Burn Injuries

Burn injuries can be extremely painful and traumatizing. Even more so if they were caused by a defective product or by the negligence of another person. The American Burn Association estimates that over one million burns occur each year in the United States that require medical attention.

Burn injuries are usually caused by:
· Car accidents
· Gas or other flammable liquid explosions
· Spilling hot or scalding liquids
· Electrical accidents
· Industrial accidents
· House fires
· Gasoline spills
· Firework mishaps

Burn injuries can range from minor to severe based on their degree of severity. The most common types of burns result in either a first, second, or third degree injury, although, shockingly, burns can be as severe as a sixth degree injury.

Based on their symptoms, the different degrees of burn injuries are:
· First degree. The skin is generally red at the site of the burn and the victim may feel some minor pain.
· Second degree. A second degree burn will fill with clear fluid and involve some blistering. The victim may feel some pain depending on the level of nerve involvement.
· Third degree. With a third degree burn, the skin has been damaged to the point of being charred, producing leather-like scabs. Surprisingly, the pain associated with a third degree burn is usually minor because the nerves surrounding the burn site have been destroyed.
· Fourth degree. Fourth degree burns affect the muscles and bones and the skin is unable to be repaired.
· Fifth degree. With a fifth degree burn, the actual muscle tissue is destroyed.
· Sixth degree. Sixth degree burns destroy all muscle tissue and char the bone.


Tragically, if a burn of any degree covers a large portion of the body, death can result.

The first 48 hours after the injury are the most critical for the burn injury victim’s survival and recovery. One of the biggest problems faced by burn victims is infection and fluid loss. Because of this, doctors familiar with treating burn injuries should use electrolytes, fluids, antibiotics, and a tetanus vaccination during the initial treatment of a burn injury victim. Once the patient has been stabilized the wounds must then be cleaned and covered. Severe burns may yet require a skin graft if there is not enough healthy skin to cover the wound.