Sacramento Burn Injury Lawyers

Over $1 Billion Recovered for Accident Victims in CA

Few injuries are as devastating as widespread second or third-degree burns. Whether caused by electrical currents, a hot liquid, chemical exposure, a defective product, or an open flame, severe burn injuries require emergency medical attention, specialized treatment, and a lengthy rehabilitation process. Even burn patients who receive the best care may be left with disfiguring scars and other painful reminders of their accident.

At Kershaw Talley Barlow, our Sacramento burn injury attorneys have recovered over $1 billion fighting on the behalf of injury victims. Combining over 100 years of legal experience with a true passion for improving our clients’ lives, we can serve as your trusted advocates in the event of a life-altering burn injury.

If you were burned in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, our team can help you file a claim. Call us at (916) 520-6639 today to schedule a free consultation.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries

While the American Burn Association has reported that over 70% of burn center admissions are caused by accidents in the home, you can suffer a serious burn injury almost anywhere. Although most people tend to think of burns as heat-related injuries, they have many potential causes. Burns occur whenever skin and body tissues are destroyed via extreme heat or chemical reactions.

Burn injuries may be caused by:

• Contact with fires and flames
• Smoke inhalation
• Hot liquids and steam, also known as scalding accidents
• Contact with a hot object, or thermal burns
• Electricity
• Chemical exposure to strong acids or solvents, or caustic burns
• Fireworks and explosions
• Exposure to radiation
• Extreme cold exposure or frostbite

Types of Burn Injuries

Thermal Burns

Thermal burns are some of the most common and severe types of burns. These burns result from contact with scalding hot water, hot items, and more. Thermal burns also occur because of flames and scorching steam.

Chemical Burns

Chemical burns are more common in various workplaces involving acids, bleaches, detergents, solvents, and other strong chemicals. You must ensure that you have proper safety equipment when working with these items. Once a chemical touches your skin, a severe burn can occur.

Radiation Burns

Many people experience minor radiation burns each year, with sunburns being the most common type. Other radiation burns can occur during therapy or X-rays. Prolonged exposure to radiation can cause significant burns on your skin, and even deeper under the layers of your skin.

Friction Burns

Friction burns occur when your skin rubs against another hard object. The result is you losing layers of your skin. These types of injuries are heat burns, but they are also abrasions that scrape at your skin. Carpet burns and road rash are common friction burns.

Understanding Burn Severity and Treatment Options

The type and amount of care a burn patient needs depends on how serious their injury is. 

Minor, or first-degree, burns generally heal on their own within a few days, as only the outermost layer of skin is damaged. However, when the underlying layer of skin, called the dermis, is destroyed or damaged in a second-degree burn, medical intervention will be necessary. Third-degree burns are those that affect both layers of skin and underlying tissue.

The more severe and widespread a person’s burn injuries, the lower their chance of survival. The victims of such injuries require immediate medical stabilization and will undergo a long treatment process. Third-degree burns and above require tissue grafts, if they are treatable. In some cases, patients may end up losing digits or limbs to medical amputation.

You should seek emergency care if you or someone you know has suffered a burn injury that meets any of the following criteria:

• The surface area of the burn is larger than 3 inches in diameter
• The burned skin appears leathery, dry, and thick
• There are white, blackened, or charred patches on the skin
• The burn exhibits signs of infection, including oozing, swelling, and increased pain
• The burn does not begin to heal within 2 weeks

Severe burns cause an intense immune reaction in the body. Left untreated, a patient is likely to suffer life-threatening conditions like dehydration, sepsis (blood poisoning), or toxic shock syndrome.

Long-Term Complications of Severe Burn Injuries

Recovering from a severe burn injury may take months and come with astronomical costs. Even the best doctors and medical technology cannot undo all the damage burns cause. 

Most patients will suffer ongoing complications, which may involve:

• Scarring
• Loss of joint mobility
• Chronic pain
• Intolerance of extreme temperatures
• Immunodeficiency
• Increased likelihood of developing nerve disorders
• Psychological trauma/post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Disfigurement and related mental distress

These issues can impact a burn victim’s ability to return to their job, provide for their family, and enjoy life the way they used to. For those whose injuries were caused by negligence, these losses should be addressed along as medical bills and other expenses. 

Our burn injury attorneys in Sacramento can help you map out the multiple ways in which a burn injury is likely to affect your future and calculate a fair settlement based on what we learn.

Establishing Liability and Pursuing a Burn Injury Claim

There are many cases in which burn injury victims are eligible to pursue compensation for their injuries. House fires caused by malfunctioning products; car accidents that turn into blazes; and burn injuries sustained in a commercial venue that was not up to code are all situations that involve negligence on someone’s part.

By fully investigating the cause of your accident, our experienced legal team at Kershaw Talley Barlow can help you identify all liable parties and seek fair compensation for your losses through a personal injury claim. Insurers and large corporations tend to fight back against burn injury claims because they know just how big a victim’s losses are. We can help you understand the worth of your case and then build a strong argument to protect your right to compensation.

Our burn injury lawyers in Sacramento offer personal service and attention to every client we work with because we care about making sure a liable party does right by you.

Ready to discuss your burn injury case? Contact our Sacramento burn injury attorneys at (916) 520-6639 or reach out online to schedule a free consultation.