Westminster Burn Injury Lawyer

Burn injuries are undoubtedly one of the most painful. Burn injury survivors typically endure some of the most catastrophic and disfiguring injuries imaginable. In addition to the physical pain and suffering, those injured in a burn accident many times also suffer intense psychological and emotional scars associated with disability and disfigurement.

These types of injuries often require a very long convalescence period. The melted skin, damaged tissue and severe nerve damage can traumatize a person for the rest of their life. Catastrophic burn injury survivors will incur mounting 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 a Burn Victim

A personal injury attorney can help you through this very trying time, but you need to retain an attorney as soon as possible. At the law offices of Brent Duque, our Westminster burn injury attorneys have the expertise you need in order to protect your rights 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 have a right to recover damages. Serious burns cause immediate trauma and damages that can be truly life-altering. We understand that every case is unique and every burn victim will face a different set of struggles. 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 Orange 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.