Burn injuries are among the most traumatic injuries you can suffer. They are extremely painful and often require immediate medical attention. There are different types of burn injuries that can result from serious accidents. In more serious cases, burns require skin grafts, surgery, and more.

Many victims in Atlanta accidents suffer serious burn injuries. If you or someone you care about suffered a burn injury recently, we encourage you to call S. Burke Law. Our team will examine the details surrounding your case and offer our earnest legal advice. Our consultations are free, so reaching out to us comes with no obligation. Call 404-842-7838 to learn more about how we can help following your Atlanta burn injury.

Types of Burn Injuries

There are several different types of burn injuries:

  • Electrical burns: Can occur from an electric shock
  • Contact burns: Touching a hot object
  • Flame burns: Can occur in building or house fires, car accidents, etc.
  • Scalds: Can occur if someone attacks you with a hot liquid, if you spill boiling water on yourself, if you suffer injuries in a grease spill at work, etc.

A broad variety of events and accidents can cause burn injuries. These accidents have diverse outcomes and the resulting burns range in severity.

The Degrees of Burn Injuries 

Burn injuries range from relatively minor to life-altering. There are four degrees of burn injuries.

First-Degree Burns

First-degree burns are the least serious burns of the four. They typically cause mild discomfort similar to bad sunburns. First-degree burns typically heal in less than two weeks, and you usually do not have to visit the doctor to treat them.

With a first-degree burn, you may encounter: 

  • Dry skin
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Redness
  • Pain when touched
  • Second-Degree Burns

Second-degree burns are a bit more serious than first-degree burns. First-degree burns damage the outer layer of your skin. Second-degree burns damage the outer layer and the layer just underneath it. You can usually treat second-degree burns at home. But in cases of severe second-degree burns, you may require skin grafts.

Symptoms of second-degree burns include:

  • Red or pink skin
  • Blistering

Third-Degree Burns

Third-degree burns are more serious than the previous two types of burn injuries. They are also called full thickness burns because these burns extend through every layer of your skin. You should seek medical attention immediately following a third-degree burn. Victims suffer third-degree burns from open fires, hot surfaces, and explosions.

Common symptoms of third-degree burns include:

  • Deep red or white skin
  • A leathery texture
  • Heavy damage on outer layer of skin
  • Tissue and/or nerve damage

Fourth-Degree Burns

Fourth-degree burns are the most serious burns you can suffer. Fourth-degree burns extend through your skin into the fat, muscle, and bones. You must seek immediate medical attention after these burns because you will likely require skin grafts, surgery, and more. In some cases, you may need amputation.

Symptoms of fourth-degree burns include:

  • Black, charred skin
  • Loss of function or sensation at the site of the burn

Collecting Damages After Your Atlanta Burn Injury

As you can see, burn injuries are very serious injuries. Not only do they often require expensive treatments, but in many cases, burn injuries leave victims permanently scarred. Burns may also prevent a person from working. Whatever the result of your Atlanta burn injury, S. Burke Law can litigate on your behalf to collect the damages you deserve.

Medical Expenses

Burn injuries often require expensive treatments, particularly if you suffer burns above second degree. Your personal injury settlement should compensate you for the cost of your medical procedures. That includes ambulance bills, hospital stays, medication, surgery, skin grafts, therapy, and more. In some cases, your burns may be so severe that you require medical assistance for the rest of your life. S. Burke Law will demand compensation for this as well.

Lost Wages

Because burn injuries are so serious, it is highly likely you will miss significant time at work due to your injuries, especially if your burn injuries require surgery and skin grafts. S. Burke Law will attempt to recoup your lost wages following your Atlanta burn accident. In extreme cases, burn victims may have to change careers or even stop working altogether. In these cases, we will seek damages for your lost earning potential.

Property Damage

Many burn injuries involve accidents which damage your property. It could be your vehicle or your home. Those repairs are costly, and our firm will seek the full cost of those repairs on your behalf.

Call an Atlanta Burn Injury Attorney

While no one wants to suffer an injury in any form, burn injuries are at the top of the list of ailments you want to avoid. They are traumatic and life-changing. S. Burke Law’s team has represented Atlanta’s personal injury victims in a variety of cases. And we have helped them recover hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past 20 years.

If you or someone you care about suffered an Atlanta burn injury recently, we encourage you to call S. Burke Law. We will examine the cause and circumstances of your accident with painstaking detail. And it comes free of charge to you because we do not charge for our consultations. Call us today at 404-842-7838 for your free consultation.