Burns are painful injuries that can result from contact with extreme heat or cold, friction, chemical exposure, or even prolonged sun exposure. They can cause severe damage to multiple layers of the skin.
Depending on the severity, burns can destroy skin, muscle, and nerves and can reach up to your bones, which may cause infection and permanent scarring. Victims often endure unimaginable pain through recovery, which can include multiple surgeries, such as skin grafts, coupled with fatigue and severe itching.
If you or a loved one suffered burns from a car accident, work incident, defective product, or a dangerous property condition, we strongly advise you to contact us today and explore your legal options. You need an expert who will help you pursue legal action. At The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary, we understand that after suffering a burn injury, the emotional and financial aftermath can last for months or even a lifetime, all while coping with losing the capacity to work, rising medical expenses, and the challenges of accepting the new realities that come with it.
Types of Burn Injuries and Their Causes
Understanding the types of burns and their causes is crucial to determining who may be liable for the injuries and the appropriate legal course of action.
Thermal Burns
These burns are acquired through contact with heat sources, including hot metals, steam, scalding liquids, flames, or overly cold surfaces that can cause severe cell damage, including cell death or charring.
Common scenarios where you can have thermal burns include:
- House fires caused by defective wiring, negligence, or defective products.
- Car accidents where an impact resulted in an explosion or fire.
- Workplace accidents are common in construction, manufacturing, or the food industry.
Victims are entitled to compensation when these burns are acquired due to unsafe conditions or someone's negligence.
Electrical Burns
Electrical burns occur when electrical energy overloads your body due to exposure to an electric current. This type of burn also generates heat that causes tissue damage.
Sources of electrical burns include:
- Defective appliances
- Exposed wiring
- Workplace accidents that involve heavy machinery
When this type of burn is acquired, employers, property owners, or manufacturers may be responsible, especially if the proper safety protocols were not followed.
Chemical Burns
This type of burn happens when strong acids, alkalis, detergents, or solvents come into contact with the skin or eyes.
These burns are common in the following fields:
- Industrial workplaces
- Laboratories
- Households with improper storage of cleaning supplies
The responsibility for most chemical burn cases usually falls on employers, product manufacturers, or property owners who forgot to provide safety warnings.
Radiation Burns
Radiation burns usually occur after prolonged exposure to ultraviolet light, including radiation therapy for cancer treatment, X-rays, and even severe exposure to the sun, causing your cells to break down and die.
Severe radiation burns may result from the following:
- Medical malpractice during radiation therapy
- Lack of adequate warnings for handling equipment that emits radiation
Friction Burns
These types of burns usually occur when something rubs against your skin hard enough to generate heat. Deep friction burns or those covering a large area may require professional medical treatment.
Friction burns may occur in the following situations:
- Rougher surfaces like concrete, cement, or asphalt (especially if you're moving quickly)
- Falling while on a skateboard or while riding a motorcycle
How The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary Can Help
Burn victims' compensation is usually based on your circumstance, which includes the severity of your injury, how it happened, and your medical expenses.
The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary will guide you throughout the process, from gathering pertinent evidence to identifying liable parties; we are here for you.
If you or someone you know has suffered from a burn injury caused by someone's negligence, we strongly encourage you to pursue immediate legal action. Legal claims involving burns require thorough investigation and deliberation to establish liability, and we are here to help you assess your case for free.