Each year thousands of people die, and thousands more sustain injuries because of fires and ferns. Burn injuries are among the most serious and can reach catastrophic classification. It is when someone has experienced a burn injury because of negligence or carelessness that people seek out Orange County burn injury lawyers.
Although thermal burns are what most people initially think of, are various other types of burns as well. Knowing what kind of burn you experience, and the medical treatment necessary to treat it and to help your recovery is your first step. Your next step is determining how you’ll move forward after this injury.
How Serious are Burn Injuries?
Death rates associated with burns are substantially lower in the United States than in other countries. However, in recent years the American Burn Association identified that in one year, over 3,000 people lost their lives to fire and smoke inhalation. That number does not include people who died as a result of the trauma or complications with chemical burns, friction burns, or other burn possibilities.
Different types of burns include:
- Thermal burns (hot contact, scalding, and exposure to flames)
- Chemical burns (acids, solvents, and detergents are common culprits)
- Electrical burns (burns associated with contact to open current or electrical shock)
- Friction burns (abrasions such as road rash)
- Radiation burns
- Cold burns
Each of these different types of burns sources can result in three different degrees of burn injuries. The first-degree is superficial; there is mild pain inflate reddening. Second-degree burns cause blistering, pain, and damage to both the epidermis and the dermis. Third-degree burns are the most extreme, and they directly impact deeper tissue. There is an additional fourth degree, although it is rare. Fourth-degree burns directly affect muscle and bone. Nerve endings impacted through fourth-degree burns would experience damage or absolute destruction. People with fourth-degree Burns cannot regain feeling in the burned area and may lose the limb entirely.
It’s evident that burns dramatically range in severity, but if you need medical attention for your burn, then it’s likely that you have at least a second-degree burn.
Burn Injuries and Medical Needs
When it comes to burn injuries, doctors work first to identify the degree of the burn and the cause of the burn. There are some burns, specifically chemical burns, that require specific treatment or else some medication and treatment can aggravate the burn further.
For first and second-degree burns, the most common course of treatment is topical products or skincare antibiotics. When it comes to third-degree burns is likely that the patient will need intensive treatment such as an IV of antibiotics to prevent infection, and fluids to help the body recuperate from dehydration and trauma. With third-degree burns, it is possible that the patient will need synthetic skin, skin grafting, or surgery.
For fourth-degree burns, it is possible that the person will need long-term IV antibiotics and fluids, in addition to surgery, skin grafting, synthetic skin, and physical therapy. The medical needs of burn patients vary on a case-by-case basis.
Although doctors generally follow a guided regimen for support, they must give careful consideration to the cause of the bird, the degree of the burn, and the victim’s bodily response to the burn itself. Burn injuries are severely traumatic, psychologically, and physically. It is difficult for the human body to recover quickly from a burn injury.
Orange County Burn Injury Lawyers Evaluate Options for Covering Medical Debt
An in-depth analysis of two private insurance providers showed the total medical costs of those who experienced thermal burns averaged in the tens of thousands. It’s likely that it could range from a few ten thousand dollars up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical costs. Those receiving treatment for thermal burns stayed in the hospital between 8 and 51 days, with most facilities averaging a few thousand dollars and costs per day, with some facilities charging over $10,000 per day.
Burns associated with fires, chemicals, and friction are often the result of another person’s negligence or carelessness. These burns can happen in a household, on the road as part of a car accident, and even in the workplace.
If another person is responsible, then you may not have to handle this new medical debt you have on your plate. However, where the injury occurred and who was involved can play a key role in understanding the options you have. For example, if you were driving down the freeway near Irvine and were struck by a vehicle which resulted in a car fire and your burn injuries, the at-fault driver could be responsible.
Alternatively, if an employee of an Orange County construction company sustained chemical burns, their employer may be responsible. Of course, no one can apply negligence or responsibility for injuries without assessing all elements of the accident or incident. Orange County burn injury lawyers help victims assess who was responsible and what options they have for assistance in compensation for medical debt.
What to Do After Experiencing a Burn Injury
The absolute first priority after experiencing a burn injury is to seek medical attention. However, your medical plan for Recovery may be long. It may take you months to get to a point where you can start physical therapy and Rehabilitation. It may take even longer for you to return to work. What happens with all the other elements in life while you are focusing on getting physically better?
If your burn injuries left you with medical debt or left you without the opportunity to go to work, then it’s likely you’ll need to pursue legal action against the responsible party.
Orange County Burn Injury Lawyers
Deciding whether or not your burn injuries should involve a civil action or a lawsuit is a complex process. First, you must determine if there is a responsible party. Asking questions about whether your employer had safety procedures in place, or if everyone involved acting responsibly is just the start of making this decision. Second, you may need to work with professionals to show proof that this responsible party owed you a certain degree of care.
Finally, you may need to work with your family to determine if a lawsuit or civil court action is right for you. Legal professionals can offer a lot of support, and certain California laws put a time limit on how long victims have to take legal action. You and your family may need to determine if now is the right time and if not now, then when? You can start exploring some of these questions by meeting with Orange County burn injury lawyers and assessing the details of your injuries. Our team at TorkLaw in Orange County can start answering your questions.