Serious burns, whether suffered in a car crash, explosion, scalding, electrocution or other event, can change the entire trajectory of someone’s life.
That’s true whether the burns are deep (damaging tissue and bones as fourth degree burns can) or are less deep but cover a large portion of a person’s body or areas that can’t inconspicuously be covered, like the face and even hands. Even second-degree burns and certainly third-degree burns can result in permanent scarring.
Basically, a burn’s severity is based on its depth (the degree) and the size (percentage of the body burned). Internal burn injuries can be caused by breathing in excessive smoke or toxic chemicals – both of which can damage the lungs.
Treatment and rehabilitation
Treatment for serious burns often involves surgically grafting either the patient’s own skin from other parts of their body or from a donor to the burned area. Patients may have to spend weeks or longer in a rehabilitation facility.
The recovery process can be long and painful. Things can be complicated if one or more areas beome infected. There may still be some scarring. Depending on where the scarring is, it can affect a person’s mobility and dexterity. Certainly, if it’s on or around the face, it can seriously affect their self image and ability to interact with others.
There are numerous types of rehabilitation available for burn patients, including:
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Speech therapy
- Mental health therapy
This last one can be the most important. Burn patients can suffer anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, insomnia and more.
The good news is that there is better care available for burn patients than ever. However, even with good health insurance, all of this care is costly. It also requires patients to take considerable time off of work and possibly require family members to leave their jobs for a time to care for them or help care for their children.
You can’t know the full toll of a burn injury right away
No one can predict in the early days or even weeks after an event has left someone with serious burns just what the physical, emotional and financial toll will be. That’s why it’s crucial not to agree to a settlement with an at-fault party or their insurer too soon.
If you’re being pressured to settle (and even if you’re not) in the wake of sustaining burns due to another’s negligence, you shouldn’t agree to anything before getting legal guidance. This can help you seek the maximum possible compensation to help you rebuild your life.