North Louisiana Burn Injury Attorney
Practice Areas
Burn Injury Lawyers in Shreveport, Bossier City, and Mansfield, Louisiana
Burn Injury Statistics
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1.1 million burn injuries are treated in the United States every year. Burn injuries can cause an extreme amount of pain, and some of the deeper injuries can take months to heal. The injuries themselves aren’t the end of the process, either. The CDC estimates that up to 10,000 people die from burn-related infections every year.
If you have suffered an extensive burn injury after an accident, you deserve to have someone in your corner who’s looking out for your best interest. The Shreveport burn attorneys at Gordon & Gordon can take care of all the stressful paperwork while you focus on healing.
What Causes a Burn Injury?
A burn injury can be caused by any number of accidents, and it doesn’t have to involve fire. For example, cases involving motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, product liability, and even workplace injury can all overlap with burn injuries. Here are some more specific examples:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents. Car accidents, motorcycle accidents, and other motor vehicle accidents can cause chemical burns from airbags and friction burns from the seatbelt or the road/pavement (road rash). In more serious cases, cars may catch fire or even explode, causing devastating injuries for those inside.
- Premises Liability. Faulty wiring at your workplace or in your apartment can cause a fire that injures you and potentially your family or coworkers.
- Product Liability. Defective merchandise or appliances can cause fires when they malfunction.
- On-the-Job Injury. Louisiana relies on oil and gas production, and those refineries work with dangerous chemicals at extreme temperatures, making oil field accidents more likely to occur. A workplace plant explosion may cause burns resulting in severe disfigurement and pain.
These are only a few examples of how burn injuries can occur. Whatever caused your injury, when you work with the burn injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon, we’ll work to get you the maximum compensation for your injuries.
Types of Burn Injuries
When most people think of burn injuries, they often think of fire and heat. While heat burns are a common type of burn injury, open flames or hot surfaces are not the only origins of burn injuries.
Thermal Burns
Thermal burns are the most common type of burn injury. This burn is caused by an open flame or some type of hot object coming into contact with the skin. Scald burns are included in this category. Scald burns are burns caused by wet heat, usually involving steam or boiling water.
Electrical Burns
Electrical burns can come from working with faulty wiring or getting struck by lighting. Often, victims will have an injury where the electricity entered and exited their bodies. Electric burns can cause severe internal damage to organs and muscles.
Chemical Burns
Corrosive chemicals can cause severe injuries to the skin, eyes, and internal organs. Dangerous chemicals can be found in nearly every household in the form of cleaning supplies. Bleach, ammonia, detergents, and drain cleaners can all cause severe chemical burns if not stored and handled properly.
Radiation Burns
X-rays, radiation therapy, and the sun’s UV rays can all cause radiation burns. The most common example of a radiation burn is a sunburn. Another example is when faulty equipment and poorly trained staff cause burns after radiation therapy for cancer patients.
Friction Burns
Friction burns are really two injuries combined. Friction is created by pressure and movement, which causes heat. When your skin is subjected to friction, rough surfaces can tear the skin and the heat from the friction can cause burns. Bicycle accidents can cause road rash, which is a type of friction burn.
Cold Burns
Frostbite is a type of burn caused by extremely cold temperatures. Instead of skin cells being destroyed by heat or chemicals, extreme cold causes water in the cells to freeze and permanently damage the cell.
Burn Injury Degrees
Healthcare professionals classify burns based on the severity of the injury. A mild first-degree burn will heal much more quickly and easily than a deep fourth-degree burn. The percentage of the body that the burn covers can also determine the severity of the injury. Burns covering 10% or more of the body need immediate specialized medical care from a burn center. Any type of burn covering more than 30% of the body can be fatal.
First Degree Burns
First-degree burns are initially uncomfortable and can be painful, but they tend to heal quickly. These burns are superficial and often don’t need medical care. Minor sunburns are a prime example of first-degree burns.
Second Degree Burns
A second-degree burn is often significantly more painful than a first-degree burn. Blisters form with second-degree burns and the top two layers of skin are damaged. A second-degree burn can be superficial or a deep partial-thickness burn. Superficial second-degree burns usually won’t result in scarring, but a deep partial-thickness burn can change the color of your skin or leave a permanent scar. These burns are often incredibly painful and leave your skin red and swollen. A second-degree burn over a large area of your body requires immediate medical attention.
Third Degree Burns
Third-degree burns are severe injuries. Third-degree burn victims may not have any pain in the area initially because the burn destroys nerve endings that communicate with the brain. The skin is often black, white, brown, or yellow.
Fourth Degree Burns
The most severe kind of burn is a fourth-degree burn. All layers of the skin are destroyed, as well as muscle, tendon, and bones. Surgery is always necessary for fourth-degree burns. This type of burn can also result in amputation of the burned limb and extensive scarring.
Aftermath of Burn Injuries
Minor burns often heal on their own, but serious burn victims often require extensive medical treatment in the form of skin grafts and even plastic surgery. What’s more, smoke inhalation can cause severe damage to the lungs and throat. Medical costs and lost wages from burn injury victims can put them in debt very quickly after an accident causes severe burns. The healing process for a severe burn can last for months and even years, depending on the severity and the kind of treatment.
Burn Injury Treatments
Depending on the type of burn, treatment can range from moisturizing the wound to full surgical skin grafts. Burn treatments usually include cooling the burn, controlling pain, and preventing infections. Infection after a burn can cause severe complications that can result in death or lifetime disabilities.
Long Term Complications
The recovery process for a burn doesn’t stop once the burn heals. Burns are a catastrophic injury, meaning they often result in permanent disfigurement which can also cause psychological trauma. Burns can tighten the skin and muscles around joints, which can pull them out of alignment and cause joint pain.
Can I Receive Compensation for My Burn Injuries?
If you suffered a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, you have a legal right to pursue compensation for your injuries. The North Louisiana personal injury attorneys at Gordon & Gordon have been recovering compensation for injured victims in Louisiana for over 30 years. We can help you recover compensation for your burn injury through a burn injury lawsuit.
Louisiana Burn Injury Lawsuit
A burn injury lawsuit can be a way for a burn injury victim to seek justice after an accident caused by another’s negligence. Your legal team can help gather all the evidence necessary to pursue a case against the negligent party while you focus on recovery.
If you are a burn victim, you may be able to pursue compensation for the costs associated with your serious burn injury with the help of a personal injury lawyer at Gordon & Gordon. We can help you recover compensation for:
- Lost wages
- Past and future lost earnings
- Medical expenses
- Past and future medical bills
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of enjoyment in life
- Mental anguish
- And more
Burn at Work Compensation
Work accidents can cause severe burns and time away from work, which can mean a sudden loss of income for your household. Work accidents are often covered by worker’s compensation in Louisiana, but worker’s comp only covers a percentage of your normal earnings. Many victims take this small settlement and believe that they have no other option. At Gordon & Gordon, our experienced attorneys can help you get the most out of your worker’s compensation case and even help you file a personal injury lawsuit at the same time.
How Can Compensation Help Burn Injury Victims?
Money won’t reverse the extensive damage of a burn injury or get you back to perfect health, but it can relieve the financial burden of your injury. Medical bills, physical therapy, and surgeries can become a stress-inducing mountain of debt on top of all your other household bills. Compensation after an accident like this can ensure that you and your family are taken care of financially.
