Burn injuries can cause severe pain and permanent scarring. They can happen at almost any time and any place, and they may require immediate and ongoing medical treatment. If you have been injured by a burn to your body, the Macon burn injury attorneys at Roden Law can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.
Our experienced law team will evaluate your case and your medical records and will discuss your legal options with you. We will put our decades of experience to work for you, to help you receive the maximum compensation owed to you for your injuries.
Roden Law has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for our clients, and we would like to help you achieve a successful outcome for your case. Contact our Macon personal injury lawyers today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Call 1-844-RESULTS now to get started.
What to Do if You Have a Burn Injury
A burn injury can happen suddenly, and you may not feel it at first. Even if you think the burn is minor, it is extremely important to seek a medical evaluation of your injury to document the issue and receive treatment. This medical documentation will also be important if you file a claim for compensation.
If you have a burn injury:
- Call 911.
- Have a medical professional evaluate your injuries.
- Follow all of the medical professional’s advice.
- Take all of the medications prescribed to you and follow all treatment orders. This may help reduce the pain and speed up the healing of your wounds.
- Contact a Macon burn injury lawyer to evaluate your case and file a claim on your behalf.
The steps you take following an injury can have a significant impact on your ability to recover the compensation you need for your injuries. Once you contact our team, we can further guide you through the process of filing a claim and building a case on your behalf.
Schedule a free consultation with a Macon burn injury lawyer at our law firm by calling 1-844-RESULTS.
Am I Entitled to Compensation for a Burn Injury?
Your attorney will help you determine who or what entity was at fault for your burn injury. If the other party’s negligence caused your injury, it may be possible to obtain compensation from that person or entity.
To prove negligence and have a successful case, we must be able to provide evidence showing that the at-fault party did not act as others in a similar situation would have. This could include a motorist causing a Macon car accident because he or she was speeding or a manufacturer producing a defective product.
Your Macon burn injury lawyer can handle the details of filing an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit to help you recover the maximum compensation you deserve, which may include payment for:
- Lost wages
- Medical bills
- Physical and occupational therapy
- Lost ability to continue in your current profession
- Lost ability to perform normal activities (walking, driving, etc.)
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
We can communicate with the insurance company and the at-fault party on your behalf so you do not have to. We will not settle for anything less than what is owed to you.
Complete a Free Case Evaluation form to have a Macon burn injury lawyer review your claim.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
According to the Johns Hopkins University medical center, adults are most at risk of suffering a burn injury from smoking and an open flame, while children are most at risk of suffering a burn from scalding.
Overall, the most common causes of burn injuries include:
- Contact with hot liquids, hot metals, steam, flames or explosives, which can lead to thermal burns
- Contact with industrial or household substances like acid, lye or bleach, which can lead to chemical burns
- Exposure to the sun (ultraviolet light), X-rays or microwaves, which can lead to radiation burns
- Contact with exposed wires or electrical outlets, which can lead to electrical burns
According to 2015 statistics compiled by the U.S. Fire Administration, 76 percent of all injuries and 75 percent of all deaths caused by fire occurred on residential property. In order of frequency, these fires were caused by:
- Cooking
- Heating sources
- Electrical malfunction
- Unintentional or careless actions
- Smoking
Our knowledgeable Macon burn injury lawyers will gather the evidence to thoroughly investigate your injury to determine its exact cause and who was liable. Our team will work with you to pursue the compensation that is owed to you.
Call 1-844-RESULTS now to schedule your free consultation with a Macon burn injury lawyer.
Types of Burn Injuries
Based on how deeply the skin and tissue have been damaged, your burn wounds will be classified as one of the following:
First-Degree Burn
The most superficial type of burn injury is a first-degree burn. This affects the topmost layer of the skin, called the epidermis. A burn in this layer of the skin may become red and painful at the site of the wound and may cause mild swelling of the skin.
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, to treat a first-degree burn:
- Run cool water over the wound, or apply a cool compress.
- Apply petroleum jelly on the wound at least twice a day. Do not apply topical antibiotics, ointments or butter.
- Cover the wound with a bandage.
A first-degree burn should be taken seriously, because even this superficial type of wound can have ongoing consequences. The site of the burn can have an increased risk of sunburn, decreased elasticity and permanent scarring.
Second-Degree Burn
If the injury goes a little deeper and is classified as a second-degree burn, then both the epidermis and part of the dermis (middle layer) of the skin are affected. This causes the same effects as a first-degree burn, plus the injured area may have liquid-filled blisters and red-and-white blotches.
If a second-degree burn is less than three inches in diameter, it can be treated as a minor burn. If it is larger, see a doctor immediately.
Third-Degree Burn
The most severe type of burn injury is a third-degree burn, and this requires immediate medical attention. The epidermis, dermis, subcutis (deepest layer), nerve endings and other organs may be affected.
A third-degree burn may destroy nerve endings in the region of the injury. Depending on how deeply the fire penetrated, this type of burn may also injure underlying bones, muscles and tendons. The skin at the affected site may appear to have black-and-white blotches. If you were in a fire, you may also have experienced carbon monoxide poisoning and difficulty breathing.
These injuries may require expensive medical treatment such as skin grafts and surgery. They may also leave you with permanent scars and disfigurement.
A licensed Macon burn injury attorney will be familiar with the effects of a burn injury and the experience you have undergone. Because of this, he or she will be able to accurately determine the compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Click here for a free, no-obligation case evaluation by a Macon burn injury lawyer.
How to Prevent Fire and Burn Injuries
According to FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency), there are a number of simple but important ways to prevent burn injuries, including the following:
- Ensure all smoke alarms have fresh batteries and are in good working order. It is a good idea to change these batteries twice a year.
- Maintain all sprinkler systems, and ensure they are up to code. These are common in multi-family residential units, such as apartment buildings.
- Keep all emergency personnel up-to-date on fire safety training.
- Keep small children away from hot surfaces and hot liquids.
- Elderly adults must be particularly careful of exposure to boiling water and heat sources.
- If you are in charge of a restaurant, apartment building, hotel or other public place, you must ensure that the running water does not reach temperatures that could cause scalding injuries.
- Have a family escape plan for your home. This should include at least two ways to escape from each room, a chain ladder for every room upstairs, and a place outside where the family agrees to meet afterward to ensure everyone got out safely.
If someone failed to ensure a building was up to code or was negligent in other ways and caused your burn injury, he or she may be held liable for your injuries. A Macon burn injury lawyer will review the details of your case to determine who was liable for the harm you suffered. We will then work diligently to hold them liable for the damages you have suffered.
Call 1-844-RESULTS or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form.
Contact a Macon Burn Injury Attorney Today
A burn injury can be caused by fires, hot liquids, chemicals, radiation and electrical exposure. If you have a burn injury, you may have suffered painful damage to your skin, eyes, muscles or other organs.
The Macon burn injury lawyers at Roden Law are ready to help you. We can evaluate your case and determine the compensation that is owed to you. Our caring team will take care of everything for you. All you need to focus on is your own healing and getting your life back to normal.
Contact one of our Macon burn injury attorneys today for a no-risk, no-obligation consultation. We charge no upfront fees, and we only get paid if we help you recover compensation for your burn injuries.