No matter what type of burn you’ve suffered, they can be quite painful. Even briefly touching a hot pan may have you wincing every time the burn brushes against your clothing. Depending on the severity, burns can require medical care and leave scars.
Catastrophic burns rise above that level. If you’ve had a catastrophic burn, you’ve likely suffered some sort of life-altering consequence where, no matter how much medical treatment you receive, your life will never be quite the same. Here’s how to tell what makes a burn injury catastrophic.
Burn Degrees
As you know, burns are usually classified as first, second or third degree. First degree burns are minor, like touching a hot pan. They can be addressed with over-the-counter painkillers or ointments. Second degree burns may require some medical assistance and can cause blisters.
Third degree burns, however, are more likely to be catastrophic. They can penetrate into the muscle and tissue, leaving deep scars and other life-altering physical consequences behind.
Catastrophic Burns
Your burn injury might be catastrophic if you suffer from any of the following problems.
- You have scarring. Catastrophic burns leave behind painful scars that will never heal, which may cover large parts of the body. If the scars are visible, this can cause lasting damage to a victim’s emotional and mental health, including anxiety, depression and self-esteem issues.
- Your skin is weaker. Scarred skin is weaker than normal skin, which means it’s more prone to cuts, scrapes, sunburns, tearing and infections. This is a lifelong side effect that can deeply impact victims.
- Your skin can no longer grow or heal. Burn injuries often leave the skin so damaged that it can never fully heal—for example, the hair follicles, sweat glands and nerves can all burn off and never grow back. When you lose skin to burn injuries, you’re also at a higher risk of infection. All of these conditions can make it very difficult to work, especially if you had a physical job before your injury.
As you can see, catastrophic burns are far more serious than the average first or second degree burn. Victims of catastrophic burn injuries have a hard time functioning in their daily life, let alone returning to the workforce and enjoying the quality of life they once had. On top of it all, their medical bills can be astronomical.
Contact an Ohio Catastrophic Burn Injury Attorney
Catastrophic burns can be life altering, and you deserve to recover compensation for your pain and suffering. Don’t hesitate to call me at 877.944.4373. I’ll discuss your legal options with you so you can focus on healing. I’ll Make Them Pay!®.
