BURN INJURIES

Memphis Burn Injuries Attorney

Most people have experienced the pain associated with a bad sunburn. A sunburn is but one type of burn injury (and a relatively minor one at that). Serious burns can damage multiple layers of skin and affect bone and muscles, requiring extensive surgeries to repair the damage and minimize the appearance of scars and disfigurement. Other burns, if not treated quickly, are so serious that they can result in death.

Have you or a loved one suffered a burn injury? If another person was responsible for causing or contributing to your burn injury, you may be able to recover compensation to help you pay for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other losses and expenses you incurred through a burn injuries lawsuit. The Memphis burn injuries attorneys at Douglass & Runger, PLLC, Attorneys at Law, are available to help you prepare and present such a case.

Types Of Burns

Fire is not the only method whereby burn injuries can occur.  In fact, burns can occur after exposure to a variety of objects. Common types of burns include:

• Thermal burns which occur after exposure to a hot object or heat source. Burns from fire, hot liquids like coffee, and hot steam are common examples of thermal burns. Scald burns caused by hot liquids are a type of thermal burn.
• Cold burns can occur when skin is exposed to wet, windy, and/or cold weather.  Frostbite is the most commonly-recognized example of a cold burn.
• Electrical burns occur when a person has suffered burns after touching an electrical source or after he or she has been struck by lightning. The electrical currents in homes and businesses, as well as the massive amount of energy in a single lightning bolt, are all capable of damaging skin and leaving the victim with serious burns.
• Chemical burns occur as the result of contact between exposed skin and a harsh chemical or other substance. Bleach or acid that contacts with the skin can cause serious burns. Certain peppers and other foods are also capable of causing minor chemical burns if they contact with bare skin.
• Radiation burns result from exposure to the sun or other sources of radiation like sunlamps or tanning booths. X-rays in hospitals and radiation-based cancer treatments can also cause radiation burns.
• Finally, friction burns are the result of some rough object sliding across the surface of the skin. “Indian burns” that children used to give one another are an example of a friction burn. The “road rash” some motorcyclists or bicyclists experience after an accident are another type of friction burn.

How Serious Is My Burn Injury?

Your burn injury may not require immediate medical treatment. However, if you are ever in doubt about whether or not your burn requires emergency medical care, err on the side of caution and go immediately to a hospital. The severity of your burn will determine whether immediate emergency care is necessary: 

• First-degree burns affect only the first (top) layer of skin and generally do not require immediate medical care.
• Second-degree burns extend to deeper layers of the skin. A small, localized second-degree burn may not require a trip to the hospital. However, if second-degree burns are present on a large portion of the victim’s body, emergency care is recommended.
• Third-degree burns and fourth-degree burns injure all layers of the skin and (in the case of fourth-degree burns) can damage muscles, nerves, bones, and blood vessels. Third- and fourth-degree burns always require immediate medical attention.

Let Us Help

For more information about our firm and our approach to the practice of elder law, contact our office. Call (901) 388-5805 to schedule a confidential consultation and case review today. Douglass & Runger, Attorneys at Law, serve clients throughout Memphis, Shelby County, and the surrounding areas.