Providence Attorneys for Burns After a Car Accident
According to the American Burn Association, in a recent year, there were 40,000 hospitalizations from burn injuries, and over 60 percent of these were admitted to 128 different burn centers around the country. The survival rate is 96.8 percent. Nearly twice as many men are burned as women.
Although a fire after a car accident is relatively rare, this is not the only way that you can be burned in a car accident. If you were injured in an accident that was not your fault, you could be entitled to compensation.
The experienced Providence car accident attorneys of the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. understand that no amount of compensation can make up for the injury, potential lifelong scarring, and property damage you may have experienced. However, compensation can help to pay for medical expenses and make up for your lost salary if you are unable to immediately return to work after the accident.
Our legal team will aggressively fight to protect your rights. Call us today at (401) 751-8855 for a free consultation and case evaluation to see how we can help.
What Are the Different Types of Burns?
Burns cause damage to the skin, and the severity of the burn is dependent on how deep that damage goes. One of the most common causes of a burn is an open flame, which causes a thermal burn. But other situations and substances cause burns, including:
Friction Burns: This happens when your skin rubs off against another hard object. The resulting damage is both a scrape and a heat burn. These can happen if you were thrown out of the vehicle during an accident or after a motorcycle accident.
Cold Burns: These are also called frostbite. The cold damages your skin by freezing the skin cells and killing them. If your skin encounters something very cold, it can cause frostbite. You may get frostbite after a car accident if you are not attended to quickly during the winter months.
Radiation Burns: This is a type of sunburn that can also happen after an x-ray or radiation therapy. You may suffer a sunburn after a car accident if you’re thrown from the vehicle and unable to move or get help during the summer months.
Chemical burns: These happen when solvents or strong acids touch your skin and damage the cells.
Electrical Burns: This type of burn happens after your skin comes into contact with an electrical current.
Thermal Burns: Flames, hot metal, scalding liquid, or steam can cause a thermal burn.
How Serious Is a Burn Injury?
The severity of the burn is measured by how deep the damage goes. Most first-degree burns do not cause scar tissue. Some second-degree burns will scar, and most third-degree burns will cause lifelong and disfiguring scars. Treatment is determined by the depth of the burn.
A first-degree burn will affect just the outer layer of the skin. For example, a mild sunburn may turn your skin red and be painful, but you won’t have blisters. Scarring after a first-degree burn is rare. However, multiple sunburns will accelerate the signs of aging and may increase the risk of certain types of skin cancer.
A second-degree burn will damage the outer layer of the skin as well as the layer underneath, also called the dermis. The skin often blisters, becomes swollen and may look shiny. If only part of the dermis is damaged, it may not cause scarring. However, a deep partial-thickness burn may leave a scar or cause a permanent change to the color of your skin.
A third-degree burn is sometimes called a full-thickness burn. It destroys two full layers of the skin. The skin turns black, white, yellow, or brown from the damage to the cells. Because the nerve endings have also been damaged, there usually is no pain. In extreme cases, the burn can reach the muscle and bone, as well.
How Are Burns Treated?
The way burns are treated depends on the depth and the type of burn. You can reduce the pain and slow the damage to the skin by running cool water over a first-degree burn. It is essential you do not apply ice and do not use butter. If blisters form, they should be left intact. If a first-degree burn is a thermal burn, it can benefit from antibiotic cream and a light covering.
Second-degree and third-degree burns require treatment from your healthcare provider. They may prescribe a stronger antibiotic cream or silver sulfadiazine to help kill bacteria. They may also prescribe medication to help with the pain.
Third-degree burns can be life-threatening and may require skin grafting. These are treated on an inpatient basis, and treatment will likely include the administration of IV fluids, IV antibiotics, managing blood pressure, and preventing shock.
How an Experienced Attorney Can Help
After a car accident that was not your fault, you may be approached by the at-fault party’s insurance company. They may send an insurance adjuster to ask questions about the accident and potentially offer you an early settlement.
It is crucial that you do not speak with an insurance adjuster without your attorney present. These professionals are skilled negotiators. They often present themselves as a friend of the victim but instead are seeking information that can disprove your claim. Your attorney can help prevent you from inadvertently saying something that will negatively affect your claim.
It is important to note that an early settlement offer is often not a fair offer. Your Providence personal injury attorney can help assess the amount of compensation you may be owed and can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf.
There Is a Time Limit to File a Lawsuit
Rhode Island limits the amount of time you have to file a personal injury lawsuit. The statute of limitations in Rhode Island allows three years from the date of the accident to file suit. If this deadline expires before you file, you lose the opportunity to recover compensation through the court system.
Call the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. for Help Today
If you were injured in an accident that was not your fault, you could be owed compensation. The Providence car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Ronald J. Resmini, Accident & Injury Lawyers, Ltd. can assess your case and advise you on the steps you could take to recover damages for your burn and disfigurement.
Call our office today at (401) 751-8855 to schedule your free consultation and case evaluation. We are committed to representing our clients’ rights and believe you deserve experienced representation. To help you, we do not charge anything upfront and only collect our fee if we get money for you.
