San Bernardino County Burn Injury Lawyer

Those who survive a devastating burn injury suffer some of the most painful, tragic and damaging injuries imaginable. Unfortunately, their pain and suffering goes further than just the physical symptoms. Those injured in a burn accident typically also suffer psychological and emotional scars when confronted with disability and disfigurement.

When burned, the victim generally battles a very extended period of convalescence. The wounded tissue, melted skin and painful nerve damage that results from a burn injury can burden a person for the rest of their life. Destructive burn injuries leave survivors with a mountain of costly medical bill that can continue for many years and may not be covered fully by their insurance.

Degrees of Burn Injuries

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

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

The skin will redden and cause some pain. Blisters do not generally appear in first degree burns but the area can be dry in appearance and feel.

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

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

In partial thickness burns, blisters may appear and can change the appearance of the entire epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and dermis (the thick under layer of the skin that contains the nerve endings and hair follicles). Second degree burns generally coincide with a red and wet appearance and will be very painful. Second degree burns heal without skin grafting but some minor scarring may result.

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

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

The most of grave of all burn injuries, third degree burns always require medical attention immediately as all layers of the skin have been destroyed. In addition, muscle, fatty tissue and even bone may be injured 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 auto accidents, industrial or construction site accidents or accidents in the home

Your Rights as a Burn Victim

A personal injury attorney can help answer your questions and guide you through this traumatic time, but you need to retain a lawyer as soon as possible. At the law offices of Brent Duque, our San Bernardino County burn injury attorneys come equipped 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 know that each case is unique and each burn victim will face a different set of burdens. We work with a numerous 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 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.