing that severe burns come with excruciating pain, which can leave victims with long-lasting scars.
Severe burn injuries are quite common in the United States. In 2016, more than 485,000 people received medical treatment for burn injuries in the United States. Besides this, depending on the severity of the burn injury, the use of a band-aid or multiple surgeries may be needed to treat victims. If your burn injury is a result of someone's negligence you need, you need to pursue a compensation claim.
The importance of adequate preparation cannot be ignored. The disfigurement that results from severe burns can expose victims to emotionally trying and painful periods. Burns can come from different sources, including heat, exposure to chemicals, electrocution, and even time spent in the sun.
Nonetheless, you need the right legal assistance to make the right informed decisions. At Take That To Trial, our attorneys will help you get your life back on track after a life-altering accident. Our team of experienced attorneys will answer all your questions during a free, private consultation. We represent numerous clients throughout the state of Texas.
Causes of Burn Injuries
Different kinds of events may result in a fire or burn injury in Houston. While fires are often the reasons, defective products or chemical spills may also be the cause. Some common causes of burn injuries are introduced as follows:
Fires
Fire burns represent a very common burn injury in the United States. Common causes of these kinds of injuries are listed as follows:
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Car accidents
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Bonfires
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Gas stoves
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Electrical fires
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Grills
In addition, workplace fires often make up a large proportion of burns annually. Sometimes, when electrical equipment develops faults, it may cause a fire, which will result in severe injury.
Chemicals
Chemical burns may be a result of the improper handling of chemicals, including:
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Acid
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Chlorine
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Bleach
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Other cleaning chemicals
It must be stressed that chemical burns only account for a small fraction of burns across the United States. Be that as it may, they are still capable of leaving permanent damage, as well as serious burns. Victims of chemical burns may permanently lose their sense of touch in the affected region.
Steam and hot liquids
Severe burn injuries may also result from steam and hot liquids. A second-degree burn may occur if a liquid at an unsafe temperature spills on your skin. Besides this, if a person drinks a liquid at a very high temperature, they may sustain internal burns, which may prove complex to treat. Examples of hot liquids that can cause a burn include soup, coffee, steam, and hot water.
Different Types of Burn Injuries You Might Suffer From
A vast majority of burn injuries require medical attention annually in the United States. However, different burn injuries vary in their severity. Four different kinds of burns will be listed as follows:
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Fire, steam, and hot liquids may cause thermal burns.
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UV rays and other light sources can cause light burns.
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Strong chemicals, acids, or alkalis may result in a chemical burn.
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Nuclear radiation is capable of causing radiation burns.
In addition, burn injuries are differentiated by doctors into three categories. The kind of treatment required is determined by the type of burn and its severity.
First-Degree Burns
First-degree burns represent the least severe burns. Yet, this does not mean they should be handled with levity. The affected area of a first-degree burn will become red and sensitive to touch. These burns are usually followed by minimal tissue damage. Only the first layer of the skin is affected by the burn. Sunburn is a good example of a first-degree burn.
Second-Degree Burns
Second-degree burns affect the top and underlying skin layers. The symptoms of a second-degree burn could include redness, blisters, pain, and swelling. These symptoms are often obvious around the affected area. The burns may also impact the hair follicles and sweat glands of the victim. Serious medical attention is needed to prevent further complications. Otherwise, affected areas may keep swelling while reducing the blood flow in the tissue. This could result in a third-degree burn.
Third-Degree Burns
Third-degree burns represent the most severe type of burn. They require instant and serious medical attention. Besides affecting all skin layers, they also result in the charring of the skin. Severe pain or numbness might be felt around the affected areas.
These burns are often characterized by slow healing and recovery processes. This is because the burn destroys the skin tissue. As a result, treatment for severe burns can cost as much as tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in short- and long-term medical care.
Treatment of Burn Injuries
The treatment of burn injuries often depends on the severity and cause. You should keep all the affected areas clean. You should also apply the right bandages, which should also depend on the severity of the wounds. Treating a person's pain is key: without appropriate control, it is possible to interfere with wound care.
Ensure that you keep checking the wounds for any signs of infection, as well as long-term issues, which could include tightening and scarring of the skin over muscles and joints. This makes them quite difficult to move.
The treatment you give will depend on the burn type. This includes:
First-degree burns: Run cool water over the burn. Don’t apply ice on the burn. For sunburns, you can apply aloe vera gel. If you are dealing with thermal burns, you can apply antibiotic cream while covering lightly with gauze. You can also resort to over-the-counter pain medications.
