Burn injuries could have long-term consequences

There are some types of injuries from which people in Delaware and elsewhere never fully recover. Burn injuries fall in this category. Even after physical recovery, scars could cause emotional harm that serves as constant reminders of the trauma. Car accidents, motorcycle crashes, dangerous premises and workplaces are all potential circumstances where burn injuries could happen.

Doctors classify burn injuries according to the depth of the skin damage caused, referred to as degrees. Higher degrees indicate more severe and deeper injuries. First-degree burns cause damage only to the outer skin layer, such as sunburn, which do not typically cause permanent damage. Burns that cause damage to the underlying layer are second-degree burns that will cause blisters, swelling and be painful but might not leave scars.

Third-degree burns go right through two layers of the skin and appear black, white, yellow or brown instead of red. They do not hurt as much because the burn is deep enough to destroy the nerve endings. Third and fourth-degree burns leave scars, with the latter being the most severe. Fourth-degree burns also burn bones, tendons and muscles. Along with ugly scars, burn injuries can lead to complications like infections, joint, bone and muscle problems.

When burn wounds extend too deep, skin grafts are required, by which donor skin is grafted onto the burn injuries. The emotional trauma that goes along with the medical expenses, lost income and other financial damages might be recovered if the burns were caused by another party’s negligence. However, personal injury is a complicated field of the law. An experienced personal injury attorney in Delaware who will work to obtain a monetary judgment to cover past and future losses is typically the best choice to navigate such lawsuits.