Most of us can remember the pain of a really bad sunburn, but these pale in comparison to more serious burn injuries. With survival rates of 96.8 percent, burn injuries are some of the most painful and devastating types of injuries a person can live through. Burn injuries can leave permanent scars, both emotional and physical. If you sustain a burn injury due to the fault of someone else, you can file a claim to receive compensation for your injuries.
Types Of Burn Injuries
Typically, burn injuries are classified by their severity as either first degree, second degree, or third degree burns. The amount of compensation any claim would be worth depends on the severity of the burns:
- First Degree Burns –These are minor burns, only damaging the top layer (epidermis) of the skin. They appear red on the skin and have some pain, but no blistering. They heal relatively quickly, depending on the size of the affected area. Sunburns and flash burns are examples of these.
- Second Degree Burns – More serious than first degree burns, second degree burns affect deeper layers of the skin and can include nerve damage. They appear bright red and blister, often leading to a risk of infection. Skin may look wet as fluids seep out through the burn. When burns cover over 10 percent of the body, a victim could go into shock from fluid loss.
- Third Degree Burns – When skin has been completely burned away and muscles, ligaments, and tendons may also be damaged. Although victims feel no pain, due to nerve damage, they are at risk of death. Healing time is long and will almost always leave scarring.
A person may also sustain even more severe burns, but since victims rarely survive these they are primarily used in post-mortem examinations.
Compensation Available to Burn Victims
When determining compensation for burn victims, insurance companies will take both psychological and physical harm into consideration. As such, burn victims have the chance of being awarded settlements that cover medical expenses, loss of income, and pain and suffering. Even with the more minor first and second degree burns, a victim still has a good chance at receiving compensation if the surface area of the burn is significant.
Burn injuries can make even simple, everyday tasks excruciatingly painful and the level of pain should be factored into any settlement. For this reason, it is best that burn victims seek the help of an attorney who can help calculate an appropriate settlement amount.
An Attorney To Help With Your Claim
Recovering from a burn injury and adjusting to normal life can be extremely difficult for burn victims and their families. At Williams Elleby Howard & Easter we want to make sure you get the compensation you need to get back to normal life. Attorney Joel Williams has years of experience fighting for justice for victims just like you. For burn injuries in Marietta, Cobb County, and greater Georgia, contact us today and we’ll help get you started on your claim.
