Rialto Burn Injury Lawyer

Burn injury survivors suffer some of the most intense, disastrous and disfiguring injuries imaginable. Unfortunately, their pain and suffering does not stop with just the physical symptoms. Those injured in a burn accident oftentimes also suffer debilitating psychological and emotional scars when facing disability and disfigurement.

When burned, the victim generally faces a very prolonged period of convalescence. 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 medical bill that pile up and often continue for many years. These expenses may not be covered fully by their insurance.

Degrees of Burn Injuries

Burns may cause swelling, redness, blistering, shock, and even death.
They are classified in 3 types by severity:
• FIRST-DEGREE BURNS damage only the outer layer of skin:

The skin is generally red and some pain exists. Blisters are not usually 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 can be present and damage 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 typically 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 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 serious of burn injuries, third degree burns always require medical attention immediately as all layers of the skin are destroyed. Additionally, fat, muscle 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

An experienced personal injury attorney can help answer your questions and help you through this overwhelming time, but you need to retain an attorney as soon as possible. At the law offices of Brent Duque, our Rialto burn injury attorneys come backed with years of experience protecting the rights of burn victims against insurance companies that may seek to settle quickly.

If your burn injuries were caused by the negligence of another person, you may be able to recover damages. Serious burns can be truly life-altering. We understand 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 combustibility, temperature, burn rates, 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 San Bernardino County Personal Injury Attorney 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.