Tampa Burn Injury Attorney
Burn injuries are damage caused to your body’s tissues caused by chemicals, heat, electricity, or radiation. Scarring, blisters, open wounds, and other more severe injuries and common after a burn injury. Burns are some of the most painful and damaging injuries a person can suffer. They’re also some of the most common. Many Americans suffer minor burns every day at work, while cooking or grilling, or when operating various household appliances. While minor burns are sometimes treatable using over-the-counter medicine and first aid supplies, large or severe burns require immediate medical attention. Depending on the type of burn, its severity, and its location, a burn can leave permanent damage in various ways.
Anyone living in the Tampa area who has suffered a burn injury as a result of someone else’s actions should know their rights and options for legal recourse. A burn can cause disfigurement, nerve damage, lost mobility, impaired range of motion, and significant pain over time. If someone causes such an injury to you or a loved one, it’s wise to have some idea of what to expect. A Tampa burn injury lawyer can help.
Types of Burn Injuries
Burns generally happen due to one of four possible sources:
- Heat. Contact with fire or hot surfaces can cause thermal burns. Thermal burns are common when cooking or working in environments with hot surfaces. Explosions can also cause thermal burns.
- Chemicals. Exposure to corrosive or toxic chemicals can cause burning on the skin or internally. Chemical burns often cause respiratory problems from breathing harmful fumes.
- Electricity. High-voltage electrical discharges can cause severe burns. They may also cause other issues including nerve damage and cardiac problems.
- Radiation. Exposure to radiation can leave severe burns and increase the risk of developing some cancers. Sunburn is a common type of radiation burn.
Burn Degree Scale
Medical professionals must treat these different types of burns accordingly and generally classify their severity using a degree scale. The degree scale is:
- First-degree burns – These burns are mild and sometimes treatable using over-the-counter remedies. A first-degree burn only affects the outermost layer of skin, but large burns covering more than 10% of the body’s surface area require medical attention.
- Second-degree burns – These burns are more severe, affecting deeper layers of skin and requiring immediate medical attention.
- Third-degree burns – Burns that damage all layers of skin and underlying nerve endings/tissue. They often leave the affected area looking charred or white.
- Fourth-degree burns – These describe any burning injuries that damage the entirety of the skin and the underlying tissues below the skin, such as tendons, muscles, ligaments, or even bone. These are the most severe type of burn and require IMMEDIATE medical attention and possibly even skin grafting and other surgery.
Any type of burn can be excruciatingly painful and can leave lasting scars. Severe burns can leave the victim susceptible to infections, and even successful treatment can mean limited mobility, extensive scarring, impaired range of motion in the affected area, and ongoing pain from the skin stretching near the affected areas.
Winning Your Tampa Burn Injury Lawsuit
If you suffer a burn injury due to another person or party’s negligence, you can recover your losses through a personal injury lawsuit. You can file a product liability claim against the product manufacturer if a defective product caused your burn. If an unsafe element on another person’s property caused your burn while you were lawfully present on the property, you may need to file a premises liability claim to recover your losses. Once you’ve handled your immediate medical issues after sustaining a burn injury, it’s important that you speak with a reliable attorney about your situation as soon as possible.
The right burn injury attorney can help you recover compensation. Compensation can be awarded for medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost income, property damage, and coverage for future medical treatment. At Williams Law, P.A., we understand how devastating burn injuries can be. Our Tampa burn injury attorneys want to provide our clients with the best possible representation after these tragic incidents. Reach out to the Williams Law team to schedule a free case evaluation. One of our attorneys will meet with you to discuss your options for legal recourse so you can recover with peace of mind.
