The Long-Term Complications of Burn Injuries

Burns are serious and painful injuries. When a person is severely burned, multiple layers of skin, tissues, ligaments, and even the bones underneath may be affected. As a result, long-term complications are likely to arise, impacting the victim for the rest of their life.

What types of long-term complications may emerge from burn injuries?

If you have a burn injury, you may suffer long-term complications that can tremendously alter yours and your family’s life. Some of the long-term complications that may emerge from burn injuries include:

• Scars: Burn injuries often cause severe scarring. This not only affects a person’s appearance, but can also affect certain bodily functions and their ability to do certain tasks. One of the most serious types of scarring that burn victims frequently suffer are hypertrophic scars, very thick scars that rise up on top of the skin.
• Chronic pain: Chronic pain is another common complication of burn injuries. This type of pain is excruciating and recurring for burn victims. For example, a person who was in a burn-related accident may experience chronic pain when walking, showering, or even sitting or lying down for long periods of time.
• Nerve damage: When a person has nerve damage due to burns, they may never regain feeling or sensation in the damaged areas again. This can be irritating and even overwhelming at times. It can also be very dangerous. For instance, if a person is cooking, they may not realize that their hand is touching the hot stove if they have permanently damaged nerves from a burn injury.
• Contractures: Contractures form when scars thicken and tighten over muscles, tendons, and joints. It is considered a deformity, and can constrict an individual’s function and movement. If you have contractures, you may have trouble taking care of basic duties, such as bathing, getting dressed, eating, and more.
• Hypothermia: Burn victims are at risk of developing hypothermia, a life-threatening condition. This is because their skin is significantly damaged or completely missing, making it harder to regulate body temperature. When a person develops hypothermia, their organs and nervous system cannot function properly and can eventually shut down if left untreated.
• Fatigue: Fatigue is very likely to occur after suffering burn injuries. As a result, you may constantly feel burned out and exhausted. No matter how much sleep you get, fatigue can impact your daily routine, causing you to miss work, develop depression, and miss out on activities you once enjoyed before the accident.
• Sleep issues: When a person has severe burn injuries, the stress hormones and chemicals in the body can impact their ability to get enough sleep. Changes in sleep patterns can also arise from the chronic pain, nightmares and trauma from the accident, or the strain of healing and recovering.
• Increased itching: If you have burns, there is a high chance that you will experience severe itching. Your skin and injuries are trying to heal. With time, the itching may potentially subside. However, most burn victims complain of severe itching for the first few years, which can be irritating, annoying, and often overwhelming.
• Mental suffering: Psychological problems are extremely common among burn victims. You may suffer depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal ideation. These issues may emerge due to the trauma and emotional distress of the accident, or they may arise from body-related self-esteem issues. It can also be difficult to adapt to a new reality after experiencing burn injuries, another reason why psychological problems often occur.

What causes burn injuries?

There are many different causes of burn injuries, like:

• Fires
• Chemical burns
• Electrical burns
• Scalding water, liquids, or steam
• Touching very hot surfaces or objects

A burn victim may suffer burns due to a house fire, car accident, defective heaters, faulty work equipment, breathing in chemicals, and more.

What types of burns can a person experience?

There are three types of burns: first-degree, second-degree, and third-degree burns. Below, we will explain the difference between each one.

• First-degree burn: First-degree burns are typically mild and look like a sunburn. With this type of burn, you may only notice that your skin is red and a little sore.
• Second-degree burn: Second-degree burns affect the top and lower layer of skin. This type of burn is more painful than a first-degree burn. You may also notice that the skin is very red and swollen. Blisters are also likely to form with a second-degree burn.
• Third-degree burn: A third-degree burn is very severe. After a third-degree burn, all three layers of skin have been affected, causing your skin to become discolored or leathery. Depending on how serious the burn is, your muscles, hair follicles, tissues, bones, sweat glands, and nerves may be damaged or destroyed. If skin is missing or completely damaged, you may even need a skin graft.

What are my legal options after a burn injury in Pittsburgh?

If you suffer burn injuries due to another party’s negligence, you may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury claim. We will briefly tell you about both options below.

1. Workers’ compensation: Pennsylvania employees who suffer a burn injury at work are eligible for workers’ compensation. However, in order to receive workers’ compensation, you must be able to prove that your burns occurred while at work or while carrying out your work-related duties. Workers’ compensation will cover your medical expenses and part of your lost wages while you are out of work and recovering from your burn injuries.
2. Personal injury claim: If your burn injuries did not result from a work-related accident, you may need to pursue a personal injury claim instead. You must prove that the responsible party acted negligently, which resulted in your injuries or other losses. If your claim is successful, you can receive compensation to cover your medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.

At Carmody & Ging, Injury & Accident Lawyers, we know how devastating burn injuries can be. When you work with our Pittsburgh personal injury attorneys, you will always be treated with respect, compassion, empathy, and understanding. We have over 60 years of combined experience fighting for our clients and pursuing the compensation they need to get back on their feet again. Schedule a free consultation at our Pittsburgh office by calling or submitting our contact form to ensure that you get the individualized legal care you need for a successful recovery.