Atlanta Burn Injury Attorney
Burns of all types are serious injuries, which is why a talented Atlanta burn injury attorney at The Dixon Firm, P.C. is here to help in the event you or a loved one suffers a burn injury from an accident caused by another’s negligence. Whether they’re caused by exposure to fire, chemicals, or intense sources of heat, burns can cause extensive damage to the skin’s inner and outer layers. Damage from severe burns can go even deeper, affecting muscle and bone beneath the skin. There are any number of ways a person can suffer injury from burns, from car crashes to workplace injuries and accidents around the home. Burns often leave permanent scars, and the most severe types of burns can cause serious medical problems or death.
Causes of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries can result from another party’s negligence. Defective products produced by negligent manufacturers, the failure of property owners to take proper safety precautions, and drivers who fail to follow traffic laws and cause high-velocity crashes can all lead to burn injuries.
Medical professionals rate burns on a scale of 1 to 4 degrees, based on how severely the burn damages the skin:
- First-degree burns are relatively mild burns. These types of burns generally show some reddening of the skin and mild to moderate pain.
- Second-degree burns go deeper than first-degree burns, affecting both the outer layer (epidermis) and inner layer (dermis) of the skin. In addition to redness, second-degree burns can lead to swelling and blistering.
- Third-degree burns affect the deeper tissues of the body that lie under the skin. In cases of third-degree burns, the skin can have a white, blackened, or charred appearance, and often loses feeling in its nerve endings.
- Fourth-degree burns may not actually be painful, due to the complete destruction of nerve endings in the skin. However, they are incredibly serious, as these burns can penetrate all the way to the bone. Victims of fourth-degree burns face difficult recoveries and an increased risk of infection.
Types of Burn Injuries
Burns also fall into four different categories based on the cause. The four types of burns are:
- Thermal burns which are caused by exposure to heat, including fire, hot liquids, or contact with hot material such as a hot pan or stove.
- Electrical burns which result from a shock from an electrical current. These types of burns usually involve some sort of faulty electrical equipment or wiring.
- Chemical burns are the result of contact with dangerous chemicals, such as acids, which can burn the skin on contact. These types of burns often require immediate treatment to neutralize the chemical agent that caused the burn.
- Radiological burns aren’t as common as other types of burns, but when they do occur, they’re usually the result of radiation from waves.
Burns of all types leave victims susceptible to nerve damage, the risk of shock, and infections such as tetanus. Even if your burn doesn’t appear to be life-threatening, it is always a good idea to seek medical treatment immediately after suffering a burn injury. Once you have received medical attention, contact an Atlanta burn injury attorney to discuss your available legal options as you may be entitled to compensation.
Burn Injuries and Negligence
Burns are often the result of negligence on the part of another party. For example, if you suffer a burn injury at work in Georgia and your Atlanta personal injury lawyer can show that your employer was negligent in providing you with faulty equipment or an unsafe work environment, you may consider filing a lawsuit for negligence. Even for burn injuries that occur in the home, burn victims are not at fault if a defective product or negligent construction leads to the burn injury.
This can be especially true in the case of building fires; if the construction company or property owner fails to follow fire safety regulations, victims or their families can sue for negligence in the event of injury or wrongful death. The courts may award victims of chemical burns compensation if an improperly labeled chemical injures them.
Burn victims who are injured in car accidents can also receive compensation if they can show their injuries were caused by negligence. Dangerous conditions on the roads spilled chemicals that companies failed to transport safely, or faulty or defective vehicle parts can all lead to fires that can cause serious burns in the event of a car crash. To determine potential negligence and explore every legal option at your disposal, it is important to work with a qualified attorney.
The Dixon Firm, P.C. | Burn Injury Lawyers in Atlanta, GA
When it comes to burn injury cases, retaining competent, reliable, and knowledgeable legal counsel could make all the difference in the result of your case, and The Dixon Firm, P.C. has the experience to handle any type of burn injury claim. If you have any questions regarding your burn injury case or if you would like to schedule a free consultation, contact us today.
