Newport News Burn Injury Lawyer
Representing Victims With Burns, Scars, & Disfigurement
Any serious injury to the human body can result in structural and tissue
deformation and destruction causing severe scars and disfigurement. The
extent of scaring and disfigurement is dependent in part upon the forces
and mechanisms involved. Fires, friction, lacerations and chemicals can
cause serious injury and scarring to the skin and organs. Fractures and
force injuries can otherwise cause severe distortions of body structures
and function. If you have suffered any of these types of injuries, you
may have grounds to pursue a permanent disfigurement settlement. Our burn
injury lawyers in Newport News are here to guide you through the process.
Skin and Tissue Injuries - Pursuing Compensation for Scarring
There are several injuries that can affect and interrupt the skin. These
include abrasions, lacerations, avulsions, puncture wounds, and
burns. These types of injuries can be the result of many different accidents
or trauma. They can occur due to a fall, motor vehicle accident, assault,
shooting, stabbing or any other type of accident.
Abrasions
An abrasion is an injury to the skin that is caused by a rubbing of the
skin against some type of surface. This can include a fall in which a
person's knee rubs against the ground, bicycle accidents or the inflation
of an airbag that rubs against a person's face during a car or
truck accident. A well-known type of abrasion is known as "road burn". These
types of injuries are
common in motorcycle accidents. An abrasion is when the top layer of the skin is pulled or rubbed away,
leaving the lower layers exposed. This type of wound does not require
surgical repair. Although abrasions only involve the top layer of the
skin, these injuries can be quite extensive and painful dependent upon
the amount of skin area involved. If a person has significant dirt and
foreign bodies imbedded in the wound, cleaning of the wound can be very
painful. Treatment can consists of cleaning, topical antibiotic ointment
and dressings as needed. Dependent of the size and depth of abrasions,
scar can occur, especially with exposure of the area to the sunlight.
Exposure to some abrasions may change the pigmentation of the area resulting
in a scarred appearance.
Lacerations
Lacerations are wounds that are a resulting of a cut or tearing injury
to the skin. Lacerations can range from minor with simple repair to extension
involving muscles, tendons and ligaments requiring surgical repair and
hospitalization. Treatment of lacerations, again, depends upon the severity
of the wound. The area is cleaning and examined for any foreign bodies
and then repaired. Lacerations are usually repaired with stitches and
occasionally staples. The time the stitches remain in place depend upon
the wound type and the wound location. Permanent scarring can occur, again,
dependent upon with extent of the wound. Sun exposure to the wound can
also change the pigment of the wound.
Avulsions
An avulsion is a loss of tissue, in which an entire section of skin is
pulled away. This is often seen in fingertip injuries where a cutting
action removes an entire section of the skin. This loss of skin prevents
the edges of the wound to be pulled together as a laceration would. Many
times, small avulsion areas heal without any surgical repair. If the avulsed
area was adequately preserved after the injury, attempts may be made to
reattach this section. However, large areas of avulsions usually require
significant surgical intervention such as skin grafting.
Puncture Wounds
Puncture wounds/missile injuries occur when an object punctures the skin.
This can range from stepping on a nail, being shot, stabbed or assaulted
with a sharp object. Other penetrating injuries include nails from a nail
gun, high-pressured paint guns, or a rock projected from a lawn mower.
Injury to the body caused by a penetrating object depends upon the entry
site, the object used and the wound depth. Although puncture wounds usually
bleed minimally, they also tend to seal off, increasing the risk for developing
an infection. Puncture sites that involve bony areas may result in bone
infections or infections of the joint capsules. Missile injuries, especially
those with a high velocity, can result in significant injury along the
path of the missile. This can result in extensive internal injuries from
a single bullet wound.
Any injury to the skin can result in a
permanent scar or develop an infection. The extent of the treatment, scarring and possibility
of infection is dependent upon the type and extent of the injury.
Burn Injury Settlements
Burns can be a very serious medical problem with many complications and
even death dependent upon the extent of the burns and exposure. Burns
can occur with direct exposure to fire and flames (house fire), electricity
(electrical shock), hot fluids (coffee, soup), hot objects (iron), chemicals
(lime) or overexposure to the sun. Persons may also suffer from an inhalation
injury as a result of breathing in smoke or carbon monoxide poisoning.
Medical personnel classify the burns sustained dependent upon the extent
of the burn. First-degree burns are limited to the skin's surface.
You may see some local redness and feel some pain. These types of burns
can be compared to simple sunburn where the skin becomes red after sun
exposure. Second-degree burns involve deeper layers of the skin. There
is usually severe pain and swelling noted with second degree burns. These
burns develop blisters and the area is red with a moist appearance. The
most severe burn classification is a third degree burn. Third degree burns
result in severe tissue damage involving deeper layers of the skin. Often
nerves and deeper skin layers are damaged. Although peoples with third
degree burns suffer from swelling and skin that appears charred or white,
they often do not feel the excruciating pain as peoples with first and
second-degree burns may. This is a result of damage to the deeper skin
layers and nerves. Peoples can die from third degree burns dependent upon
the amount of body area that was involved with the burn.
Dependent upon the type of burn sustained, a persons may require just simple
first aid and minor medical treatment for first degree burns to long,
complex hospitalizations with intravenous fluids, antibiotics and skin
grafts with third degree burns. Burn victims may also develop complications
such as infections and breathing difficulty after suffering from burns.
People with burns are also at risk for developing pneumonia, shock, permanent
scars and vision changes if the eyes were injured with the burn.
Inhalation Injuries
Persons involved in fires may also suffer from an inhalation injury. This
type of injury is often associated with facial burns. A person with facial
burns or who suffered from significant smoke exposure or inhalation of
toxic fumes may have injuries to their internal breathing organs such
as their throat and lungs. Soot and toxic substances can settle in their
breathing structures resulting in a hoarse voice, difficulty breathing,
wheezing, black sputum and airway spasms. Inhalation injuries can very
quickly cause swelling and spasms in the breathing airway and could result
in a life-threatening situation if not treated.
Always get prompt medical attention for yourself or anyone suffering a
burn injury. If you, a friend, or loved one wrongfully suffered from burn
injuries, you ask why, and take immediate steps to protect your or their
legal interest. Consider the suggestions in our
accident guide, and call our Newport News burn injury attorney immediately. We are here
to help. At Larry King Law, we recognize the unique issues pertaining
accident victims. You can call us at 757-209-2265 or contract us with
this sites
Contact Form, seven days a week, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. We are committed
to doing the extra things it takes to help our clients.