Burn Injury Lawyers

Serving Washington, D.C., Maryland, & Virginia

A severe burn is one of the most painful injuries a person can endure. Often life-threatening and slow to heal, a burn can cause scarring so severe as to impair movement or constrict breathing. The source of burn injury is often a catastrophic accident in which you may have lost loved ones or your home and, often other severe injuries, such as brain injury or amputation, are involved. Even when physical function is restored, burn injuries are often followed by emotional pain caused by severe disfigurement.

Causes

Many kinds of accidents can result in burns. In addition to fires, chemicals, radiation and sunlight can cause severe burns. Defective products are often the cause of fires and chemical exposure. Negligence can result in scalding and dangerously severe sunburn in nursing home patients and infants. Common causes of burns include:

• Auto Accidents
• Plane crashes
• Explosions
• House fires
• Scalding
• Chemical exposure
• Electrocution
• Nursing home neglect
• Defective products

Treatment

Burn treatment is extremely painful, and burn patients are highly susceptible to infection. Rehydrating and balancing fluids is a very important part of treatment. Severely burned skin cannot maintain hydration. Burn treatment is a slow and expensive process and may involve:

• Skin grafts
• Skin replacement
• Reconstructive surgery
• Physical therapy

Long-term effects

In addition to physical injuries and disability caused by burns, the emotional and social impact of burn injuries can be devastating. Disfigurement can be extreme and in cases where disfigurement is minor, the victim may perceive it as a radical alteration of his or her appearance. Self esteem and sexual function can be drastically impaired. Burn victims need the support and understanding of friends and loved ones and especially spouses, in getting through the first few months of recovery.

Scarring from severe burns can be far more than a cosmetic problem. Scarring can be so sever as to restrict movement and cause loss of mobility. The ability to use a hand, arm or leg, is not uncommon. Severe burn injuries can cause:

• Sepsis
• Adult respiratory distress syndrome
• Dehydration
• Nerve damage
• Scarring
• Disfigurement
• Loss of use of the affected area
• Chronic pain
• Death

Burn injuries are extremely painful, often debilitating, and life altering. You need an experienced burn injury attorney such as those at Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel P.C. who know how to deal with insurance companies and medical practitioners. Our burn injury lawyers will work to recover maximum compensation for damages, which may be necessary to support you and your rehabilitation for a long time, possibly the rest of your life.

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