What Are the Different Types of Burn Injuries and Classifications?
Burns are classified into different groups based on the severity of the wound and level of damage that they inflict. Generally, in a personal injury case, the greater the burn, the more you will be able to seek in damages. Severe burns are often considered a form of
catastrophic injury, as they can lead to long-term physical, emotional, and financial consequences.
- First-degree burns: These burns primarily affect the outer layer of the skin, rather than penetrating deeper layers. Physical symptoms of a first-degree burn typically include redness and discomfort of the skin, though no blistering. First-degree burns tend to have shorter recovery times than more severe burns.
- Second-degree burns: With a second-degree burn, the injury affects the outer layer of skin and the layer directly underneath, known as the dermis. These burns cause the skin to turn red and swollen, followed by blistering.
- Third-degree burns: Third-degree burns are much more severe, often causing the skin to appear blackened or charred after a fire. The wound penetrates the two outer layers of the skin and may even affect a deeper area called the subcutaneous layer.
- Fourth-degree burns: Victims of fourth-degree burns often suffer serious physical injuries. These wounds extend past the outer layers of the skin and often affect nerves and tissue. Fourth-degree burns can destroy nerve endings, leaving victims without any feeling in the affected area.
Serious burn injuries can have a lifelong impact on victims. Fourth-degree burn injuries require extensive medical treatment and, in severe cases, can lead to amputation. Victims of burn injuries in Nashville often face life-threatening complications like infection, sepsis, and respiratory problems caused by smoke inhalation, which, in the most tragic circumstances, can result in
wrongful death.
An experienced Nashville burn injury attorney understands not only the distinction between different types of burn injuries but also how they can affect victims and their families. At Glenn Injury Law, we take great pride in helping clients in Nashville deal with the aftermath of their injuries and fighting for fair compensation on their behalf. With decades of experience in personal injury cases, you can trust the team at Glenn Injury Law to handle your burn injury claim with confidence and compassion.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries in Nashville, Tennessee
A burn injury can occur at almost any time, whether you’re at work or at home. When a serious burn injury is caused by another person or party’s negligence in Nashville, Glenn Injury Law steps in to seek justice and secure compensation for our clients. There are many different accidents that can result in a burn injury, some of the most common being:
- Fires: Electrical issues and unattended cooking are two of the main causes of fires in the home. Faulty heating equipment or wiring in the home can easily cause a fire to start. Fires can start in a number of different ways and lead to devastating burn injuries. Exposure to flames for an extended period can greatly damage the skin, while inhaling smoke also poses health and respiratory concerns.
- Explosions: An explosion can cause serious burn injuries and impact multiple victims at a time. An explosion may be caused by a chemical accident or a gas leak and, while uncommon, could be caused intentionally. These accidents often cause serious physical harm and require immediate medical treatment.
- Chemical spills: When hazardous chemicals like sodium hydroxide or sulfuric acid make contact with the skin, they can cause serious damage. Laboratories dealing with hazardous chemicals also experience spills that can release these substances into the environment.
- Exposure to heat: Heating equipment, common in restaurants and kitchens, produces high temperatures that can instantly burn the skin upon contact. Depending on how long the skin is in contact with the heat, injuries can be severe and require medical attention.
- Radiation exposure: Exposure to large doses of radiation can lead to burns. X-rays and radiation therapy can expose people to dangerous amounts of radiation, and victims may have a case if they sustained a radiation-related burn injury during medical treatment.
- Faulty equipment: Touching equipment like power lines and live wires can lead to electrical burs. These injuries do not always show any outward symptoms but can be extremely dangerous as electricity courses through a victim internally.
At Glenn Injury Law, we have extensive experience helping clients who have sustained various types of burns. Whether you suffered a minor burn in a kitchen or a serious burn after a
car accident, our legal team can help you seek the compensation you deserve for your pain and suffering. We offer a free consultation for burn injury victims in Nashville at no cost. For more information about how Glenn Injury Law can be an advocate in your burn injury claim, contact us today.
What Compensation Can I Recover After a Burn Injury in Nashville?
If you have suffered life-altering injuries in a Nashville burn accident, you may be eligible for a larger settlement, whereas a less significant burn that allows you to return to your normal life within a few weeks may pay out a smaller amount. While it is impossible to put an exact dollar amount on how much your case may be worth, some cases end up in the four or five-figure range, while more serious burns may warrant a sex or seven-figure payout.
Regardless of the severity of your burn, you should never have to pay out of pocket for an injury caused by another person or party’s negligence. Not only do these accidents often require intensive medical treatment that results in thousands of dollars of medical bills, but the mental turmoil that a burn injury can cause is immeasurable. Victims often lose function or feeling of certain parts of their body and live with permanent scarring and disfigurement after a serious burn.
