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Our law firm is
currently engaged in numerous active claims (and
lawsuits) where people were either killed or
seriously injured as a result of negligence or a
product failure. We routinely provide information to
people affected by these problems at no cost.
We are happy to
provide you free information, to discuss and review
your individual situation, or try to assist you.
The references
shown below will lead you to some of the critical
information you need in a review of this tragic
area. The source of most of this information is
shown. We have attempted to rely upon Federal
Government Agencies, the News Services, health
providers and other reliable sources.
After
completing your review of the links we have
assembled for you, you can contact us by
(1) calling us toll free at 800-447-6443, or
(2) contacting us by E-mail
at pearsonpc@aol.com.
Please visit our Homepage
for more information on our law firm and what we can
offer our clients.
Burn
Injuries
| One of
the most painful injuries that one
can ever experience is a burn
injury. When a burn occurs to the
skin, nerve endings are damaged
causing intense feelings of pain.
Every year, millions of people in
the United States are burned in one
way or another. Of those, thousands
die as a result of their burns. Many
require long-term hospitalization.
Burns are a leading cause of
unintentional death in the United
States, exceeded in numbers only by
automobile crashes and falls. |
|
FIRST-AID |
|
Remove
from source of burn |
|
Remove
smoldering or
contaminated clothes |
|
Cool
or lavage with water |
|
Cover
with clean dry cloth or
cling-film |
|
Elevate |
|
|
Serious
burns are complex injuries. In
addition to the burn injury itself,
a number of other functions may be
affected. Burn injuries can affect
muscles, bones, nerves, and blood
vessels. The respiratory system can
be damaged, with possible airway
obstruction, respiratory failure and
respiratory arrest. Since burns
injure the skin, they impair the
body's normal fluid/electrolyte
balance, body temperature, body
thermal regulation, joint function,
manual dexterity, and physical
appearance. In addition to the
physical damage caused by burns,
patients also may suffer emotional
and psychological problems that
begin at the emergency scene and
could last a long time.
Classifying
burns
Burns
are classified in two ways:
Method
and degree of burn.
Methods
are:
- Thermal -
including flame, radiation, or
excessive heat from fire, steam,
and hot liquids and hot objects.
- Chemical -
including various acids, bases,
and caustics.
- Electrical -
including electrical current and
lightning.
- Light - burns
caused by intense light sources
or ultraviolet light, which
includes sunlight.
- Radiation - such
as from nuclear sources.
Ultraviolet light is also a
source of radiation burns.
Never
assume the source of a burn. Gather
information and be sure.
|
(Photograph: ).
|
Degrees
are:
First
degree burns
are superficial injuries
that involve only the
epidermis or outer layer
of skin. They are the
most common and the most
minor of all burns. The
skin is reddened and
extremely painful. The
burn will heal on its
own without scarring
within two to five days.
There may be peeling of
the skin and some
temporary discoloration. |
Second
degree burns occur when
the first layer of skin is burned
through and the second layer, the
dermal layer, is damaged but the
burn does not pass through to
underlying tissues. The skin appears
moist and there will be deep intense
pain, reddening, blisters and a
mottled appearance to the skin.
Second  degree
burns are considered minor if they
involve less than 15 percent of the
body surface in adults and less than
10 percent in children. When treated
with reasonable care, second degree
burns will heal themselves and
produce very little scarring.
Healing is usually complete within
three weeks.
Third degree burns
involve all the layers of the skin.
They are referred to as full
thicknessburns and are the most
serious of all burns. These are
usually charred black and include
areas that are dry and white. While
a third-degree burn may be very
painful, some patients feel little
or no pain because the nerve endings
have been destroyed. This type of
burn may require skin grafting. As
third degree burns heal, dense scars
form.
Determining the
severity of burns
Source of the
burn - a minor burn caused by
nuclear radiation is more severe
than a burn caused by thermal
sources. Chemical burns are
dangerous because the chemical
may still be on the skin.
 Body
regions burned - burns to the face
are more severe because they could
affect airway management or the
eyes. Burns to hands and feet are
also of special concern because they
could impede movement of fingers and
toes.
Degree of the
burn - the degree of the burn is
important because it could cause
infection of exposed tissues and
permit invasion of the
circulatory system.
Extent of burned surface areas -
It is important to know the
percentage of the amount of the
skin surface involved in the
burn. The adult body is divided
into regions, each of which
represents nine percent of the
total body surface. These
regions are the head and neck,
each upper limb, the chest, the
abdomen, the upper back, the
lower back and buttocks, the
front of each lower limb, and
the back of each lower limb.
This makes up 99 percent of the
human body.  The
remaining one percent is the
genital area. With an infant or
small child, more emphasis is
placed on the head and trunk.
Age of the
patient - This is important
because small children and
senior citizens usually have
more severe reactions to burns
and different healing processes.
Pre-existing
physical or mental conditions -
Patients with respiratory
illnesses, heart
disorders, diabetes or kidney
disease are in greater jeopardy
than normally healthy people.
CONTINUED
ON NEXT PAGE
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Pearson and
Pearson
A
Professional Corporation
1330 Post Oak Blvd - Suite 2900
Houston, Texas 77056
(800)
447-6443
(713) 739-8600
E-Mail:
pearsonpc@aol.com
Not Certified
Texas Board of Legal
Specialization
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