The injury attorneys at Martinson & Beason, P.C. have represented numerous victims of burn injuries during the firm’s 75-year existence.

Burn injuries can occur in industrial accidents, workplace accidents, explosions, and motor vehicle fires caused by car accidents. In addition, burns may occur due to defective products, such as a stove or other cooking equipment. Burns can be caused by heat, steam, fire, electricity, flammable liquids like gasoline, chemicals, and even radiation.

Each year, thousands of Americans suffer from burns. 410,000 burn injuries occurred in the U.S. in 2008, and 40,000 people were hospitalized, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). These injuries most often occur in the home and in the workplace, affecting both adults and children. In 2010, 191 people died due to injuries from workplace fires and explosions, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Burns range from first- to fourth-degree, depending on how many layers of skin and tissue are affected. First-degree burns, which affect only the outermost layer of the skin, cause the skin to be red and painful and do not usually require medical attention beyond normal first aid. More serious burns affect the lower levels of skin, tissue, and even muscle. Symptoms include redness, pain, swelling, and blisters. The skin may appear stiff, waxy and white, leathery, or even blackened and charred. These burns require immediate medical treatment, which can range from burn creams and antibiotics to breathing assistance, extensive physical therapy, and skin grafts.

Burns, while less fatal today than in previous years, still may result in a number of complications that negatively affect a person’s life. Burns make the skin vulnerable to infections, which require longer hospital stays, and can cause damage to blood vessels, breathing problems, bone problems, and scarring. In addition, healing burns can be very painful. All of these complications can be expensive to treat and can make everyday life difficult.

If you or a loved one have sustained serious burns during an accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. Contact a Martinson & Beason injury attorney to learn how we can help you get compensation to pay your medical bills and support yourself while you recover. Our firm represents clients in Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Dothan, and the surrounding areas in Alabama.

Email us or call us at (256) 533-1667.