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Burn Injuries

Scalding

Scalding occurs when a hot liquid comes into contact with the skin. Most common experiences with scalding are related to hot drinks or high temperature of bath or shower water. Scalding is frequently the cause of burns experienced by children younger than five.

Consequences of Burn Injuries

Burns can be terrible injuries harming not only the skin, but the muscles, blood vessels, nerves and bone. Severe burns affect much more than the skin. Additional consequences include

  • Scars and disfigurement
  • Extensive emotional and psychological damage
  • Infection – burns can damage the skin’s protective barrier
  • Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) – occurs in patients with severe burns and causes the lungs to fail, sometimes proving fatal

Treatment of Burns

Approximately 50,000 burn patients require hospitalization. About half of those burn patients are admitted to a specialized Burn Unit or Intensive Care Unit (ICU), according to NIH.

First and second degree burns can heal in time without skin grafts, as there is enough underlying skin tissue to rebuild the skin. Third degree burns require skin grafting or application of artificial materials to cover and protect the exposed areas and trigger new skin growth. A skin graft is the process of removing either a thin layer or a full thickness of skin from a healthy part of the body and applying it to the burned area. When successful, the grafted skin is accepted by the remaining injured skin.

Joseph M. Still Burn Center

The Joseph M. Still Burn Center has dedicated over 30 years to treating burn patients and is considered the largest burn center in the country. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the Joseph M. Still Burn Center takes pride in employing two intensivists who are aware of the challenges burn victims face and who continually create new courses of treatment. The Burn Center sees patients of all ages, ranging from two days old to 105 years old. Roughly 30% of the patient population is children, who are managed by a pediatrician with over 20 years of experience in treating young burn victims. Additionally, the Joseph M. Still Burn Center has physical and occupational therapists and psychologists on staff to treat their burn patients in all aspects.

Contact a Burn Injury Lawyer

If you or someone you care about has been the victim of a burn caused by the negligence of another person or entity, contact Fried Rogers Goldberg for a free consultation to learn more about your right to compensation. You can also view our verdicts and case results by clicking here.

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