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Scenarios that often result in severe burns include car accidents, workplace injuries, defective products, and other incidents of third-party negligence or recklessness. If you or someone in your family received severe second- or third-degree burns in an accident, talk to a member of our Los Angeles personal injury law firm.

Degrees of burns and recovering from burn injuries

There are generally three degrees of burns, although some severe burns that result in amputation are often classified as fourth-degree burns. Each degree of burn warrants a different treatment and recovery time.

• First Degree Burns
  Affecting the epidermis only, first-degree burns usually go away within 5 to 10 days. First-degree burns are most commonly caused by overexposure to the sun. Many people who work outdoors may suffer from repeat sunburns and could be at an increased risk of skin cancer.
• Second Degree Burns
  Some burns only go so far as the superficial dermis while severe burns affect the reticular dermis. Usually, these types of burns will result in blistering and require anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks of healing.
• Third Degree Burns
  These burns extend through the entire dermis and usually appear white or brown in color. Some people never fully recover from third-degree burns. At a minimum, recovery time is at least a few months.

Recovering After a Severe Burn Injury

Burn injuries last a lifetime. While most burn victims understand that they can seek compensation for the injury, pain, and suffering, and lost wages, they do not often think about how their burns will affect them in the future.

In truth, burns can lead to many other issues and pain in the future due to:

• Organ failure from second-and third-degree burns
• Skin grafting procedures that occur over time
• Permanent scarring and/or disfigurement

Because of the substantial damage that burn injuries can cause, it is vital to fight for full and fair compensation â compensation that covers your current medical expenses as well as your future needs.

Leading Causes of Second- and Third-degree Burns

While our firm represents individuals who suffered burn injuries in all types of personal injury accidents, we most often see second-and third-degree burns in the following situations:

• Auto Collisions and Car Fires
  After severe car accidents, certain defective cars can start on fire, called post-collision fuel-fed fires.
• Gas Explosions
  Gas eruptions can occur during the construction of hotels and other buildings where gas lines leak. A gas explosion can also occur when underground gas facilities rupture in some way.
• Electrical Burns
  These cases often involve electricians and others who get burned by high-voltage transmission lines or when working on panels that were improperly marked.

Burn Injury Fact Sheet

The American Burn Association recently released its annual breakdown of burn injuries across the country in 2012. The report gathers data from surveys to present an accurate picture of the incidence of burns.

• In 2012, the ABA estimated that 450,000 burn injuries required medical treatment.
• Burns and fires caused roughly 3,400 deaths across the nation.
• The majority of those deaths were the result of residential fires.
• In total, 40,000 people were hospitalized for their burn injuries.
• Men were more than twice as likely as women to be hospitalized with a burn injury.

Children make up a disproportionate percentage of the victims of burn injuries. Some injury types, like scald injuries, are often suffered by children who do not recognize the danger of hot liquids. They often pull objects down from surfaces their parents believed were out of reach. The burns in these cases are often suffered on the face, head, and neck of the child. The recovery period for children suffering severe burns can last a decade or more. As with most types of injuries, burns can often be prevented by careful attention to potential sources. Smoke detectors and fire extinguishers should be present and operational in residential homes.

At E&L, LLP, our personal injury attorneys on our team have what it takes to effectively and aggressively pursue your rights.

You could be entitled to compensation for the following:

• Medical losses
• Pain and suffering
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity

Entrust Your Case to E&L, LLP

E&L, LLP, has cultivated attorneys who are prepared to represent plaintiffs in complex personal injury, product liability, and car accident cases. If you have questions about your rights and options following an automobile defect, our team is readily available to help.

If you have been injured, contact E&L, LLP, at 213-213-0000, for a free case evaluation and consultation.

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