Question 1

Common types of burn injuries – what caused the burn?

Accepted Answer

When someone says they’ve been burned, you might imagine the person accidentally touching something hot. But there are many other ways to be burned. Burns are often classified by the substance that caused the injury, because different substances require different treatments:

Chemical burns: A chemical burn happens when your skin is exposed to certain caustic chemicals, such as bleach or ammonia. These sorts of burns are incredibly common in the workplace, as well as in the home. Many everyday chemicals can cause burns if used improperly, or if the container has not been properly sealed.

Electrical burns: When a person receives an electric shock through their body, they will likely suffer from electric burns. Unlike other types of burns, electrical burns can cause as much internal damage as external. Electricity travels through the entire body, rather than just sitting on your skin like chemicals. You can receive an electric shock from countless things, such as frayed wires, overloaded outlets, malfunctioning appliances, or batteries.

Thermal burns: Thermal burns are the kind most people imagine when they think of burn injuries. Thermal burns are caused by touching something too hot, such as a cooking pan, boiling water, or steam. They are the most common type of burn and can result in a great deal of damage. Severe burns may even require skin grafts to properly heal.

Burns from cold: Although most burns are caused by heat, you can get a burn from cold as well. Frostbite often leads to cold burns that can result in amputations of fingers, toes, limbs, and even parts of the face.

Radiation burns: Radiation burns may sound outlandish. You may assume you do not have to worry about them unless you work directly with radioactive material. However, it is possible to receive these burns from X-rays, tanning beds, and certain cancer therapies and treatments. The most common type of radiation burns is actually a sunburn, because your skin becomes damaged from the sun’s radioactive UV-rays.

Friction burns: Rope burns, rug burns, and carpet burns are all friction burns. This kind of burn occurs when the skin rubs against a rough surface, creating friction and causing injury. Friction burns are often not serious. But serious cases include road rash, common in motorcycle accidents, when the affected area could require skin grafts.

Burns from car crashes: We’ve all seen movies in which a car is involved in a collision and as a result, it blows up. This may not happen quite as often as Hollywood would like us to believe, but it is a real possibility. Gasoline is highly flammable, and even a small leak of the fuel tank has the potential to cause a disaster.

Question 2

Different burn classifications – how severe is it?

Accepted Answer

Apart from how they’re caused, burns are also classified by how serious they are. A particularly bad burn can require weeks of rehabilitation. Catastrophic burns may cause permanent disfigurement and scarring, or even death.

First-Degree: When a burn is classified as first degree, that means the damage has only been done to the epidermis, which is the outermost layer of the skin. A minor sunburn is a common kind of first-degree burn. They usually heal quickly without much, if any medical intervention needed.

Second-Degree: Second-degree refers to damage done to the epidermis and the dermis, which is the layer beneath the epidermis. There is often blistering, and even scarring, with second-degree burns. They may need help from a medical professional to heal properly, and it can take several weeks to recover fully.

Third-Degree: This occurs when the burn passes through the epidermis and dermis to damage the tissues and sweat glands beneath. This is an incredibly serious burn, and almost always requires skin grafts in order to heal properly. If particularly severe, additional surgery may be needed.

Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth-Degree: With fourth-degree burns, the damage has extended to the fat layer beneath the skin. Fifth-degree burns refer to when the muscle becomes burned, while a sixth-degree burn means that the damage has spread all the way down to the bone. All three of these categories are considered catastrophic and are incredibly dangerous. Death is possible, if not likely. If you survive, you will certainly be left with permanent disfigurements and disabilities.

Question 3

Common causes of burns – how do people get hurt?

Accepted Answer

There are many ways a burn can be caused. Some are minor, such as spending too much time in the sun, but others are far more dangerous, and often not your fault. Common scenarios with a high risk for burn injury are:

No matter the cause, burns have the potential to be fatal. If someone has caused your serious burn injury, either deliberately or through negligence, they should be held responsible.

Question 4

The consequences of serious burns – what can happen?

Accepted Answer

Burns are an incredibly dangerous type of injury. They are extremely painful, and a more serious burn requires extensive medical help to fully heal. Burn injuries will typically result in high medical bills, lost wages from time taken off from work, loss of employment due to not being able to perform normal duties, lowered quality of life, especially if the burns result in disfigurement and disability, as well as pain and suffering.

After a severe burn, your life may never be the same again. No one deserves to be drowning in medical debt, unable to support themselves and their family, because of someone else’s negligence or poor decisions. If you have been seriously burned due to negligence, contact our Virginia personal injury lawyers today. We will give you all your options and help you choose the best way forward.

Question 5

How do you determine damages for burn injuries?

Accepted Answer

If your burn injuries are the result of someone else’s negligence, you have the right to file a personal injury claim. The people who caused your injuries can be called on to compensate you for the total cost of your medical care, in addition the pain and suffering you have endured.

Your Virginia burn injury lawyer can help you determine how much compensation is needed to cover your medical costs and other expenses directly related to your injury. This may include the following:

Emergency medical services
Surgery
Your hospital stay
Outpatient care
Rehabilitation
Lost wages

Your attorney can also seek additional damages based on your pain and suffering, loss of ordinary use, and punitive damages -- to discourage others from engaging in grossly negligent behavior that could harm other Virginia residents in the future.

Question 6

How do I file a burn injury claim in Virginia?

Accepted Answer

When seeking compensation for your burn injuries, you don’t want to fight the insurance companies on your own. At GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys, both of our founding partners served in the U.S. Marines, and we know how to make an effective plan and then execute it for your best interests.

We start by listening to our clients and getting a full account of what happened. Then our team investigates the scene of the accident, collects evidence, and interviews witnesses. We also examine medical reports and retain expert witnesses to strengthen your case.

After we have collected all the necessary information, we calculate the value of your claim based on how much it will cost you to recover from your burn injuries and resume your normal activities. If the other side isn’t willing to provide the compensation you deserve, we can take them to court.

Virginia burn injury attorneys

Helping victims of serious burns in Virginia

Why you need a Virginia burn injury lawyer

Common types of burn injuries – what caused the burn?

Different burn classifications – how severe is it?

Common causes of burns – how do people get hurt?

The consequences of serious burns – what can happen?

How do you determine damages for burn injuries?

How do I file a burn injury claim in Virginia?

How GibsonSingleton Virginia Injury Attorneys can help

Recent Burn Injury Case Results

Additional Information