Burn Injuries

Though many people only think of “thermal” or heat burns, electrical and chemical burns are quite common, particularly in the industrial labor context. For example, a poorly-maintained construction worksite may have exposed wiring, which causes an employee or bystander to suffer an electrical burn. A restaurant, salon, or workplace could use caustic chemicals which could burn a patron or employee.

Depending on the severity of the burn injuries, the losses can be significant and varied. A burn located on a face or other noticeable area may require plastic surgery and may cause the victim to feel self-conscious or embarrassed. A severe burn that damages the nerve endings in the victim’s limbs could create a long-term motor and sensory impairment that prevents them from working in their field or at all. This would then justify the receipt of substantial wage loss and loss of future earning capacity damages.

Burn severity can be split into three different degrees:

First Degree

First degree burns involve damages to the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) and may be rather mild in terms of pain and suffering. Light scarring may be present.

Second Degree

Second degree burns damage the two topmost layers of skin and may lead to a significant amount of pain and suffering, as well as permanent scarring. Many victims require skin grafting to fix the aesthetic damage they suffer.

Third Degree

Third degree burns cause the destruction of the topmost layers of skin, and further, can damage other parts (i.e., nerves, hair, musculature, etc.). The aesthetic damage caused by third degree burns can have an enormous negative impact on the victim’s social, personal, and work lives. Further, there may be physical impairments that are not fully recoverable, such as movement/gait problems and long-term pain.