Serious burn injuries are not only painful, but they can also have life-changing consequences. In addition to facing expensive bills for medical treatments, you may be physically incapable of maintaining the job you had before the injury. The disfigurement caused by serious burns could make you self-conscious and afraid to enter social situations. This could compromise your enjoyment of certain activities and generally interfere with the quality of your life.

A debilitating burn injury can be costly and devastating on many levels. Many lawyers are not equipped or lack the necessary experience to deal with cases that involve such serious injuries. If you suffered severe burn injuries in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you need to find a Houston attorney who has experience representing victims with this level of personal injury and who has the skills needed to get you the full and fair compensation that you deserve.

Information on Debilitating Burn Injuries

Approximately 2.4 million burn injuries are reported every year in the United States. An estimated 75,000 of those injuries are so severe that hospitalization is necessary. Statistics show that at least half of these incidents could have been prevented.

Serious burns can damage the body’s tissues. Burns are rated in degrees, depending on the amount of impairment involved:

  • First-degree burns – This type of burn harms only the outer layer of skin.
  • Second-degree burns – When a burn of this type occurs, the outer layer of skin and the layer underneath are both affected. Second-degree burns fall into two categories. A superficial partial-thickness burn targets the first and second layers of skin. Deep partial-thickness burns, which also fall into the second-degree category, affect other skin layers as well.
  • Third-degree burns – Also known as full-thickness burns, an injury at this level destroys the deepest layer of skin and the tissues underneath. Medical treatment is always necessary when this type of burn occurs.
  • Fourth-degree burns – A person who suffers a burn at this level can experience extreme damage to deep tissue, bone, muscles, nerves and blood vessels. Fourth-degree burns may be irreversible and could lead to death.

The result of a burn can be swelling, blistering and, in the most serious cases, shock and death. A burn may cause infection because the skin’s protective layer is compromised. Antibiotic creams may be used to prevent or treat these kinds of infections. Third-degree and fourth-degree burns can require skin or synthetic grafts to conceal exposed skin and help new skin to grow.

Causes of Burn Injuries

There are four main kinds of burns:

  • Heat burns – Fire, steam, hot objects and hot liquids can cause heat burns. A scald burn from hot liquid is the most common type of burn to children and older adults.
  • Chemical burns – Contact with household or industrial chemicals in a liquid, solid or gas form may result in this type of burn.
  • Electrical burns – Electrical sources or lightning may cause this kind of burn.
  • Radiation burns -The sun, tanning booths, sunlamps, X-rays and radiation therapy for cancer treatment may cause radiation burns.

Some of the most common forms of burn accidents include:

  • Car, truck and motorcycle accidents
  • Workplace accidents
  • Aviation accidents
  • Defective products
  • Fires or explosions in buildings
  •  Chemical leaks
  • Gas explosions
  • Cooking accidents
  • Overheating water heaters

A person who has experienced a serious burn injury may require a lifetime of medical care and burn treatments, which could negatively affect earning potential. If someone else’s negligence was to blame for the accident, an injured victim could be entitled to compensation for past and future medical costs and lost wages, as well as for non-economic losses such as pain and suffering and emotional distress.

Contact Burn Injury Lawyer Kevin Krist Today

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic accident that resulted in serious burns in southeast Texas, including Houston, Harris County, Pasadena, Katy, Baytown, Sugar Land, Conroe, and League City, contact Kevin Krist today for a free consultation about your case.

Simply call the Law Office of Kevin Krist at 281-677-3962 or use the firm’s online form. Let Kevin Krist tell you how he can put his personal, proven experience to work for you and your family. Kevin Krist represents personal injury victims on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no fees unless he recovers compensation on your claim.