San Carlos Personal Injury Attorney Practice Areas
Burn and Scar Injury Cases

Burn Injury - Let Our Lawyers Help

A serious burn is among the most agonizing injuries you can suffer. You'll find catastrophic effects from traumatic burn cases for example permanent scarring damage. Many people lose toes and fingers as well as facial features in serious burns. Not just are the agonizing but a serious burn takes a extremely long time to heal. Plastic surgery does not even start until you're healed.

Our burn injury attorneys at San Carlos Injury Lawyer are here to help you. If you or someone you love has sustained burn injuries due to neglectfulness we want to help. It is easy to get in touch with us at 650-209-7800. We can be also contacted online.

Learn more about burn and scar injuries....

Diverse Kinds of Burns

Burn injuries are agonizing and they are classified by depth.

Burn injuries in essence are categorized in three principal ways.

First Degree Burn

• Usually effects the outer layer, or epidermis.
• Causes painfulness, swelling and redness
• Heals in about 7 days
• A moderate sunburn is a first degree burn

Second Degree Burn

• Burn goes through the epidermis into the 2nd layer of skin, or dermis
• Skin is a crimson color
• Blisters develop
• Severe pain and swelling occur

Third Degree Burn

• Burns the 2nd and 3rd layers of skin and goes into the third layer (subcutaneous)
• Skin can look black or white and leathery
• Might not be as much pain from the burn as nerves are destroyed
• Intense pain in surrounding area
• Agony from the burn can cause rapid pulse and respiratory difficulties

Smoke Inhalation

Fire is related to 3 different kinds of inhalation injuries. There are over 100 recognized poisonous substances contained in fire smoke. Whenever these harmful toxins are breathed in, and put together with external burns, the chance of death will increase substantially.

The three kinds of inhalation injuries are:

1. Heat Inhalation – Whenever there's a high pressure force of heat pressed into the lungs, or if you directly breathe in a hot air/flame source, you could suffer damage to your lungs, referred to as "lung burn." Whenever hot air enters the nose, damage to the mucous membranes can occur.
2. Systemic Toxins - Systemic toxins affect the body's intake of oxygen. Carbon monoxide is an illustration of a common systemic toxin. Typically, whenever someone breathes in smoke they may be found unconscious or disoriented. Toxic poisoning can cause brain damage and can even bring about death.
3. Smoke Inhalation - The number one reason behind loss of life related to fires is smoke inhalation. Research calculate 75% of fire deaths are definitely the result of smoke inhalation injuries as opposed to burns.

Whenever managing inhalation injuries the symptoms can start to show right away or as much as forty-eight hours later. Signs someone may have sustained smoke inhalation may include:

Burn Statistics

Girls and boys start one out of every thirteen fires. One-third of all preschool fatalities by fire are a result of girls and boys playing with matches or lighters.

Burn Causes

1. Chemical Burn - Whenever potent alkaloids or acids are in contact with the skin. If it is not cleaned away it'll simply proceed to burn through both clothing and skin. It is necessary to clean the chemical off the skin as soon as possible and get rid of clothing and jewelry which may have the chemical on it. Examples of household chemical substances which can cause burns consist of paint thinner, bleach, and plumbing products for example Drano or Liquid Plumber. Chemical burns can also occur in the workplace.
2. Electrical Burn – If an electrical current travels through your body an electrical burn can occur. The electricity can burn the skin and may also cause internal damage. Electrical burns can occur in numerous ways. Many times things such as sticking something into an electrical outlet or placing a knife in a toaster are the reason behind electrical burns.
3. Scald Burn - Steam or hot liquids cause scald burns. Hot fluids, not fire, are the most common reason behind burns to young children. Hot water can rapidly cause considerable, agonizing scald burns.
4. Thermal burn - Actually physically touching something hot like a hot liquid, fire steam, flame or a hot object can cause thermal burns. An example would be a burn on a curling iron. Even though a lot of thermal burns occur in the home, they are also common with roofers and construction workers, when they come into contact with asphalt and tar.

Burn Injuries

Furthermore to the scarring damage itself, a burn survivor may suffer from any or all of the subsequent:

You'll find a lot of factors to consider when someone suffers a burn injury, for example the source of the burn, its area, degree of burn, the victim's health background, and the age of the victim. Not just do burns affect the skin but the can affect the circulatory system, respiratory system and the nervous system. Burn injury sufferers occasionally enjoy psychological and emotional trauma as well. Another important concern after critical burn injuries is shock.

Scar Types

1. Keloid Scar – A keloid scar is when there's an over growing of scarring. These scars are typically red or pinkand become a dark tan over time. Keloid scars are itchy, ridged, thick and nodular as they form and grow. If you have really large keloid scars they can inhibit your ability to maneuver. They can be irritated by clothing rubbing them or other kinds of chaffing.
2. Hypertrophic Scar - Similar to Keloid scars these scars are thick, red and raised also. However these scars are just found where the incision or injury takes place. Also, hypertrophic scars will get better over time.
3. Contractures - Nerve damage and constrained movement in muscles and tendons can be the result of contracture scars as the skin tightens and pulls into a permanent position. Contractures develop when normal elastic ligament is substituted with tough fibrous tissue. Normal movement is limited since stretching of tissue isn't working as it once did.

If you or a loved one has sustained a burn injury and think it was due to the neglectfulness of another, don't hesitate to get in touch with San Carlos Injury Lawyer today at 650-209-7800 or contact us online.