Burns

burns and burn injury lawyers maryland

Injuries caused by burns can be excruciatingly painful for the burn victim. Depending on the severity and degree of the burn they can cause severe physical, emotional and mental trauma. The deeper the burn, the longer and more extensive the treatment plan and recovery period. Burns are measured in terms of degrees which refer to the depth of the burn. A first degree burn is superficial and rarely poses a health threat to the victim. First degree burns allow the skin to perform its functions such as regulating body temperature and preventing infection. Second degree burns are deeper and damage the second layer of skin called the dermis. Often times they are also referred to as partial thickness burns. Loss of skin function is normally a result of second degree burns. Blistering of the skin is common with second degree burns. They are among the most painful due to the layer of skin that falls away, exposing the raw nerve. Third degree burns are the deepest and most severe. A third degree will burn and destroy any sensation in the nerves so the burn victim may feel nothing at the burn site.

Causes and Complications of Burn Injuries

A burn injury caused be caused by a plethora of accidents such as:

Injuries occurring at work

– Industrial Accidents

– Auto Accidents

– Truck Accidents

– Motorcycle Accidents

– Explosions

– Chemical Burns

– Defective Products

– Nursing Home/Treatment Center Abuse or Neglect

– Electrocution

Recovery from burn injuries can be a very long and painful process. Regardless of the cause of the burn, often times victims need surgical procedures such as skin grafts or reconstructive surgery. They may also need extensive physical rehabilitation as part of their recuperation due to loss of nerve and soft tissue functionality.

Ultimately burn injuries can lead to massive medical & physical therapy bills as well as prescription costs. Many burn victims may need to undergo emotional counseling as well to address any emotional trauma that may have occurred as a result of the burn injury.

There are many factors involved in a Maryland burn injury lawsuit. The Baltimore County, MD burn injury lawyers on our team have the experience needed to fully understand, address and anticipate any medical, legal and financial issues that occur as a result of a burn injury. They will work tirelessly to obtain the financial compensation and medical benefits to which you and your family are entitled.

Assessing Burns in Adults & Children

Burns are injuries to the various layers of the skin. The skin can be superficially burned of deeply burned. The depth or the burn indicates the degree of the burn such as first, second or third degree burns. The amount of body surface area burned indicates the severity of the burn. A burn injury can be sustained in the home, in an accident or workplace injury. Burn injuries can cause scarring, disfigurement and loss of sensation if the effected area of the body. Often times a burn can be a fatal injury. Complications secondary to the burn such as dehydration can further complicate a burn injury and the time it takes to recover. In addition, treatment options are often dictated by severity, depth and type of burn.

If you have sustained a burn injury as a result of a workplace accident, work related injury or other type of non work related accident in Maryland or Washington DC call the Annapolis burn injury lawyers @hardballlaw for a free consultation.

Assessment Of A Burns

The Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) effected by the burn is used to assess burns of the skin. In an adult the ‘Rule of Nines’ is typically used when trying to determine total percentage of body burned. The Rule of Nines takes into consideration factors such as burns covering multiple body parts or burns not fully covering a body part. In adults, each area of the body is assigned a percentage based on its size and surface area. Rule of Nines percentages for an average sized adult are outlined below:

Anatomic Structure Surface Area %

Head 9%

Front Torso 18%

Rear Torso 18%

Each Leg 36%

Each Arm 18%

Genitalia 1%

The arms and legs can be further broken down percentage wise if only front (anterior) or rear (posterior) portion is burnt. 

Burn Assessment in Children & Infants

In children burns are assessed very similarly to adults with one primary difference. For an infant, toddler or child with a burn injury the body parts are assigned a different surface area percentage. The percentages differ at different ages due to the fact that the ratio of combined surface area of head and neck differs to that of an adult. This assignment is called the Lund-Browder chart and is outlined below:

Anatomic Structure Surface Area %

Head 17%

Front Torso 18%

Rear Torso 18%

Each Leg 26%

Each Arm 18%

Genitalia 1%

Contact An Annapolis Injury Lawyer Handling Burns

Burns can easily become a catastrophic event in one’s life. If you are burnt at work or in an accident in DC or MD call the Rockville, MD burn injury attorneys @hardballlaw to discuss your case. Salisbury, Maryland burn injury attorney Susan R. Green has many years experience handling burn injury claims in DC and MD. Let her put her experience to work for you. She provides free consults and charges no fee unless she recovers on your behalf. 

Serving all of Maryland including Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Carroll County, Frederick County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Wicomico County & Worcester County among others.

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