We recognize the impact that a burn injury has beyond just the monetary losses. That is why Craig Glenn and the team at Glenn Injury Law fight hard for our Nashville clients to recover compensation for both the economic and noneconomic losses caused by a burn injury. After experiencing a burn injury, our team can help you secure compensation for losses such as:
- Medical expenses: When a burn requires medical treatment, it can be a painful and costly procedure. Many burns also require ongoing care, which means ongoing bills for the victims. Our team will fight to ensure that you receive compensation for the medical treatment that you have received for your burns, as well as any ongoing care. Compensation accounts for services like skin grafts, reconstructive surgeries, hospital visits, and more. Glenn Injury Law will provide an accurate estimate that covers the current and future costs of your medical treatment.
- Lost wages: After experiencing a serious burn injury, many victims are unable to return to work for a prolonged period of time. If your injuries have caused you to be unable to return to work for weeks or months at a time, our team can help you seek compensation for lost wages in the past and future. Victims who are left disabled and unable to return to work for life may receive settlements that aim to compensate for these losses.
It may be overlooked by many, but the financial impact that a burn injury can have on a victim and their family can be significant. That is why Craig Glenn and the team at Glenn Injury Law fight endlessly for our clients to ensure that they are appropriately compensated for their injuries.
Beyond the physical injuries and financial losses is the trauma that a burn injury causes. Burn accidents are deeply traumatic events that can substantially impact the quality of a victim’s life. Our team also helps burn injury victims in Nashville seek compensation for the noneconomic losses after an accident, such as:
- Pain and suffering: Even after the initial pain of the accident, victims of these accidents often suffer from chronic pain due to nerve damage. The healing process is a long and painful road and many victims will still have to deal with long-term complications for the remainder of their lives.
- Emotional trauma: Serious burn injuries can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other lifechanging mental conditions.
- Scarring and disfigurement: Many burn injury victims are left permanently scarred or disfigured after an accident, greatly impacting their self-esteem and emotional well-being. It can weaken personal relationships and social lives, impacting a victim’s overall quality of life.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: After an accident, burn injuries may be so severe that a victim is unable to enjoy life the way that they once did. Their injuries may prevent them from engaging in social settings, enjoying their hobbies, participating in recreational activities, and more.
Tangible losses, such as medical bills and lost wages, are generally easier to calculate because there is a dollar amount attached. However, accurately estimating the value of noneconomic losses requires the experience and expertise of a Nashville burn injury attorney like Craig Glenn. Our team has been helping clients in Nashville recover noneconomic damages in their personal injury cases for years and we can help you maximize your settlement as well.
For a free and confidential consultation, contact us today. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Nashville burn accident, we want to hear from you and help you on your path toward justice and recovery.
Contact Glenn Injury Law Today for Legal Support in Nashville
If you have suffered a serious burn injury in Nashville, you do not have to go through it alone. Glenn Injury Law is here to help victims of Nashville burn accidents recover compensation for their pain and suffering. Our team can help in a number of different ways, including:
- Determining liability: We will work hard investigating the accident and gathering evidence that identifies a responsible party and holds them accountable for their negligence. Responsible parties may include employers, reckless drivers, defective products, or any other person/party whose recklessness led to your injuries.
- Communicating with insurance companies: While you are focused on recovering from your injuries, our team will handle all communication and negotiations with the insurance companies. At Glenn Injury Law, we ensure that clients receive a fair settlement and dispute any lowball offers that the insurance company may try to throw at you.
- Filing a personal injury lawsuit: If we are unable to land on a fair settlement for your injuries, our team is prepared to represent you in court and file a personal injury lawsuit within Tennessee’s one-year statute of limitations. We will use our resources to fight endlessly in court on your behalf, aiming to secure you the compensation that you deserve.
When you choose Glenn Injury Law, you are choosing a burn injury attorney with years of experience successfully representing Nashville clients in personal injury cases. We have a proven track record of securing settlements for our clients while providing skilled and compassionate legal support. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t owe anything unless we secure a favorable outcome in your case.
With a lot of other personal injury law firms, the main concern is reaching a quick settlement. With Glenn Injury Law, it’s not just about a quick payout; it’s about seeking justice and making a serious difference in our client’s lives. We have proudly been serving clients in Nashville and its surrounding cities for over a decade, helping victims of burn injuries and other accidents, including:
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a Nashville burn accident, trust the team at Glenn Injury Law to handle your case with care and determination. For more information about how the personal injury team at Glenn Injury Law is prepared to step up and make a difference in your case,
call us today or connect with us online for a free consultation.
