Burn Injury Attorneys In Columbus

Suffering a burn injury can be one of the most painful and disabling experiences a person can go through. At Rourke & Blumenthal, our Columbus burn injury lawyers understand and appreciate that those who have suffered a catastrophic injury need help now more than ever. Chronic pain, disabilities, and a lifetime of medical care can weigh victims down, and we want to be the legal team to help them feel secure again.

When you work with our burn injury lawyers, you can expect the same dedication and professionalism that led to the victories in those cases to be used in your own. Every client who comes to us is unique, not just a case number, and we are confident that this personalized approach raises our chances of success whenever we seek a settlement or positive verdict.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries

According to the American Burn Association (ABA), roughly half a million Americans receive treatment for burn injuries each year. While burn injuries can be caused by myriad factors, they are most often the result of a preventable accident caused by another party’s negligence. Oftentimes, these injuries cause long-lasting debilitation and disfigurement, requiring extensive surgeries and permanently reducing a person’s quality of life.

Burn injuries are frequently the result of the following:

Degrees of Burn Injuries

Burns are classified into separate classes, depending on their type and severity. In general, there are three types of burns: First degree, second degree, and third degree.

The degrees are as follows:

• First-degree burns: Only the outer epithelial layer of the skin is damaged, causing the affected areas to redden and become painful to the touch. First-degree burns are equivalent to a dry sunburn without blisters, and generally heal within a period of three to five days.
• Second-degree burns: Second-degree burns cause damage to the epithelium and the top portion of the dermis, causing oozing blisters to form. The affected areas will be pink or red and will blanch when pressure is applied. Second-degree burns can be either partial or full thickness, and are excruciatingly painful.
• Third-degree burns: Third-degree burns are the most serious, classified by the destruction of all layers of the skin. Burns of this degree involve the destruction of nerves, causing a loss of feeling. Third-degree burns have a leathery, charred, or white appearance.

While burns can exceed these levels into the fourth degree, most of the public and medical community does not typically use this term. Fourth-degree burns extend beyond the skin and cause damage to the underlying tendons and bones. Fifth and sixth burn degrees also exist, but they are not considered survivable.

Permanent Scarring Due to a Burn Injury

If a burn injury victim is fortunate, the physical harm caused will not permanently damage their muscles, nerves, and other deep tissues. Irreversible scarring is likely to still occur, however, in any sort of accident that causes a burn injury. Given enough time, the scar tissue will no longer be sensitive to heat and touch, but the victim is not fully recovered. They may experience a lowered self-esteem or diminished value of their own looks and identity. The result is physical scarring that leads to mental scarring, as well. Any compensation earned through a lawsuit must keep these damages in mind, which are sometimes called nominal damages.

Treatments for Burn Injury Victims

When a burn injury can be improved through medical treatments and medicine, it is often a costly process that may take months to finalize. An effective yet expensive option for people who have suffered third- or fourth-degree burns is skin grafting, which will use their own skin from unaffected body parts and apply it to the burn for gradual healing and replacement. Skin grafting often requires numerous procedures as the healing process continues, with each session costing thousands of dollars. Without compensation won through a lawsuit, you may be paying for your recovery out of your own pocketbook.

Call Our Firm Today to Schedule a Free Consultation!

If you or a loved one has been injured in fire or explosion, it is necessary to hire attorneys who have significant experience in handling fire cases. These cases are complicated and require immediate investigation in order to make sure that the necessary evidence is properly preserved.