A burn injury is an injury to the skin and or other tissue that can be caused by heat, electricity or chemicals. Burns usually affect the skin; however, deeper burns can injure tissue below the skin's surface.

An Internal Burn Injury may occur to the stomach and esophagus when extremely hot liquids are ingested and also to the lungs when very hot air is inhaled during a fire.

A First degree burn, or minor burns, are the most common, and account for about 85% of all burns.

Second and third degree burns involve more severe tissue damage and have more serious consequences including shock, infection and scarring.

About two million people in the United States suffer burn injuries each year; 300,000 serious injuries and 6,000 deaths annually. Burn injuries are one of the more dangerous types of wounds because the risks for infection, scarring and other complications are much higher than other types of injuries. Recovery can be a long and tedious process for people who sustain burn injuries that are severe and/or cover extensive portions of the body.

Burn injury victims should seek legal advice to determine whether another party is at full, or partial, fault for their burn injuries and to assist them in recovering the losses to which they are entitled. Burn injuries often require expensive medical treatment.

Skin grafts, lengthy hospital stays and specialized care can easily exceed one hundred thousand dollars. Therapy, rehabilitation and lost income are only a few of the consequences people with burn injuries face.

Often burn injury victims also suffer severe emotional and psychological damages due to their changed appearance and lack of mobility.

If another party may be at fault or may have caused your burn injuries through negligence in Kansas or Missouri, you may be entitled to recover the full losses of your injury from them. Usually, burn injuries are the result of negligence or faulty merchandise.

Many insurance companies will fight against paying damages to victims of burn injuries. An experienced burn injury lawyer will be able to represent the best interests of persons with burn injuries.

Victims of burn injuries represented by an attorney recover far greater amounts than those who attempt to represent themselves.

Contact a qualified lawyer to gain insight on important legal decisions and learn about your rights as a burn injury victim.

Burn injuries are defined by degrees according to the depth of the burn injury and the extent of the burned area. Great strides have been made in medical science in treating burn injuries. Twenty years ago burns which covered over half of the body were fatal. Today, patients with burn injuries which cover over 90 percent of the body are able to survive.

There are three degrees of burn injuries: first degree, second degree and third degree burn injuries.

Third Degree burn injuries are the most serious destroying all layers of skin and often involving tissue underneath the skin's surface. Victims with third degree burn injuries usually require skin grafting and other reconstructive methods.

First Degree burn injuries affect the epidermis, or outer layer of skin. These are surface burns that cause redness, swelling and minor pain. Sunburn is one example of a first degree burn. Though it may be quite painful, it will heal without medical treatment and does not cause long lasting damage.

Second Degree burn injuries are more serious and cause damage to several layers of skin, going deeper than the epidermis to the layer below, called the dermis. These burn injuries can affect the outer parts of the dermis or the inmost layers. Surface burn injuries only affect the outer part of the dermis which causes pain, sensitivity, redness and blisters. Deep burns may extend to the deeper layers of the dermis. Deep burns look like dry, white areas that are painful to the touch.

Second degree burn injuries don't require surgery, but skin grafting is sometimes an option for victims with extensive burn injuries. Scarring can result from more severe second degree burns.

Third degree burn injuries are the most serious type of burn injury. All layers of skin are affected, as well as the tissue beneath, causing a brown or black leathery appearance. Third degree burn injuries usually are not painful because the nerves are destroyed, but they require surgical skin grafting or transplants.

The site of the burn injury also affects its severity. Burns to the face, genitals, hands and feet typically require hospitalization. The most destructive burn injuries may require the use of a hyperbaric chamber, which is a mechanism that nourishes the burns with pressurized oxygen.

Burn injuries are usually extremely painful and may take a long time to heal. Most physicians consider severe burn injuries to be the most painful type of injury. Victims with severe burn injuries may require a series of surgeries and skin grafts to replace tissue damaged by the burn injuries. Because skin grafts do not grow, a young patient typically must have subsequent surgeries to replace skin grafts as they get older.

Different burn injuries come from a variety of causes and the amount of damage left by burns varies according to the seriousness of the injury.

There are two classifications of burns: method and degree.

The " method " of burn injuries concerns the cause of the burn injury. The different methods are thermal, chemical, electrical, light and radiation. The damage and severity of different burns is related to some extent to the cause. Burn injuries can affect nerves, blood vessels, muscles, and bones.

Some burn injuries may damage the lungs which can cause airway obstruction and respiratory failure. Although the skin is not commonly thought of as an organ, it is most often the organ damaged by burn injuries. This may impair the body's fluid/electrolyte balance, body temperature, joint function and dexterity, as well as appearance.

Severe burn injuries may leave scars, which in turn cause emotional and psychological scarring. Especially for children, burn injuries may cause discomfort, fear and anger as a result of the stares and questions of strangers or peers. Burn injuries may seriously affect the victim's quality of life, and may require long-term, costly medical treatment.

Some severe burn injuries will require dozens of surgeries to conduct skin grafts, treat infections and prevent joint contractures. Burn injuries affect millions of Americans each year, usually due to occupational hazards, negligence or product malfunctions. Burn injuries originating in the fault or negligence of another party may result in large settlements to offset treatment of burns, replace loss of income and compensate for a decline in the quality of life and emotional/psychological damages of the burn injury victim.

Burn injuries are caused in a number of ways. All types of burn injuries fall into one of three categories:

The most common types of burns are thermal burns, which are often the deepest. They happen as a result of residential fires, auto accidents, arson, malfunctioning products such as space heaters or other electrical appliances, etc.

Injuries from fire or hot objects include: flame burns, hot liquid burns, deep burns caused by liquids such as coffee, hot grease, soup or hot water, and flash injuries (usually caused by explosions).

Chemical burn injuries are a reaction of the skin to strong acids and other corrosive materials, such as phosphorus or mustard gas. It is the result of the conversion of chemical energy to thermal energy.

The severity of a chemical burn is dependent upon how long the chemical is on the skin; flushing the skin with large amounts of water immediately is essential. When an electric current travels from the contact site into the body, converting into heat as it goes from one point to another, an electrical burn occurs. This may result in burn injuries to the lens of the eye, the heart and other internal organs, and often the most serious damage can be difficult to discover.

A Burn injury may occur in several areas, including the current's points of entry and exit on the skin, as well as the muscles and tissue through which the current passes. Damage to the bones, blood vessels and nerves may also occur, and a fatal heart attack can also result.

An attorney experienced in burn injuries can make sure that you and your family will receive fair compensation. If you or someone you love has incurred a burn injury Kansas or Missouri, please do not hesitate to contact our office for a free consultation and case evaluation.