Second-degree burns: Treatments for second- and first-degree burns are quite similar. Depending on your healthcare provider, you may need a stronger antibiotic cream that contains silver. This can help you to kill bacteria. You can reduce pain and swelling by elevating the burned area.
Third-degree burns: It should be noted that third-degree burns can be life-threatening. In most cases, they require skin grafts. Skin grafts are used to replace damaged tissue with healthy skin from another uninjured part of the victim's body. The region where the skin graft is taken from can heal on its own.
If there is not enough skin available for a graft when the injury happened, a temporary source of graft can be sought from a man-made (artificial) source. However, these must be eventually replaced by the victim's skin. Treatment may also include extra fluids. This will help in keeping blood pressure steady while preventing shock and dehydration.
Establishing Liability in Severe Burn Injury Cases
The cause of a burn and how it happened will determine who is liable for a burn injury. For instance, an employer, landlord, or driver may be responsible for a severe burn injury.
Landlord's negligence
Landlords are required to provide safe living conditions for their tenants. These homeowners are often subject to all state, federal, and municipal safety regulations. The following precautions apply for fire safety:
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Installation of fireproof doors
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Making sure that smoke detectors are on correctly and working
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Regularly checking fire extinguishers
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Keeping all emergency escape routes clear
By failing to meet these safety standards, a landlord might be liable for any injuries that result.
Burns from Workplace Accidents
Certain work environments may subject employees to fire or burn injuries. According to reports, Fires and explosions alone cause about 5,000 workplace burn injuries in the United States annually. Be that as it may, when a worker sustains a burn injury at their workplace due to the negligence of their employers, they are entitled to a workers' compensation claim.
To make the best decision, it is important for victims to reach out to a top Houston burn injury attorney to figure out their legal options as soon as possible.
Burns from Car Accidents
Sometimes, heat, electricity, or toxic chemicals may cause severe burns for drivers or passengers following a car accident. If the car crash was caused by the negligence or recklessness of a driver, which resulted in a fire, you have the right to hold the driver liable for your burn injury, as well as other accident losses.
You should speak to our top attorneys at Take That To Trial. We have the experience to help you hold the guilty party liable for your injury. You can schedule a free consultation with our top attorneys to explore your legal options.
Considering Legal Action after Severe Burn Injuries
If you suffer a severe burn injury due to the negligence of another party, then you are entitled to compensation. Then, the important first step to take is to contact the best personal injury attorney for a burn injury in any area of your body. You should allow the lawyer to worry about your case while you recover.
Personal injury claims that are due to burn accidents require you to prove that the at-fault party contributed to the burn injury. You must also show that you suffered substantial damages as a result of the injury. Then, you can allow your Houston serious burn injury attorney to establish a basis for liability. Then, the focus is to maximize damages as much as possible.
You will find top burn injury attorneys at Take That To Trial. We have won numerous burn cases against apartment building owners, daycare centers, auto manufacturers, and construction accident cases involving serious burns. We are dedicated to winning your burn injury lawsuit. We will guide you through the entire legal process
Damages in Severe Burn Injury Cases
Trauma and punishment are two of the numerous consequences of severe burns. The severity of the burn dictates the seriousness of the case. Oftentimes, burn cases attract higher compensation once liability has been established.
It is worth noting that relatively minor burns like first-degree attract less value than more severe burns. According to a study, it was shown that first-degree burn cases often bring less amount of compensation than expected while second and third-degree burns attract substantially more compensation.
Many accidents often result in scars or disfigurements. However, there are two major categories of scars. A scar or disfigurement can either be medically reversible or irreversible. This depends on the nature and severity of the injury. In either case, the victim of a burn injury can pursue a compensation claim, especially when the injury is caused by someone else.
When the disfigurement is medically reversible and caused by another party, it is possible for the victim to sue the guilty party for the medical expenses that have been incurred in reversing the damage their negligence caused.
Furthermore, the damages you suffer due to the severe burn can either be economic or non-economic. Economic damages refer to compensation for objectively verifiable monetary losses like past and future medical expenses, loss of past and future earnings, and more. On the other hand, non-economic damages refer to compensation for subjective, non-monetary losses such as pain, suffering, and inconvenience.
Some damages you can pursue compensation for include:
Medical bills: Severe burns often lead to surgery, doctor's appointments, the use of medication, and other necessary treatments. You can pursue compensation for these.
Lost wages: As you recover from the severe burn accident and injury, you will be unable to work. You lose wages once you don't work. You can also include these as damages you require compensation for.
Pain and suffering: Severe burns often cause victims excruciating pain and suffering. When this is caused by another party, you must seek compensation for it.
Are There Any Complications of Burn Injuries?
