Burn Injury Lawyer St. Louis, MO. Whether caused by fire, chemicals, an electrical fault, or even due to friction, burn injuries are without a doubt some of the most painful injuries a person can sustain, as well as ones that leave some of the most long-lasting side effects. Almost 100,000 Americans undergo emergency room treatment for burn injuries every year, with children and young people much more at risk of permanent injury from burns. Permanent scarring, disfigurement, and nerve damage can result from burn injuries and cause many additional health problems in the future. And while many St. Louis, MO burn injuries are purely accidental, every single one of them is purely preventable, which means that if you have been burnt due to someone else’s negligence you have the right to collect restitution for your injuries.
At Combs Waterkotte, our St. Louis, MO personal injury lawyers are driven to produce the best possible results for our burn injury clients. Our firm combines aggressive legal representation with an atmosphere that places client satisfaction at the center of everything we do. If you or someone you know has suffered burn injuries as a result of an accident, call us today at (314) 900-HELP for a free case review.
Types Of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries are classified into three main types, based on severity. These are:
- First-degree burns: these are the most common burn injuries and are often sustained in everyday activities like cooking or being out in the sun too long without wearing protection. Only the top layer of skin, or epidermis, is damaged by these burns. Common side effects of first-degree burns are redness, inflammation, pain, and sensitivity to pressure. Usually, these burns heal by themselves within a week, and can be treated with over-the-counter sprays and cold water. Contrary to popular belief, ice should never be applied to a first-degree burn injury, as this can affect the skin and its ability to heal itself.
- Second-degree burns: these are where damage goes beyond the epidermis into the dermis, or the second layer of a human’s skin. Second-degree burns are further broken down into “superficial” and “deep” burn types. Superficial second-degree burns usually result in clear blisters appearing, extreme pain, and the surface of the skin being much more moist, while deep thickness burns result in heavy scarring and drier skin around the site of the burn. Both of these burns take weeks to heal and require proper bandaging and treatment.
- Third-degree burns: occurs when damage extends through the entire dermis and affects organs and nerves. Common signs of a third-degree burn include dry skin, white or black wounds, and nerve or tissue damage. Treatment for a third-degree burn often requires skin grafts and extensive surgery, and even then may not fully restore the skin to its original, pre-accident condition.
- Fourth-degree burns: the most serious type of burn, fourth-degree burns are when damage goes all the way through the skin and down to the underlying muscle and bone. Injuries from fourth-degree burns result in severe disfigurement and often require amputation of the affected limb. In some cases, fourth-degree burns cause death in victims.
Contact A Top St. Louis, MO Burn Injury Lawyer
Burn injuries aren’t just some of the most painful and traumatic injuries a person may ever suffer–they’re also some of the most expensive to treat, and often require years of corrective surgery and therapy. The risk of infection means that burns must be treated with extra care and caution, which can easily lead to medical bills that total more than six figures. Given this information, it is critical that you contact an experienced St. Louis, MO personal injury lawyer after you have sustained burn injuries as a result of someone else’s careless actions.
At Combs Waterkotte, our attorneys fight fiercely to get our St. Louis, MO personal injury clients the compensation they deserve. Our firm also wants our clients to be completely satisfied throughout the legal process, which is why we offer them access to a network of top physical and mental health professionals as well as 24/7 access to the attorney working on their case. Contact us today for a free consultation and to learn more about how Combs Waterkotte’s personalized approach has made them one of the highest-rated St. Louis, MO burn injury law firms.
