Burn Injury

What Is A burn Injury?

According to the Mayo Clinic, burns are tissue damage that results from heat, overexposure to the sun, overexposure to radiation, or coming in contact with chemicals or electricity. Burns can be minor medical problems or life-threatening emergencies. The treatment of burns depends on the location and severity of the damage. 

Second-Degree Burn Legal Experts

At Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys, we specialize in representing victims of second-degree burns and other heat-related injuries, including smoke inhalation. These cases often involve more complex medical needs, extensive treatment, and significant financial burdens due to long-term care requirements.

Unlike first-degree burns, second-degree injuries and smoke inhalation can lead to substantial medical expenses, requiring expert legal guidance to ensure victims receive the compensation they need to cover these costs.

Measuring The Impact of a Burn Injury

Burn injuries impact lives in a variety of ways. That is why the potential compensation for a burn injury varies based on each specific case. Victims of burn injuries may be entitled to compensation that covers the severity of the burn injury, physical trauma, medical expenses, future healthcare needs, lost wages, loss of earning capacity, pain, suffering, and emotional distress.

Securing experienced legal representation makes a big difference in your ability to get compensated for a burn injury. Insurance companies may try to downplay the severity of your injury or offer a lowball settlement.  But while you are focusing on your care, Alexander Shunnarah Trial Attorneys focus on getting what is rightfully yours – allowing you to recuperate and heal.   

Who is most susceptible to a burn injury?

The World Health Organization gathers data on burn injuries, and the data reveals several patterns in burn injury risk. 

Gender 

Recent data indicates that females have higher rates of burn-related deaths than males. This differs from patterns seen with many other types of injuries (besides birth injuries,) where men tend to get injured more often. This is due to open-fire cooking, unsafe cookstoves, open flames for lighting and heating, and interpersonal violence. 

Age 

Along with adult women, children are particularly vulnerable to being injured by burns. Burns are the fifth most common cause of non-fatal childhood injuries. 

Additional Burn Injury Risk Factors

There are a number of other risk factors for burns, including: 

• Jobs that often expose workers to fire; 
• Socio-economic status; 
• The placement of girls and young children in household roles requiring them to cook and take care of small children; 
• Underlying medical conditions like epilepsy, peripheral neuropathy, and physical and cognitive disabilities; 
• Alcohol abuse and smoking; 
• Easy access to flammable, toxic, or dangerous chemicals  
• Using kerosene or paraffin as a fuel source for domestic appliances; and 
• Inadequate safety measures for gas and electricity in homes and buildings.