What Makes Burn Injuries So Dangerous?

There are many types of injuries that a person may endure and recover from with often very little help; however, burn injuries often pose a much greater challenge and a need for professional medical care. But if the human body is able to withstand and recover from many types of injuries and illnesses, what makes burns so difficult to recover from?

Complications from Burn Injuries

Burns range in severity; the more severe a burn and the larger the burn, the harder it will be to heal and recover from. Severe burns can result in many complications that affect the health of a victim and may even become fatal.

The most life-threatening concerns for a burn injury are:

• Infection
• Shock
• Electrolyte imbalance
• Respiratory distress
• Organ dysfunction

Burns not only cause severe pain but can disrupt a person’s immune system and result in the death of tissue on a person’s body. Due to the effect of burns, immune cells are often unable to reach affected tissue and infection can easily occur, causing further complications for a victim.

Severity of Burns

Burns range in severity and are classified as the following:

• First Degree Burn – Affects the epidermis and is painful to the touch, but will heal within a week and have no complications.
• Second Degree Burn – Can either extend to the superficial dermis and take two to three weeks to heal with possible local infection, or extend to the deep dermis and take many weeks to heal with possible scarring, contracture, and the need for skin grafting or removal.
• Third Degree Burn – Extends through the entire dermis, killing all sensation of pain and featuring a dry and leathery look. This type of personal injury requires tissue removal or possible amputation.
• Fourth Degree Burn – Extends into the muscle and bone and can significantly impair the function of the affected area. Requires removal or amputation, and may lead to death.

While most burn injuries do not result in the worst of these degrees, any injury can result in serious complications for a victim, heavy medical costs for treatment, and long-term recovery. As such, anyone injured as a result of another party’s negligence has the right to seek compensation for losses. A San Jose burn injury lawyer can aid you in your search for compensation for your losses and justice.

For more information, call our offices at (800) 900-0863.