Burns represent one of the most common and horrendous types of injuries. If you or a loved one was burned severely, you know that burns take a tremendous amount of time to heal, can result in deadly infections, and often cause prolonged absences from work and school. Here in Mississippi, people experience a wide variety of burn injuries caused by several sources, which I will describe below. If you were burned as a result of another person’s negligence or by a malfunctioning product, you need to speak with an experienced Mississippi personal injury attorney immediately.
If you or a loved one was severely burned, you will need to have experienced counsel help you attain your fair share of compensation for your injury and recovery. Barrett Law has the experience to help you—contact us now at (800) 707-9577.
Types of Burns
Obviously, there are many types of burns. If you have been sunburned or scalded your finger on a hot pan, you have been burned. Those are first degree burns, which amount to reddening and destruction of the epidermis or outermost layer of skin. Generally speaking, first degree burns are painful but not severe enough to justify legal action. Second-degree burns affect both the epidermis and the lower dermis. Because second-degree burns are deeper, they usually require more time—several weeks—to heal. Third-degree burns destroy the entire epidermis and dermis layers and burn down into the body’s fat; they also cause nerve damage and permanent disfigurement or discoloring. Fourth-degree burns burn through the skin and fat into the bone and muscle.
Any burn can cause a serious medical condition if it gets infected, and even second-degree burns can be life-threatening if they cover a sufficient area of the body. From a personal injury perspective, second through fourth-degree burns are usually the type that will result in financial compensation.
Receiving Compensation for Your Burn Injury
Just because you were burned does not mean that you will be compensated for your injury. To receive compensation, you must show that your burn is the result of another person’s negligence. Generally speaking, negligence means that the person failed to act reasonably to protect you from harm, and that failure resulted in your injury.
Burns are frequently caused by car accidents, chemicals, workplace injuries, defective products, and radiation. In any of these situations, your personal injury attorney will have to show that the person who burned you acted unreasonably, resulting in your injuries. For example, imagine you go to a tanning salon and receive second-degree burns from head to toe by the tanning bed that was too intense. There will be a serious legal question regarding the cause of your injury—was the tanning bed defective or was the tanning salon using the tanning bed recklessly. Those two possible defendants will likely both point the finger of blame at each other, and you will need an experienced personal injury lawyer to attain expert witness analysis to prove whose negligence truly gave rise to your injuries. A similar analysis will have to be performed if you were burned by a chemical spill at work or fire in your apartment building—were the steps taken to protect you from your harm reasonable?
What Should You Do If You or a Loved One Has Been Suffered a Serious Burn?
If you or a loved one was severely burned, you know that burns require extensive, expensive medical treatment and can result in years of trauma and lost income. Inexperienced counsel may lead you down a dead end where you receive no compensation for your burn injuries. Instead, let experienced personal injury counsel take care of discovering who is at fault for your burn injury, preserving your medical records, attaining expert medical opinions, and dealing with the defendant’s attorneys. These are essential tasks that only a personal injury attorney can handle for you.
Call Barrett Law now, an experienced Mississippi personal injury law firm, to represent you if you have suffered a serious burn injury. Contact us now at (800) 707-9577. Our Mississippi Personal Injury Attorney looks forward to making a difference for you.