Cumming Burn Injury Attorneys

Each year in the United States, 1,290 people are admitted to hospitals with extensive burns that require surgery and mechanical ventilation. The overall mortality rate for these severe burns is an average of 17.8% — demonstrating that burns are nothing to take lightly. 

If you’ve suffered a burn injury as a result of another person’s negligent or wrongful conduct, you could be facing significant medical bills as well as a future in which you may not be able to live your life as you did before the accident. What are your options?

At Kaufman Injury Law, our team of Cumming burn injury lawyers can help you file a personal injury claim so that you can collect damages. We have decades of experience, and we’ve helped clients recover millions in settlements and jury awards. With our guidance, you have the opportunity to get fair compensation. 

Understanding Burn Injuries and the Dangers They Pose

When you think of burn injuries, you likely think about ones caused by touching something very hot, but there are many different kinds of burns that you can suffer. All of them could send you to Northside Hospital Forsyth. 

Types of Burn Injuries

The most common burn injuries are thermal ones. These occur if you come into contact with something hot, which heats your skin cells and charrs them. Surfaces, liquids, steam, and open flames can all cause thermal burns. Approximately 86% of all burns are thermal.

Chemical burns can occur if your skin comes into contact with corrosive chemicals, including acids, detergents, and solvents. Chemicals can burn your eyes, too. 

You can also suffer electrical burns. These occur if you come into contact with electricity. The higher the voltage you’re exposed to, the more severe the burns can be. They may even affect your cardiac rhythm. 

Radiation burns occur after exposure to a significant amount of radiation. If you’re exposed to machinery that emits radiation or a healthcare provider is negligent in their use of X-rays or fluoroscopy services, you could suffer these burns. 

Burn Injury Degrees

To determine the right treatment, doctors assign a degree to burn injuries depending on their severity. The main thing healthcare providers look for is how many layers of tissue the burn has affected. 

First-degree burns affect only the top skin layer. They tend to leave your skin very red and dry, though you won’t have blistering. First-degree burns are painful, but they don’t usually leave scars.

Second-degree injuries affect the top skin layer as well as part of the dermis, which is the next layer. These burns do blister, and the area can be very swollen. There’s a risk of scarring with second-degree burns. 

The most severe burns are third-degree burns. These affect the surface layer, dermis, and underlying tissues, such as muscles and ligaments. They could even damage bones. Your skin at the site can be charred black or white. The potential for scarring that requires reconstructive surgery is high. 

Complications From Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are extremely painful and dangerous all on their own, but they also expose you to many complications that could be life-threatening. The most serious of these is infections. 

If you suffer burns that affect a significant part of your body, there’s a negative impact on the skin’s function as a barrier against microorganisms. The “bad” bacteria on the surface of your skin can overpower your body and result in serious consequences, including sepsis. 

Your body can also go into shock as a result of burns. Your blood pressure can crash, and you may struggle to regulate body temperature. At the same time, the body’s anti-inflammatory response could cause widespread organ damage. All of this makes it impossible to maintain vital functions. 

Another complication of burns is scarring. It’s common for burn injuries to result in keloid scars, which are particularly difficult to manage. Often, people who suffer burns require reconstructive surgery. 

Accidents That Can Result in Burn Injuries

Some types of accidents are more likely to result in burn injuries. 

Worksite Accidents

Working in construction sites, warehouses, or anywhere else where you come into contact with machinery can mean having a higher risk of suffering burn injuries. Machines can overheat or release steam and cause thermal burns, while exposure to high-voltage wires can lead to fatal electrical burns. 

If the machines aren’t maintained correctly or workers don’t have appropriate safety equipment, you could file a claim against worksite managers or other third parties. 

Traffic Accidents

People don’t often think of collisions as being likely to result in burns, but it’s a common cause of these injuries. During a crash, all manner of things can malfunction. Fuel lines can rupture, sending gasoline everywhere, the battery can leak battery acid, and metal parts can heat enough to burn. There’s also the risk of explosions. 

Defective Product Accidents

Household appliances could malfunction and cause burn injuries, as well. Faulty wiring can cause short circuits that may begin house fires, or the appliances can overheat — just touching them could result in burns. Defective boilers could heat water beyond safe ranges and scald you when you take a shower. 

Some products are defective because they don’t carry appropriate warnings. Cleaning products could be corrosive when mixed with other chemicals, leading to serious injuries. 

Damages Available in Cumming Burn Injury Claims 

When you file a claim, you have the opportunity to recover economic and non-economic damages. 

Economic Damages After Burn Injuries

These are damages that compensate you for the financial losses you’ve suffered. Medical expenses make up a large part of economic damages, covering everything from hospital stays to the rehabilitation you may need. If you require ongoing treatment or may need future reconstructive procedures, economic damages can cover that, too.

After a burn injury, you may be unable to go to work. That results in losing income you would otherwise have received. Lost wages cover the salaries, commissions, and bonuses you’ve not gotten and can also compensate you for lost vacation and sick days. 

If the injuries are severe enough to keep you from returning to work, you can claim loss of earning potential. This takes into account your age, potential job progression, and other factors. 

Non-Economic Damages After Burn Injuries

Not all losses are financial. You can experience emotional and physical distress as a result of the injuries, along with not being able to live your life as you used to. Non-economic damages help you recover these losses. You’re also able to claim loss of consortium, which compensates you for loss of support and companionship.

Contact Experienced Cumming Burn Injury Attorneys

Suffering burn injuries could leave you struggling with physical and emotional trauma, as well as with the financial strain of medical bills. If the burn injuries occurred as a result of someone else’s negligent or wrongful conduct, you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim and get compensation. The team of burn injury lawyers at Kaufman Injury Law offers experienced representation to make this process just a bit easier. We will gather the evidence to demonstrate you deserve compensation and aggressively negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. Contact our team to schedule a free consultation with a burn injury lawyer.