Burn Injury

Burn injuries are among the most painful of injuries and can take a long time for recuperation and rehabilitation. Although a burn injury can be non-life-threatening, depending on the severity of the injury, the damage caused by the burn accident can be permanent and require years for recovery. Unfortunately, not everyone involved in a burn accident, which includes chemical burns and electrical burns, survives.

According to the National Institutes for Health (nlm.nih.gov), a burn is damage to the body's tissue that is caused by heat, chemicals, sunlight, electricity or radiation. Burn injuries can cause swelling, blistering, scarring, shock and death. They can also cause serious or fatal infections.

The National Institutes for Health notes that approximately 4,500 burn fatalities occur annually in the US. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that approximately 1.1 million burn injuries require medical attention every year, approximately 50,000 burn injuries require hospitalization and approximately 20,000 are major burns that involve at least 25 percent of the total body surface. In addition to the 4,500 people who die from their burn injuries, approximately 10,000 die every year from burn-related infections.

Not everyone who dies in a fire accident dies from burn injuries. Some people succumb to smoke inhalation and/or toxic fumes. Furthermore, airways and lungs can be damaged as a result of inhaling hot fumes and gases.

Of all catastrophic injuries, burns are among the most expensive injuries to treat. For instance, an extensive burn injury covering 30 percent of total body area can require extended care in a burn unit at a major medical facility and involve a skin graft as treatment.
  Thermal Burns:

This is the most common of burn injuries and occurs from heat or fire, such as scalding from hot liquids (such as grease and boiling water), open flames, hot objects, and flash burn injuries (explosions).

Electrical Burns:

Electrical burns occur when an electrical current travels through the body and meets resistance in the body's tissues, causing a burn injury in several areas, including the points of entry and exit on the skin, as well as the muscles and tissue through which the current passes. Electrical burns can heat up to 5,000 degrees Celsius. Damage to the bones, blood vessels and nerves can also occur, and a fatal heart attack may also result if the electrical current passes through the center of the body.

Unlike other burn injuries, electrical burns may not look severe on the outside though significant internal damage may have occurred.

Chemical Burns:

Chemical burns are often severe and the longer the exposure, the more severe the injury will be. They generally result from exposure to strong acids or alkaloids or other corrosive materials such as industrial cleaners used in the workplace (acidic rust removers and cleaning agents, basic drain cleaners, etc.) and various chemicals used in laboratory and manufacturing workplaces. These materials eat away or "burn" skin and deeper tissue.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) system uses a diagram of symbols and numbers to indicate the degree of hazard associated with a particular chemical or material.
  Burn injuries are classified as superficial, partial thickness and full thickness, depending on how deeply the tissue is affected. Previously, they were classified as first degree, second degree or third degree burns.

Superficial—First degree burns are superficial burns to the first layer of skin (epidermis) that cause redness, swelling and minor pain, such as a sunburn. They usually heal on their own and do not cause permanent damage.

Partial Thickness—Second degree burns cause damage to two layers of the skin, from the epidermis to the dermis. Second-degree burns usually don't require surgery but scarring may result. Some victims opt for skin grafting if they have suffered extensive injuries. Second-degree burns can cause pain, sensitivity, redness and blisters.

Full Thickness—Third degree burns are extremely serious. All layers of skin are affected, as well as underlying tissue, producing a brown or black leathery appearance. They require surgical skin grafting or transplantation. Skin grafting is usually required.

Fourth-Degree burns extend into the muscle beneath the skin (as classified by the Journal of the American Medical Association).

Register your Burn Injury Case

If you or a loved one has suffered injury from a burn, please click the link below to send your complaint to a lawyer to evaluate your claim at no cost or obligation.
Last updated on Dec-2-21