West Covina Burn Injury Lawyer

Burns are unquestionably one of the most painful injuries. A burn injury survivor with serious injuries will suffer some of the most catastrophic and disfiguring damage imaginable. In addition to the pain and suffering of the physical injuries, survivors often also suffer debilitating psychological and emotional trauma associated with disability and disfigurement.

Severe burn injuries often require a very long convalescence time. The melted skin, damaged tissue and severe nerve damage can leave a person battling the trauma for a lifetime. Catastrophic burn injury survivors will incur costly medical expenses that often persist for many years and may not be covered fully by 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 usually red and painful. No blisters should be present in first degree burns; they are 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 may appear 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). These burns are red and wet in appearance and will be very painful. These 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 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 these injuries, third degree burns always require immediate medical attention. All layers of the skin are destroyed and fat, muscle and even bone may be affected in such burns. Burned areas can be either black or white in appearance and may look dry and leathery in texture. Because of the extensive damage to subcutaneous tissue, pain may not be felt in the immediate area of the burn. In cases of 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 Burn Victim

After a burn accident, a personal injury lawyer can help guide you every step of the way through this overwhelming ordeal, but you need to retain an attorney as soon as possible. At the law offices of Brent Duque, our West Covina burn injury attorneys have the experience you need to ensure that your rights are protected against insurance companies that may seek to settle quickly, limiting the compensation you deserve.

If your burns were caused by the negligence of another, you can recover damages. Serious burns cause immediate trauma and damages that can be truly traumatic. We understand that every case is unique and that every burn victim faces a different set of hurdles. We work with a variety of experts, including medical specialists, to help us assess the extent of your injuries and rehabilitation needs. We work closely with financial experts to help determine the extent of you economic losses. Our team of fire accident reconstruction engineers examine combustibility, temperature, burn rates, explosive coefficients, hazardous chemical reactions and other variables. We will bring 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 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.