Severe burns are among the most painful and life-altering injuries the human body can sustain. In addition to suffering through weeks or months of excruciating debridement and skin grafting, in many cases burn victims must also contend with emotional distress caused by disfigurement and scarring. If you were burned in an accident through no fault of your own, such as being hurt by a defective product or a reckless driver, you may be able to recover significant compensation to help balance your pain, suffering, loss of income, and medical expenses. Atlantic City burn injury lawyer Joseph Lombardo can help.
With over 20 years of experience, Joseph Lombardo is dedicated to providing New Jersey injury and wrongful death victims and their families with compassionate legal representation. He will fight aggressively and strategically for maximum compensation and offers free initial consultations to all new clients. To start discussing the details of your injury in a private legal consultation, call Lombardo Law at (609) 445-4300 today.
Degrees of Burn Injuries
The severity of a burn is measured by degrees. While first degree burns affect only the outer layer of skin and heal in a matter of days, more extreme burns can cause weeks or months of prolonged agony and grueling medical treatments. Burns may be categorized as:
- Second Degree Burns: These burns can take weeks to heal, and thick second degree burns may require skin grafting. Full-thickness burns result in limited sensation.
- Third Degree Burns: Penetrate and destroy all skin layers, including the fat beneath the skin. Victims do not initially feel pain due to nerve damage, though treatment can be excruciating and may require expensive physical therapy, use of hyperbaric chambers, surgery, and respiratory support.
- Fourth Degree Burns: The deepest and most severe burn category, penetrating down to the muscle and bone. These burns may lead to limb amputations. Both third and fourth degree burns can take months to heal and leave extensive scars behind.
Most Common Causes of Burns in Atlantic City, NJ
In addition to degrees, there are several different types of burn injuries:
Chemical Burns
Caused by exposure to chemical substances, typically strong acids or bases. But it isn’t just scientists or lab workers who are at risk: plenty of everyday chemicals can cause severe burns if they come into contact with the skin, including car battery acid, ammonia, bleach, chlorine products for pools, and even denture cleaners. Since many of these products are toxic as well as caustic, there can be other medical effects in addition to the burn itself, such as heart attack, seizures, or difficulty breathing.
Burns from Extreme Heat
The most well-known type of burn, caused by exposure to fire or extreme heat. Virtually anything can cause a heat burn, with some common culprits being malfunctioning space heaters, electric blankets, defective furnaces, and cars which overheat dangerously.
Electrical Burns
Caused by exposure to an electric current, often through punctured or frayed electrical cords. Electrical burns may look minor on the skin, but can cause irregular heartbeat, seizures, and even bone fractures caused by involuntary muscle spasms.
Friction Burns
Caused by rapid skin chafing against another surface, such as a harness or rope which is improperly secured. The victims of motorcycle accidents and car accidents often suffer severe friction burns or “road rash.”
Radiation Burns
Frequently caused by defective tanning beds, with other sources including X-rays and radiation therapy for cancer patients.
Who Was at Fault for Your Burn Injury? Establishing Negligence and Liability
As you can see based on the causes, many burn injuries involve an element of fault or liability. Burn injuries may be related to:
- Premises Liability: This area of law holds that property owners are responsible for fixing or removing known or reasonably foreseeable hazards on their property. If a building violates fire safety code, such as having defective smoke alarms, fire detectors, or sprinkler systems, premises liability may be involved.
- Product Liability: Designers, manufacturers, and retailers are responsible for testing and producing safe consumer products. Even if a product’s dangers cannot be eliminated, the product must be clearly labeled to help consumers avoid the hazards. If a consumer is injured or killed because a product had a flawed design, manufacturing defects, or missing warning labels, the party at fault may be financially liable.
- Negligence: Negligence is a critical component of many personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. A defendant could be considered negligent if he or she failed to take the normal, reasonable, and expected precautions in any situation, resulting in serious damages to the plaintiff. Negligence can apply to drivers, doctors, surgeons, manufacturers, property owners, business entities, industrial machine operators, and others.
If You Were Burned in an Accident, Call Our Atlantic City Burn Injury Lawyer Today
If you or someone you love suffered severe burns in an accident, you may be able to receive compensation. To set up a private and free case evaluation, call Atlantic City burn injury attorney Joseph Lombardo at (609) 445-4300 today.
