La Puente Burn Injury Lawyer

Burn injury victims endure some of the most excruciating, catastrophic and disfiguring injuries imaginable. However, their pain and suffering does not end with physical symptoms. Those injured in a burn accident oftentimes also suffer intense psychological and emotional scars that typically accompanies disability and disfigurement.

When burned, the survivor often faces a very prolonged recovery period. The damaged tissue , melted skin and severe nerve damage that results from a burn injury can traumatize a person for the rest of their life. Disastrous burn injuries leave survivors with mounting medical expenses that often persist for many years and may not be covered fully by their insurance.

Degrees of Burn Injuries

• Burns can cause swelling, redness, blistering, shock, and even death.

• They are categorized into 3 types by severity:
  • FIRST-DEGREE BURNS damage only the outer layer of skin:

The skin is typically red and some pain usually exists. Blisters are not generally present in first degree burns but the are can be dry in appearance.

• • SECOND-DEGREE BURNS damage the outer layer and the layer underneath:

These can be classified as partial or full thickness, depending upon the extent of the burn.

In partial thickness burns, blisters will likely be present and involve the entire epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and dermis (the thick under layer of the skin containing the nerve endings and hair follicles). This degree of burn is generally associated with a red and wet appearance and will be very painful. Second degree burns heal without skin grafting but some minimal scarring can result.

In full thickness burns, the epidermis is destroyed and most of the dermis is affected. These burns most often require surgical removal of burned tissue and skin grafting is performed to begin the healing process.

• • THIRD DEGREE BURNS damage or destroy the deepest layer of skin and tissues underneath:

The most severe of burn injuries, third degree burns always require medical attention immediately as all layers of the skin are destroyed. In addition, muscle, fat tissue and even bone may be affected in such burns. Burned areas can be either take on a black or white appearance and may look leathery and dry. If you believe you have a third degree burns, call 911 or get to a hospital immediately.

Common Types of a Burn Injury

• Thermal burns — caused by flames and other hot objects
• Scalds — caused by boiling water or other hot liquids
• Chemical burns — caused by chemicals and volatile combinations of chemicals
• Burns from explosions — caused by car accidents, industrial/construction site accidents or accidents in the home

Your Rights as a Burn Victim

A personal injury attorney can help answer your questions and help guide you through this very confusing time, but you need to retain an attorney as soon as possible. At the law offices of Brent Duque, our La Puente burn injury lawyers have years of experience protecting the rights of burn victims against insurance companies that may seek to settle quickly.

If your burns were caused by a negligent act on the part of another person, you may be able to recover damages. Serious burns can be truly life-altering. We know that each case is unique and each burn victim will face a different set of burdens. We work with a variety of experts, including medical specialists, to help us assess the extent of your injuries and rehabilitation needs.Our financial experts will help determine the extent of you economic losses and our team of fire accident reconstruction engineers examine the cause of the burn, including temperature, burn rates, combustibility, explosive coefficients, hazardous chemical reactions and other variables. We have the right resources to effectively represent your case.

In a fatal burn injury, the victim’s spouse, relatives and dependents have a right to seek damages as well. Even if the person who caused the accident is charged with a criminal penalty, you have a right to sue in civil court and get compensated for your loss.

Contact our Los Angeles County Personal Injury Attorneys at 1-877-241-9554 to learn more about your legal options. A free consultation is just a phone call away. You can even use our online contact form, and we’ll reply to you quickly.