Personal injuries can be serious and life-altering. When a Louisiana resident is involved in a motor vehicle accident, incident at work, or other injury-causing event they may lose more than just some time needed to recuperate. They may lose use of their bodies, enjoyment in their lives, and the ability to work into the future.
Burn injuries can be particularly damaging and can have long-term effects on victims. This post will discuss some of the different ways that burn injuries can be distinguished from each other and how they may be treated. This post does not, however, provide any medical or legal advice.
Causes of burn injuries
Burn injuries can result from many different types of accidents. Often, heat or fire cause burn injuries when victims’ skin meet it. However, chemicals, friction, and electricity can also cause burns to form on skin. Burns from these sources can result from vehicle collisions, defective products, accidents at work, and many other events.
Types of burns
Burns are graded based on their severity. For example, when a person suffers a superficial burn that only affects the top layer of their skin, that is considered a first degree burn. Burns that penetrate deeper to the next layer of skin are second degree burns. Any burn that destroys skin and tissue at a deeper level is considered a third degree burn, the most serious form of burn.
Treatments for burns
Depending on the type and severity of a burn, a victim may have different treatment options. Some first degree burns can be treated with cooling and topical medications. However, burns can become infected and cause serious complications in victims when those infections go untreated. After a burn-causing accident, it may be useful for a victim to seek medical attention from a doctor.
Serious burns may require long-term treatments and costly procedures to help victims regain use of their bodies. When negligence causes victims to suffer burn injuries, they may have options for recovering their losses through personal injury litigation.