Burn Injury Attorneys in Dothan, ALM

Burn injuries are some of the most traumatic and painful injuries that a person can suffer. They often lead to disfigurement and scarring, which can be physically, emotionally, and financially devastating. While medical care and various accommodations can help, these are expensive.

If you or a family member has suffered a burn injury, it’s vital that you work with a lawyer who is going to fight for maximum compensation. At M. Adam Jones and Associates, we have many years of experience serving accident injury victims and their families in Alabama. When you work with us, you get personalized service from a firm with a reputation for big results. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

Common Risk Factors for Burn Injuries

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that there are roughly 1.1 million burn injuries annually in the United States. About 50,000 burn injuries each year require hospitalization, and 20,000 injuries take place on 25% or more of the body. Nearly 3,300 people lose their lives annually due to burn injuries, but smoke inhalation and burn-related infection deaths are just as frequent.

While a burn injury can happen to anyone, some groups are more susceptible to these tragedies than others. Young children and people ages 20-40 years have the highest incidence of burn injuries. Children, in particular, can get into risky situations and are likely to suffer from the most severe liquid scalding and hot surface burns. Adults are more likely to get injured at work in accidents involving flames, electricity, chemicals, or hot liquids.

Types of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries can happen just about anywhere and at any time, but they generally originate from one of four possible sources:

• Heat– Contact with hot surfaces and flames can lead to thermal burns. These are common from cooking or industrial explosions.
• Electricity– A high voltage electrical discharge can lead to severe burns as well as cardiac problems and nerve damage.
• Chemicals– Exposure to toxic or corrosive chemicals can cause internal or external burns.
• Radiation– Exposure to high levels of radiation can cause severe burns as well as increase the risk of certain types of cancer.

How Burn Injuries are Quantified

Treatment and survival following a burn injury depend on a variety of factors such as the type of burn, its size, your age, and any other medical conditions you might have. Burn injuries are quantified based on four levels of severity:

First-Degree Burns

First-degree burns result in superficial damage to the skin. You’ll notice pain, redness, and tenderness in the area, but no blisters. These generally heal within 3-7 days and won’t leave scars.

The risk of infection with these burns is low since there are no internal changes in the body. Common causes of first-degree burns are hot liquids and sunburns.

Second-Degree Burns

Second-degree burns are often more painful and involve blistering. With this type of burn, your skin will appear pink, soft, and moist. A second-degree burn will heal in about 3-4 weeks, generally without any scarring. You may need medical treatment and special dressing to prevent infection.

Third-Degree Burns

A third-degree burn involves much deeper layers of your skin. With this type of burn, your skin will feel like leather or appear white. Because the nerves can be destroyed, you may not feel pain, but treatment is necessary, including possible skin grafting.

Common causes of third-degree burns are electrical, flame, and thermal injuries. These burn injuries could require months of hospitalization, surgeries, rehabilitation, and result in loss of function.

Fourth-Degree Burns

Fourth-degree burns are the most severe, and you can expect extensive damage. These penetrate all of the skin’s layers, and generally also involve the fascia, muscle, and bone. Treatment requirements include grafting and debridement.

A fourth-degree burn generally results in permanent disability and severe loss of function.

What Type of Negligence Caused Your Burn Injury?

In many cases, determining who was responsible for a burn injury can be complicated. A claim for compensation could be brought against a number of parties. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, some of the liable parties might include a reckless driver that causes a crash, a business owner, a homeowner, a product manufacturer, or a maintenance company.

An experienced personal injury attorney will thoroughly investigate your accident and discuss your options for the pursuit of a claim.

Do I Need an Attorney After a Serious Burn Injury?

Following an accident that results in a serious burn injury, you might wonder who is going to pay your medical bills and cover your lost wages. Unfortunately, the responsible party generally won’t step forward and pay you the full and fair compensation you are entitled to after such an ordeal.

Most individuals, companies, and even municipalities will push everything over to their liability insurance company, which isn’t in the business of paying out large claims. In many cases, you will need a skilled injury attorney that will identify the liable party and fight for the compensation you need and deserve.

In Alabama, you have the right to make a claim for damages that include medical care, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. It’s not uncommon for insurance companies to deny liability or attempt to blame victims for their own injuries. Don’t let them get away with this. Contact us today.

Speak with an Experienced Alabama Burn Injury Attorney

No matter where the accident occurred, if you or someone you love suffered a burn injury resulting from another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. At M. Adam Jones and Associates, our Dothan, AL burn injury attorneys have in-depth experience successfully pursuing injury claims caused by electrocutions, fires, chemicals, and smoke inhalation. We can help you and your family through the difficult process of making a legal claim so that you can focus on recovery.

Legal action is never a simple matter, and your time to make a claim is limited by law. Our office never charges a fee for services unless we successfully secure compensation from the responsible party. Contact us today at 334-699-5599 or reach out to us online to schedule a free consultation.