Burn injuries are a surprisingly common source of harm, with more than one million people seeking emergency medical attention every year due to burns. While many of these burns are self-inflicted, many others are the result of carelessness on the parts of others. Here are five things you should know if you are the victim of a burn injury due to another’s negligence:
- Be on the lookout for blisters
- One of the biggest signs that you are dealing with a serious burn is the appearance of blisters on the skin. As a general rule, the more blistering there is, the more severe the burn injury is. However, if a burn is severe enough that it becomes a third-degree burn, there may not be any blisters, with the skin instead becoming dark red and leathery in appearance. If your skin appears like that, or you have major blistering, you are likely dealing with a severe burn.
- Do not apply ice or cold water directly to a burn
- The instinct many people have after receiving a burn is to apply ice or cold water directly to the burn. This might seem to make logical sense, since burn injuries are often caused by intense heat. However, in many cases, the extreme cold from ice or cold water could simply cause further damage to the skin, effectively worsening the burn.
- You should always seek medical attention after a serious burn
- Unless you are a trained medical professional, you should never try to treat a serious burn on your own. Improperly treated burn injuries can easily become infected, which can lead to more medical complications and a greater risk to a person’s health. If you see the signs of a serious burn, make sure to seek immediate medical attention and leave treatment to the professionals.
- Burns are not only caused by fire or hot things
- While fire and hot objects are the most common sources of burns, they are not the only ways that people suffer burn injuries. Electrical shocks can easily burn exposed tissue, and certain chemicals can burn any flesh they touch. Even sunburns can potentially become serious enough to require medical attention if not addressed in a timely manner.
- Not all burns are immediately visible
- This should be obvious to anyone who has ever eaten piping hot food, but not all burns are obvious from the outside. In fact, some of the most serious burns occur internally, where people may not even realize they have been harmed. Often, this is the result of smoke inhalation, which is a common issue after major fires, but it can also occur due to ingestion of caustic chemicals or a severe electrical shock. Whatever its cause, though, burns should always be treated seriously and handled with the care they deserve.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you should seek out the personal injury lawyers at Zlotolow & Associates. Our seasoned New York personal injury attorneys bring more than two decades of trial experience to your case. We serve all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Nassau and Suffolk County. Our aggressive personal injury attorneys always demand maximum compensation. We have helped thousands of clients recover through settlements and courtroom verdicts. To schedule a consultation, you can call us at 866-800-0092, or you can visit our contact page.
