Burns are some of the most devastating personal injuries a person can experience. In addition to the extensive physical damage to tissue, burns also affect victims in emotional and psychological ways. Worsening an already terrible situation, treatment for burn injuries can quickly deplete a person’s financial reserves if he or she does not have a safety net in place.
In technical terms, burns occur when the body is exposed to energy in the form of chemicals, electricity, radiation, thermals or electromagnetism. Below is a brief explanation of some types of burn injuries.
- Radiation burns may happen with overexposure to sources of radioactive energy such as x-rays or even the sun.
- Electrical burns can occur from exposure to both AC and DC electrical currents.
- Thermal burns can happen from exposure to heat sources such as scalding liquids, flames, steam and many others.
- Chemical burns typically occur when a person comes into contact with acids, solvents and like substances.
Some of the long-term effects of severe burns include:
- Loss or deterioration of physical ability
- Loss of one or more limbs
- Severe disfigurement and scarring
- Long-term risk of infection
- Deep muscle and tissue damage
- System damage throughout the body
- Reduced mobility
- Anxiety and depression
- Flashbacks or nightmares
- Other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
Once simple tasks that people perform every day can suddenly become a major challenging event and in some cases will require long-term care. People who have been burned due to the alleged negligence of an individual or entity may have grounds to take legal action. If you live in the Denver area and have such an injury, consulting with an attorney can help you decide if you need to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Source: Johns Hopkins Health Library, “Burns,” accessed May. 14, 2015