There are various degrees of burn injuries, all of which will impact your daily life either short or longer term. The depth and severity of the burn on the skin will define its degree, which can be used to classify the injury.First-degree (superficial) burns – long-term tissue damage is rare with first-degree burns as the burn only affects the outer layer of skin. Sunburns will usually fall into this category.Second-degree (partial thickness) burns – this classification of burn involves the epidermis (top layer of skin) and part of the lower layer of skin, the dermis. This type of burns are characterised by red skin and blisters, commonly accompanied by swelling and varying degrees of pain and may require a skin graft.Third-degree (full thickness) burns – these burns destroy the epidermis and dermis and may also go into the innermost layer of skin, the subcutaneous tissue. The burn site may look white or blackened and charred and can destroy nerves causing numbness and permanent scarring.Fourth-degree burns – the most severe burns go through both layers of the skin and underlying tissue as well as deeper tissue, possibly involving muscle and bone and the nerve damage will cause a loss of feeling in the area.
The primary causes of burns include fire, scalding, electric shock, and chemical incidents. Burns can happen to anyone, anywhere. Often a person is severely burnt due to an accident at work, at home, or in a public place, through no fault of their own, for example:In a housefire caused by faulty wiring installed by a third party, disrepair, or damaged household appliances.At work due to faulty equipment, chemical burns, lack of personal protective equipment, and insufficient training,In a road traffic accident resulting in fuel fires, hot liquid spills, and electrical fires caused by faulty vehicles. This can also involve transporter vans spilling dangerous chemicals on the road.In a public building such as a hotel, restaurants scalding from hot liquid, steam or other objects causing you to suffer a burn injury, another public area would be fireworks and bonfires.At school from a child touching hot drinks left in a place accessible to them, touching hot pipes, or faulty electrical equipment.Accidents in care homes can occur when patients are exposed to hot water during bathing or spills from hot drinks, leading to burns due to their increased susceptibility.Accidents in hospitals can be caused by exposure to faulty equipment and can sometimes occur in radiation from x-rays that cause internal burns.Brian Barr are specialist personal injury solicitors who can offer legal advice and help burn patients get compensation for what has happened to them. Just get in touch with us, and we will make all the necessary arrangements for your burn injury compensation claim.
If you have suffered a severe burn caused by an accident then you will have to deal with physical, emotional challenges.Whether you have serious burns caused by fire in an accident, chemical burns, hot water scalding or any other burns injury, contact our burn injury specialists to find out if you are entitled to compensation.The process is easier than you may think and we will be here with you every step of the way to make it as stress free as possible. Brian Barr are a leading, specialist firm of solicitors who deal uniquely with chronic pain litigation.Our dedicated team is compassionate about helping our clients in a caring, understanding and professional manner. We will explain the process to you and can advise you on funding options including our ‘no win, no fee’ scheme.
Severe burns can cause long-lasting distress and the psychological damage must also be considered, especially when compensation claims are involved. The psychological problems faced by burn victims affect their quality of life and also their rehabilitation success. The most common psychological challenges following a burns injury accident tend to be: Depression – psychological problems such as anxiety, depression and low self-esteem are to be expected after a traumatic incident. It is not just the physical pain from the incident that can lead to depression, but the potential loss of mobility and coming to terms with the lifestyle changes you may have to make. Nightmares – the trauma of a burn accident can lead to nightmares that disrupt sleep or cause restless sleep. Flashbacks and PTSD – post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common with severe burn accidents, without around 30% of patients reporting to suffer from it. PTSD symptoms are common reactions to trauma, and often begin 3-6 months after the incident, however they usually go away over time.Many burn patients experience emotional scarring following their accident and often undergo a method of counselling called CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy) to help them learn to relax and manage their anxiety surrounding the event.
Burns can be caused by a variety of injuries, such as:Thermal burns: these are caused by high temperatures from heat sources causing the skin tissue to burn and skin cells to die. They can be caused by hot surfaces and metals, liquids, steam, or fire.Radiation burns: these can be caused by exposure to radiation sources, such as UV, sunlight, or X-ray.Chemical burns: this type of burns can happen when the skin comes into contact with acids, solvents, or other dangerous chemicals.Electrical burns: these are caused by exposure to strong electrical currents
