How to Handle Severe Burn Injuries After an Accident

Burn injuries can happen at work, during a car accident, or from an accident at home. Knowing how to handle severe burn injuries and what to do until paramedics arrive can be important for preventing shock or further damage. The type of care you should seek depends on the severity of the burn. 

If the burn injury was caused by the negligence of someone else like a co-worker or driver, you may be eligible for significant compensation. Talk to a Delaware accident attorney if you suffered personal injuries because of someone else’s negligence. 

COMMON CAUSES OF BURN INJURIES

Burn injuries can be caused by fire, steam, electricity, or certain chemicals. Most burn injuries are caused by thermal factors like fire, whereas only 4 percent of injuries are caused by electricity and 3 percent are caused by dangerous chemicals like strong acids. 

Chemical burns can be common at jobs that involve working with dangerous chemicals on a weekly basis. These types of burns can involve alkali or acid burns. Alkali burns tend to be severe because they liquefy the skin, whereas acid burns do not burn as deep. Fire burns are also common during certain physically demanding jobs.

Burn injury severity depends on the causative agent, the length of exposure to that agent, and how whether medical treatments were administered. Burns can be divided into first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burns. First-degree burns are the least damaging because they only damage the outer layer of skin. Second-degree burns damage the full layer of skin and third-degree burns damage the layers underneath the skin. 

MANAGING SEVERE BURN INJURIES

Second-degree and third-degree burns tend to be major. To know whether to seek emergency services, you need to recognize the difference between major and minor burn injuries. Minor burn injuries do not usually require immediate medical assistance, but avoiding medical attention for major burns could lead to infection and shock. 

First-aid for burn injuries is straightforward. First, determine whether the burn is minor or major. Major burn injuries create a charred appearance with black, brown, or white patches on the skin. They may also involve deep damage through the skin. Be sure to look at the size of the burn too. Burns larger than 3 inches require immediate medical help. Also, any burns on the face, feet, hands, or pelvic regions are considered major. 

For chemical burns, wash them with clean water to rid the skin of the chemical. Avoid using ice water because this may lead to hyperthermia. You can cover the burn with a moist cloth to ease pain, but never submerge large burns in cold water. If the person appears in shock with a pale face and problems with breathing, talk them through the situation until paramedics arrive. 

PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER IN DELAWARE

Talk to a Delaware personal injury lawyer if you suffered severe burn injuries from an accident caused by someone else. Contact Edelstein Martin & Nelson today at (302) 295-5050 for a consultation. You can find us in Wilmington, Delaware. Working with an experienced lawyer early on in the process can be important for obtaining the compensation you need because some personal injury cases can be lengthy.