Missouri Burn Injury Lawsuits

Burns can be incredibly serious and burn injury lawsuits usually involve some sort of negligence or carelessness. In order to make a successful case, your Missouri personal injury attorney must prove that the four elements of negligence were present. It must be proved that there was some duty that the negligent party was responsible for. And that there was a breach of that duty and that this caused or resulted in the plaintiff’s injuries.

Burn injury lawsuits can result from accidents caused by defective products, or burns can be the result of a negligent landlord failing to properly maintain smoke detectors, explosion accidents, chemicals, hospital fires, hot liquid spills, etc. Burns can result from a variety of different situations. And if that situation was caused by another person or company’s negligent actions, you have the right to hold them responsible and recover compensation for your injuries.

Injuries

There are varying degrees of injuries when it comes to burns. Injuries can range from minor burns to disabling injuries or death.

First degree burns
First degree burns are commonly caused by hot liquids. With first degree burns only the top layer of skin is affected. These burns can be painful, but do not require medical treatment and can usually be treated at home by topical applications of aloe and cold water.

Second degree burns
Second degree burns are more serious than first degree burns and if the area affected by the burn is large enough, second degree burns may require medical treatment. These burns can be caused by hot liquids, flames, or chemicals. They are especially painful because these burns penetrate deeper and affect more layers of skin. Victims of second degree burns can be at risk of shock if the burn is large enough, but second degree burns that are small can often be treated at home.

Third degree burns
Third degree burns are very serious and can be identified by the way they turn the skin black or white. Unlike first or second degree burns, third degree burns completely penetrate all layers of the skin and are usually caused by fire, chemicals, or electricity. The burns often cause nerve damage, which keeps the burned area from being painful, but the areas surrounding the burn will be very painful. Victims should seek medical treatment and can require antibiotics, pain medication, help breathing, intravenous fluids, and even hospitalization and surgery for skin grafts. Third degree burn victims very frequently experience shock.

Fourth degree burns
Fourth degree burns will quite often be fatal. They will require surgery for skin grafts, as well as extensive medical treatment if the victim survives the burn because the burns affect not only all layers of skin but the muscle, tendons, and ligaments as well.

Fifth and sixth degree burns
Fifth and sixth degree burns result in death. The burns penetrate all the way to the bone, destroying all tissue between the skin and bone. These burns are diagnosed during autopsy because they are so severe.

Legal options for burn victims and family members

Victims of serious burns should immediately contact a Missouri personal injury attorney. Burns can require ongoing and extensive medical treatment that can be very costly. If your burn was caused by another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. If the burn results in death, the case becomes a wrongful death case that can be filed by family members of the victim.

To schedule a free and private consultation contact the St. Louis personal injury lawyers at The Hoffmann Law Firm by us at (314) 361-4242 or filling out our online contact form.