Burn injuries can range from mild to extremely serious, and are some of the most frightening injuries that can occur. Many burn injuries occur every year here in the Dallas Fort Worth area —and the causes of the burn vary, from accidents to defective products. The average person can’t look at a burn injury and determine the severity of the injury, so burn injuries of all levels appear to be extremely serious and frightening. Unfortunately, in many cases, burn injuries cause long-term issues that must be dealt with for the rest of your life.
Burn Depth By Degree. Everyone has heard the different types of burn categorization: first-degree burns, second-degree burns, third-degree burns and fourth-degree burns. Do you know the severity of these burns, and why the categorization matters?
First-Degree Burns First-degree burns typically involve minor pain and redness at the site of the injury. First-degree burns are typically minor injuries that heal on their own, and include things like sunburn or other mild burns. First-degree burns don’t require medical attention; you may simply want to spread an over-the-counter burn-cream on the exposed area for self-treatment.
Second-Degree Burns Second-degree burns are more serious injuries. Second-degree burns involve blistering and may be extremely painful, depending on the nerve clusters that are affected. Second-degree burns may or may not require medical treatment, depending on severity.
Third-Degree Burns Third-degree burns are serious burns that result in damage to the skin layers, but the subcutaneous tissues below the skin layers. Third-degree burns may result in charring on the skin, or a hard patch of necrotic tissue. Third-degree burns always require medical treatment, result in permanent scarring and may require skin grafting.
Fourth-Degree Burns Fourth-degree burns are the most serious categorization for burns. Fourth-degree burns occur when muscles, tendons and ligaments are permanently damaged. Fourth-degree burns can be fatal, and if not, may require long-term medical treatment.
New Categorization For Burn Injuries Some medical providers utilize a new categorization system for burn injuries, based on how deep the burn injury penetrates. These injuries may be categorized as: superficial thickness, partial thickness – superficial, partial thickness – deep, and full thickness. These roughly correlate to the burn degree categorization scale.
Causes Of Burn Injuries.
Burn injuries typically result from four causes:
Chemical burns Chemical burns occur when people are exposed to certain dangerous chemical compounds, and can be minor or serious.
Electrical burns Electrical burns are caused by an electrical shock. In addition to the burn injury itself, electrical burns can also lead to cardiac arrest, cardiac arrhythmias and unexpected falls that result in fractures.
Radiation Burns Radiation burns can occur as a result of exposure to UV rays, including in tanning booths or radiation therapy. Sunlamps and X-rays can also cause radiation burns.
Scalding Exposure to hot liquids or gases causes scalding. Steam or hot liquids are common causes for scalding injuries, and these injuries are typically local and not life-threatening.
If you’ve suffered a burn injury…
… as a result of someone’s negligence or an injury at work, you may be eligible to file a claim. The Anderson Law Firm offers free consultations to people who suffer from burn injuries, so give us a call or fill out our Web contact form to schedule your FREE consultation.
