What Medical Conditions Can Result from Car Accident Burn Injuries?
Posted on: January 4, 2023
People who are seriously burned in car accidents often end up spending extensive time in hospitals, with accompanying medical bills, lost time from work, and long-term pain and suffering. Besides having to go through all of that, some end up having life-threatening medical conditions that keep them out of commission for even longer. Some of the complications can be fatal.
How Do People Get Burned in Car Accidents?
There are quite a few ways to get burned in a car accident:
- Airbag deployment
- Electrical shock
- Exposure to dangerous, toxic chemicals that burn skin
- Exposure to hot debris, steam, or metal
- The car catches on fire or explodes.
First-degree burns affect the top of the skin only and might not require medical attention. Second-degree ones penetrate the second layer of the skin, with considerable pain, blistering, and other symptoms. The most severe, third-degree burns impact all of the layers of the skin. There is usually permanent damage to nerves, blood vessels, and tissue that requires intensive medical treatment.
Medical Complications from Burn Injuries
Even with the best medical care, many burn patients experience serious medical complications. These might include:
- Bacterial infections that gets into the bloodstream, causing sepsis
- Breathing problems
- Chronic inflammation
- Chronic pain
- Death from shock
- Immune deficiencies
- Scars, deformities, and amputations
Patients with burn injuries are treated in burn centers when their injuries need specialized treatment. This can involve debridement, skin grafting, reconstructive surgery, and amputation.
Can I Be Compensated for Burn Injuries?
The answer to that depends on who was responsible for the crash and the extent of your injuries. The compensation falls into two categories: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are to cover your expenses that are directly related to the accident, including medical bills, prescriptions, rehabilitation, in-home care, vehicle repair, and lost time at work. The non-economic damages are more subjective and can be harder to determine. Examples include pain and suffering, PTSD, and the loss of present and future employment opportunities.
What Else Should I Know About Burn Injury Cases?
Should you decide to work with an experienced car accident lawyer for a settlement or court case, they will need to know if the injury was preventable, caused on purpose, or the result of a negligent driver. Your lawyer will also ask questions about your condition, needing to know if there is permanent scarring and how your condition has affected your lifestyle. Other inquiries will be made about loss of mobility, ability to work, and any pain and suffering you are dealing with.
Since burn injuries can be so devastating, some cases attempt to collect punitive damages from defendants. This happens when the at-fault party’s actions were exceptionally negligent, or if the court feels that the defendant will continue to act recklessly in the future.
Contact a Freehold Car Accident Lawyer at Ellis Law for a Free Consultation About Your Car Accident Burn Injury Case
If you experienced serious burns in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, a compassionate, skilled Freehold car accident lawyer from Ellis Law can offer trusted legal guidance with your case. For a free consultation, complete our online form or call our Freehold, New Jersey offices at 732-308-0200. We proudly serve clients in Freehold, East Brunswick, Toms River, Middletown, Jersey City, Neptune, Hudson County, Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Union County, Essex County, and Ocean County, as well as Brooklyn and New York, New York.
