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Securing the Future for Burn Injury Victims

A burn injury can be excruciatingly painful and often undermines a survivor’s daily routine and quality of life. Furthermore, victims also often require long-term medical care and physical therapy, which can quickly become a significant financial burden. A burn injury attorney at McKinley, Conger, Jolley & Galarneau, LLP, in Stockton, CA, can help victims secure the money needed to offset their expenses by filing a personal injury claim and proving third-party negligence.

Classifying the Severity of a Burn Injury

Burns can range from mild injuries that heal within days to permanent disfigurations. Depending on the tissues they affect and the symptoms they trigger, burns are classified as first-, second-, or third-degree:

  • First-degree: These burns affect the top layer of skin, causing redness, swelling, and peeling, but no blistering. The burns usually heal within a week, after the damaged skin cells have shed.
  • Second-degree: These burns extend into deeper layers of the dermis, resulting in blisters and occasionally thickened skin. Treatment may require hospitalization and a full recovery can take several weeks or months. 
  • Third-degree: These burns damage all layers of the skin and may extend to adjacent tissues, such as tendons, muscles, and bone. Third-degree burn victims require immediate hospitalization and may need receive a skin graft or amputation.

Because you can potentially be burned in virtually any environment, including the home or workplace, injuries are also often classified according to the cause. The type of burn you incur will often have a direct effect on the amount of damages you receive from a lawsuit.

Long-Term Effects

Burn survivors may endure a prolonged and difficult recovery process. The length of hospitalization and active recovery will depend on the severity of the burn, the percentage of the body affected, and if lung damage was incurred due to smoke or chemical inhalation. Following treatment, burn victims may face lasting complications, including:

  • Scarring and permanent disfigurement
  • Changes to skin textures and tones
  • Difficulty regulating body temperature
  • Altered sense of touch
  • Amputation
  • Emotional trauma

Our legal team understands the physical and emotional toll that living with burn injuries can take. We work hard to accommodate your needs and pursue compensation that can help mitigate your financial burden. 

Legal Assistance in Obtaining Compensation

Burn victims who have suffered due to another person or party’s negligence have the right to pursue compensatory damages. The circumstances surrounding the accident that caused your injury, the severity of the injury, and your financial losses, including loss of income and health care expenses, all factor into the amount of damages you are due. 

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