What Are Full Thickness Burns?

There is no more painful feeling than a burn injury. Even getting burned at the fingertips can be unbearable. If the pain of being burned at your fingertips is excruciating, what would it feel like if your entire body suffered serious burns?

Suffering full thickness burns is a pain that most people would not wish on their worst enemy. If you or a loved one have experienced full thickness burns from an accident that was not your fault, reach out to a Los Angeles burn injury lawyer at McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, to seek justice.

How are burns categorized?

Burns are classified based on the damage that they do to the skin. If you have small blisters and red swelling around the burned area, you have what is known as superficial burns, or first-degree burns. If the burn damages the second layer of skin and you experience a combination of blisters and extreme pain, you have suffered from partial thickness burns, or second-degree burns. If all layers of the skin are severely scarred, you have suffered from what is known as full thickness burns, or third-degree burns.

What do full thickness burns look like?

You will know that you have suffered full thickness burns by the appearance of your skin. After suffering a full thickness burn, your skin may take on a leathery and charred texture. The burned area can also appear almost waxy and white. Even worse, you could lose sensation in your nerve endings within the burned area.

What causes full thickness burns?

Coming in contact with the following elements may cause you to experience full thickness burns:

• Flames
• Hot liquid
• Steam
• Hot objects
• Electricity
• Chemicals

How are full thickness burns treated?

Full thickness burns are, typically, the burns that require the most medical treatment. Even though there are first-aid procedures for superficial or partial thickness burns, you may need to be hospitalized after suffering from full thickness burns. If so, you may have some of the following procedures performed:

• Skin grafting. Skin grafting is a procedure where a portion of skin is transplanted from one area to another. The skin from an unaffected area will be used to replace the skin that was severely damaged.
• Vaccine administration. When you have suffered a full thickness burn, doctors will typically administer a tetanus prophylaxis vaccine. This vaccine is commonly given to burn injury victims with burns deeper than the second degree.
• Additional fluids. You may be given fluids to prevent shock. Additional fluids will help your body maintain blood pressure during surgical procedures.
• Medications. Prior to surgery, it is common to receive several different medications to assist with the process.
• Surgeries. It is common to have several surgeries to prevent infection and remove the burned tissue.

Surgeries and medications may not be the only medical procedures you will need. Your burns can be so severe that you may need to rely on a breathing machine for assistance. You may also need to rely on a feeding tube to get nutrients into your body. You may also have to consider physical therapy to become accustomed to moving your body again. As you can see, it can become very expensive to fully recover from full thickness burns.

Am I entitled to compensation for a Los Angeles burn injury?

To cover the costs of your medical expenses, you can file a personal injury claim. An injury claim allows you to sue the person who caused your full thickness burns for financial compensation. Even if you have paid some of your medical expenses through your health insurance or out-of-pocket, you may still be compensated for those costs.

One of the biggest costs for full thickness burn injuries are medical expenses. However, other damages that you may be eligible to sue for in your claim are:

• Lost wages. The time that you have to take off work to recover from your burns will cut into your paid time off and sick leave. You will be missing out on income that may have earned if you were not injured.
• Pain and suffering. You may be compensated for the physical pain and emotional toll that your burns have caused you.
• Loss of quality of life. Suffering from full thickness burns may cause you to experience serious health conditions like shock and irregular heart rhythms. These health conditions may cause you to become depressed and affect your overall quality of life.

How can a Los Angeles injury attorney help?

Whether your burn injuries were caused by a negligent person or business, you may have to request your compensation from their insurance company. This is where most of the issues stem from with a claim. Insurance agents commonly do everything except provide you with the compensation that you deserve. They may try to search for any contradicting information in your claims. They may even blame you for your own injuries to get out of paying your claim.

Your lawyer will work to ensure you are appropriately compensated for your injuries. Burn injuries are severe and you need the right amount of compensation to cover your expenses. Many insurance companies will offer you a low settlement offer at first, hoping that you take the bait. A skilled lawyer can discourage whatever amount they want to offer and demand the right type of compensation for your claim.

At McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP, protecting and fighting for the injured is what we do best. Our law firm is family-owned and operated, and our lawyers fight for each of our clients as if they were members of our family. Call our Los Angeles office at 310-474-1582 or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation with a member of our team.

Please note that this blog is not to be construed as legal advice. Because every case is fact-specific, you should consult directly with an attorney to obtain legal advice specific to your situation.