What Are Burn Injuries?
Burn injuries can be among the most painful and physically damaging injuries a person can experience. Serious burns may damage the skin, nerves, muscles, and other tissue and can result in permanent scarring, disfigurement, loss of mobility, infection, and other long-term complications.
Burns can occur in motor vehicle accidents, workplace incidents, fires, explosions, electrical accidents, exposure to dangerous chemicals, and other preventable events. While some burns heal with limited treatment, severe burn injuries may require hospitalization, surgery, skin grafts, rehabilitation, and years of ongoing medical care.
When a burn injury is caused by another person's or company's negligence, the injured individual may have the right to pursue compensation for the resulting medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.
What Causes Serious Burn Injuries?
Burn injuries can occur in many different circumstances. Determining exactly how an accident occurred and who was responsible can be an important part of a personal injury claim.
Common causes of burn injuries include:
Car, truck, and motorcycle accidents
Residential and commercial fires
Workplace and construction accidents
Electrical accidents
Gas explosions
Defective products
Dangerous appliances or equipment
Chemical exposure
Scalding liquids or steam
Unsafe property conditions
Industrial accidents
Depending on the circumstances, responsibility for a burn injury may rest with a negligent driver, property owner, employer, contractor, product manufacturer, or another individual or business.
Different Types of Burn Injuries
Burns are often classified according to what caused the injury. Understanding the type of burn can help medical professionals determine the appropriate course of treatment.
Thermal Burns
Thermal burns occur when the skin comes into contact with extreme heat. Fires, hot surfaces, steam, and scalding liquids are common causes. These burns may occur during house fires, vehicle accidents, workplace incidents, and other accidents involving high temperatures.
Electrical Burns
Electrical burns occur when electrical current passes through the body. Although the visible injury to the skin may sometimes appear limited, electricity can cause significant internal damage to nerves, muscles, organs, and other tissue.
Chemical Burns
Chemical burns can result from exposure to corrosive or dangerous substances, including certain acids, industrial chemicals, and cleaning products. These injuries can occur in workplaces, industrial settings, laboratories, and even homes.
Friction Burns
Friction burns occur when skin is forcefully scraped against another surface. Serious road rash suffered in motorcycle, bicycle, pedestrian, or other accidents can involve both abrasions and burn-like damage to the skin.
Radiation Burns
Radiation exposure can also damage the skin and underlying tissue. These injuries may occur through excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation or, in some circumstances, medical or occupational radiation.
Understanding the Degrees of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries are commonly categorized according to their depth and the amount of tissue affected.
First-degree burns generally affect only the outer layer of skin. They may cause redness, tenderness, and swelling and often heal without permanent damage.
Second-degree burns extend into deeper layers of the skin and may cause significant pain, blistering, swelling, and discoloration. More serious second-degree burns can result in scarring and may require specialized medical treatment.
Third-degree burns destroy the full thickness of the skin and can damage underlying tissue. Because nerve endings may also be destroyed, the most severely burned areas may sometimes have reduced sensation despite the seriousness of the injury.
Fourth-degree burns extend beyond the skin into deeper tissue and may affect fat, muscle, tendons, or bone. These injuries are extremely serious and can result in permanent disability, amputation, or death.
The seriousness of a burn also depends on the percentage of the body affected, the location of the injury, the victim's age and health, and whether the respiratory system or internal organs were injured.
Complications Associated With Severe Burns
Serious burns can cause far more than damage to the skin. Victims may experience immediate medical emergencies as well as complications that continue long after the initial injury.
Potential complications include:
Permanent scarring and disfigurement
Severe pain
Nerve damage
Infection
Loss of sensation
Reduced mobility
Muscle and tissue damage
Respiratory injuries caused by smoke or chemical inhalation
Contractures that restrict movement
Amputation
Emotional and psychological trauma
Burns involving the face, hands, feet, joints, or other sensitive areas can be particularly devastating because they may interfere with a person's appearance, mobility, independence, and ability to work.
Burn Injuries From Car and Truck Accidents
Serious motor vehicle accidents can result in fires, explosions, electrical hazards, and contact with hot vehicle components or fluids.
A collision that ruptures a fuel tank or damages a vehicle's electrical system may create a fire capable of causing catastrophic injuries within seconds. Occupants who become trapped inside a damaged vehicle may face an especially high risk of severe burns.
When another driver's negligence causes an accident resulting in burn injuries, the injured person may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against the responsible party. In certain cases, defective vehicle components or other factors may also need to be investigated.
Workplace and Construction Burn Injuries
Workers in construction, manufacturing, utilities, restaurants, warehouses, and industrial facilities may regularly encounter heat, electricity, chemicals, machinery, and other potential burn hazards.
Burn injuries in the workplace may result from:
Exposed electrical wiring
Explosions or fires
Defective equipment
Hot machinery or surfaces
Steam or scalding liquids
Hazardous chemical exposure
Inadequate safety procedures
Failure to provide appropriate protective equipment
Depending on the circumstances, an injured worker may have rights under New Jersey's workers' compensation laws. If someone other than the employer contributed to the accident, there may also be circumstances in which a separate third-party personal injury claim can be pursued.
Treatment and Rehabilitation After a Burn Injury
Treatment for a serious burn can be extensive. Severe injuries may require emergency treatment at a specialized burn center followed by months or years of additional care.
Treatment may include:
Wound care
Skin grafting
Reconstructive surgery
Infection prevention and treatment
Pain management
Physical therapy
Occupational therapy
Scar management
Additional corrective surgeries
Some burn victims require multiple procedures over many years. Permanent scarring, disfigurement, or limited mobility may continue even after the initial wounds have healed.
The long-term nature of these injuries makes it important to consider both current and anticipated future medical needs when evaluating a burn injury claim.
Compensation for a Serious Burn Injury
When another party's negligence causes a burn injury, the victim may be entitled to pursue compensation for the physical, financial, and personal consequences of the accident.
Depending on the circumstances, damages may include:
Past and future medical expenses
Surgical and rehabilitation costs
Lost wages
Reduced future earning capacity
Pain and suffering
Permanent scarring and disfigurement
Loss of enjoyment of life
Long-term care expenses
Other damages available under applicable law
When a burn injury results in death, surviving family members may also have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim.
Every case is different, and the compensation available depends on factors including the severity of the injuries, the circumstances of the accident, the parties responsible, and the evidence available to support the claim.
Contact a New Jersey Burn Injury Lawyer
A severe burn injury can affect virtually every aspect of a person's life. In addition to significant medical expenses and time away from work, victims may face permanent scarring, physical limitations, additional surgeries, and long-term rehabilitation.
For more than 30 years, The Law Office of Todd I. Siegel has represented injured individuals and families throughout New Jersey. Our firm investigates the circumstances surrounding serious accidents, identifies potentially responsible parties, and helps clients pursue the compensation available to them under New Jersey law.
If you or a loved one suffered serious burn injuries because of another party's negligence, contact The Law Office of Todd I. Siegel to discuss your case and learn more about your legal options.