Third-degree burns are often deep and may affect a very large region of the skin. These injuries are serious and may be life-threatening. Besides this, first-degree and second-degree burns may become infected, which can result in complications.
However, third-degree burn injuries can lead to certain complications. Some of these are listed below:
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Dehydration
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Arrhythmia, or heart rhythm disturbances, a result of an electrical burn
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Disfiguring scars and contractures
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Organ failure.
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Edema (excess fluid and swelling in tissues)
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Pneumonia
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Severe infection that may lead to amputation or sepsis.
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Hypotension (seriously low blood pressure), may result in shock.
Preventing a Burn Injury
The devastating impact of a burn injury has been stated earlier. It should also be noted that many accidental causes may result in burns. The following steps can help you reduce the possibility of burns:
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Your home's hot water heater should not go beyond 120 degrees Fahrenheit
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Wear sunscreen
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Lock up chemicals, lighters, and matches
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Always test the water in a shower or bath before getting in or bathing a child
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Don’t hold a child when you’re near hot objects, such as the stove
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Use the stove’s back burners as much as possible when cooking, turn the handles of pots and pans where they won’t be bumped, and don’t leave the stove unattended
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Install and regularly test smoke detectors in your home
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Set safeguards around a fireplace and never leave a child unattended.
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Make sure that enough fire extinguishers are available in your home and know how to use them.
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Cover all electrical outlets
Speak to a Competent Severe Burn Injury Lawyer at Take That To Trial
The injuries of severe burns can be long-term, causing victims so much suffering. For most people, dealing with the excruciating pain and the mounting medical costs can be daunting. When this injury is caused by another party's negligence, then victims can file a lawsuit in court against the guilty party. However, establishing liability and getting the compensation you need for recovery requires having irrefutable evidence.
Doing all these on your own may be quite impossible. After all, this process can be complex, particularly if you are still recovering from the injury. Rather, you can reach out to our competent severe burn injury lawyers in Houston and schedule a free consultation.
If you have been injured in an accident that led to serious burns, then reaching out to our lawyers is important. Our records at Take That To Trial are remarkable. We have won millions of dollars for our clients who have been wrongfully injured. Our severe burn injury attorneys have more than 20 years of legal experience.
Besides this, we are licensed with the State Bar of Texas, U.S. Southern and Eastern District Courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. We deeply care about our clients and we are not afraid to take the fight to big companies and insurance companies in trial courts across Texas.
We have the necessary resources that can help you recover the compensation that you need for lost wages, medical treatment, pain, mental anguish, suffering, and more. You can schedule a free consultation with our top attorneys and we will answer all the questions you may have. Our lawyers at Take That To Trial will work hard to get you every dollar you deserve.
To know more, you can reach out to us via:
Email: info@takethattotrial.com
Ph: (832) 770-6100
Fax: (832) 426-5798
You can visit us at 1401 Cleburne St,
Houston, Texas 77004
We are eager to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burns?
Ans: First-degree burns only involve the outermost layer of skin and are often mild. A very bad sunburn is considered a first-degree burn.
Second-degree burns can occur when the second layer of skin is burned. These burns can often result in blisters and are painful.
Third-degree burns are the most severe burns and often involve all layers of the skin. These burns can result in permanent tissue damage. They can be life-threatening.
2. What should I do if I get burned?
Ans: Your action depends on the level of burn. Oftentimes, first-degree burns are easily treated at home. This type of burn can be easily treated by applying a wet, cold compress or immersing the burn in cool tap water.
Ensure that you do not apply butter, ice, or ointment to the surface of the burn. You should cover the burn with a sterile bandage. You should not pop blisters if they form. Allow them to heal on their own. You can also take over-the-counter pain medication to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
On the other hand, second-degree or third-degree burns often require instant medical attention. They should be treated at a hospital or a burn center.
3. What causes burns?
Ans: Lots of factors can result in a burn. Thermal sources are the most common causes of burns. Some of these include fire, hot liquids, steam, and contact with hot surfaces. Other causes of burns are listed as follows:
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Electricity
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Chemicals, including cement, acids, or drain cleaners.
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Radiation.
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Sun (ultraviolet light).
4. What are the signs of burns?
Ans: Burn symptoms may range based on the severity or degree of the burn. Some symptoms are often worse during the first few hours or days after the burn. Some symptoms of burn injuries include:
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Blisters
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Swelling
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Pain
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Peeling skin
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White or charred (black) skin
5. How common are burns?
Ans: Almost half a million people are rushed to the emergency department annually due to burn injuries. Children are often exposed to high risks for accidental burns. More than 300 children receive emergency treatment for burn injuries daily.