Burns are one of the most painful injuries and one of the most expensive to treat.

In the United States, more than 1 million people each year suffer burn injuries requiring medical attention, and 50,000 must be hospitalized, according to the American Burn Association. Among children younger than 14, burns and fires are the leading cause of accidental death. Burns are the third leading cause of accidental death in adults, surpassed only by auto accidents and falls. The lawyers of Carey & Danis offer free consultations to burn survivors and to families who have lost loved ones as result of burn injuries.

Causes of Burns

Burn causes are classed into five categories:

• Thermal— fire, steam, hot or boiling liquids and hot objects.
• Chemical— acids, bases and caustics such as gasoline, bleach, toluene, turpentine and household cleaners.
• Electrical— electrical currents such as those resulting from faulty wiring or lightning.
• Light—sunlight and the ultraviolet light of tanning beds, among other causes.
• Radiation—includes burns from nuclear sources, as well as ultraviolet light.

Types of Burns

Burn injuries are separated into three categories: first-, second- and third-degree.

A first-degree burn is the mildest type of burn, involving only the outer layer of the skin, known as the epidermis. The skin typically heals on its own between two and five days after the injury. Some pain, peeling and discoloration may occur.

A second-degree burn involves both the epidermis and skin's second layer, known as the dermis. The skin becomes red and blistered, and the pain is intense. A second-degree burn is considered minor if it is confined to less than 15 percent of an adult's body surface or less than 10 percent of a child's body. When treated properly, the skin may heal itself in three weeks with little scarring.

Third-degree burns are the most serious. Because damage is extensive, often involving the destruction of nerve endings, some survivors report less pain than do people who have sustained first- or second-degree burns. The skin may be black and charred or dry and white. Skin grafts are required, and dense scars form. Disfigurement is a possibility.

There are 125 burn treatment centers in the United States, according to the American Burn Association. Because of the specialized care provided by these centers, great strides have been made in improving survival after burn injuries. Twenty years ago, a patient with burns covering half of his or her body often died, according to the National Library of Medicine. Today, patients with burns covering 90 percent of their bodies may survive their injuries.

Legal Action

In many instances, a burn survivor or the family of a person who died as a result of burns may obtain compensation. Some of the legal remedies available include:

• Worker compensation—If the injury was sustained while the person was at work, worker compensation benefits may be available.
• Automobile accidents—If the injury occurred as a result of a car crash, a survivor or the family of a person who died in an accident may be able to seek recovery from an auto insurance policy.
• Negligence—If someone's carelessness caused the injury, a lawsuit seeking damages may be filed against the wrongdoer.
• Product liability—If an injury was caused by a defective or dangerous product, a product liability claim against the manufacturer may be pursued.

Compensation may be available to cover medical bills and future medical expenses, lost income and pain and suffering.

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious burn injury, contact the attorneys of Carey & Danis. We can help. Carey & Danis is a national law firm that represents individuals injured by America's largest corporations.

At Carey & Danis, even though our lawyers have recovered more than $695 million for our clients, including individual settlements of over $10 million and class-wide settlements of more than $90 million, we count our clients as our most important asset.