Burn Injury Lawyer
in Charleston, WV

A burn is a type of injury to the skin caused by heat, cold, electricity, chemicals, or radiation. Roughly 2.4 million burn injuries are reported annually in the United States. Between 8,000 and 12,000 burn victims will die, and almost 1 million will endure significant or permanent disabilities.

Burns are classified as first, second, third, or fourth degree. First-degree burns are usually limited to redness and extend only into the epidermis. Second-degree burns fill with clear fluid, have superficial blistering of the skin, and involve more pain. Second-degree burns involve the superficial dermis and may also involve the deep dermis layer. Third-degree burns have charring of the skin and produce hard, leather-like scabs. Third-degree burns are often painless because the nerve endings have been destroyed. Fourth-degree burns injure the body parts under the skin, such as the muscles or bones.

Both superficial and extensive burns can cause life-changing damage to the body that is costly to repair. Burn injuries that sever nerves prevent the burn victim from feeling and responding to pain in the affected area, putting the burn victim at risk for future injuries. When a burn injury destroys sweat glands, the skin may be unable to regulate temperature, resulting in the body’s overheating or dehydration.

Burn injuries not only affect body functions; they can also change how the body appears. Permanent scarring can create psychological and physical damage, requiring extensive surgeries and rehabilitation to reconstruct the affected skin and muscles.

Settlement and jury awards are frequently large in burn cases because of the catastrophic nature of these types of injuries. Since each case is unique, the compensation that victims are entitled to receive varies according to the severity of the injury. Burn victims often receive damage awards to cover medical expenses and lost income, as well as noneconomic damages that include pain and suffering. Contact us if you or a loved one has been the victim of a burn injury. We are aggressive advocates and will pursue burn injury claims to the maximum benefit of our clients.