Burns from car accidents in Chicago are not merely injuries; they are profound disruptions in a person’s life, causing not just physical but emotional and financial turmoil. These injuries can result from various scenarios, including fires ignited by the crash, contact with hot surfaces or fluids, and chemical burns from leaking vehicle fluids.
The immediate and long-term impact of these burns necessitates comprehensive medical care and, equally, a robust legal strategy to ensure victims receive the compensation they deserve. With the support of experienced car accident attorneys in Chicago, like Roger D. Rudich, Ltd., those affected can navigate the complex path toward recovery and justice.
Types of Car Accident Burns
Burns are categorized in a variety of ways based on how they occur:
Thermal Burns
The most common type of burn injury occurs from heat exposure. In car accidents, thermal burns can result from:
- Fires: Vehicle collisions can ignite fuel, creating intense flames that engulf cars and their occupants.
- Hot Surfaces: Contact with overheated engine components, exposed metal in a damaged vehicle, or even superheated seat belt buckles can cause thermal burns.
- Steam or Scalding Liquids: A ruptured radiator or coolant system can expel scalding steam or hot fluids onto passengers and drivers.
Chemical Burns
These burns arise when the skin encounters corrosive or toxic substances. In the context of a car accident:
● Battery Acid: Car batteries contain highly corrosive sulfuric acid that can cause severe chemical burns if the battery housing is breached.
● Hazardous Cargo: Accidents involving trucks carrying industrial chemicals can expose people to substances that inflict burns.
● Airbag Chemicals: The chemicals used to rapidly inflate them can cause skin burns upon deployment.
Electrical Burns
Electrical burns occur when an electrical current passes through the body, often causing both entry and exit wounds. Car accidents can lead to electrical burns in several ways:
- Damaged Wiring: An accident can fray or sever electrical wiring within a vehicle, exposing live wires.
- Downed Power Lines: Cars colliding with utility poles can bring down high-voltage power lines, creating a significant risk of electrical burns.
The potential for burns in a Chicago car accident adds to the dangers these incidents already present. It’s important to understand that burns can be more than just painful; they can lead to permanent scarring, infections, and long-term medical complications.
Degrees of Burn Severity and Complications
Burns are classified by their severity, which determines the type of treatment required and the potential for long-term consequences:
- First-Degree Burns: These burns are superficial, affecting only the epidermis (the outermost skin layer). Symptoms include redness, pain, swelling, and minor discomfort. First-degree burns typically heal within a few days to a week with basic care, like cool compresses and over-the-counter pain relief.
- Second-Degree Burns: These penetrate deeper into the skin, affecting the dermis. Blisters, intense pain, redness, and increased sensitivity are hallmarks of a second-degree burn. There’s a potential for scarring, often requiring medical attention, including wound cleaning, dressing changes, and possibly prescription pain medication. Healing can take several weeks.
- Third-Degree Burns: These are the most severe burns, destroying all layers of the skin and potentially damaging underlying tissues like fat, muscle, or even bone. They may appear charred (black) or white and leathery. Due to extensive nerve damage, there might be a surprising lack of pain in the burned area itself.
Burn injuries can lead to serious complications, including:
- Infection: Damaged skin is highly vulnerable to infection. Infections can range from localized to systemic, and in severe cases may become life-threatening.
- Dehydration: Large burns, especially third-degree burns, cause significant fluid loss. This can lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, requiring IV fluids and careful monitoring.
- Scarring and Disfigurement: Deep second-degree and third-degree burns often leave permanent scarring. This disfigurement can have a profound physical and emotional impact.
- Amputation: In extreme cases, severely burned limbs or digits may not be salvageable, requiring amputation.
Burn injuries are incredibly painful and the recovery process can be lengthy and arduous. Permanent scarring or disfigurement adds to the emotional burden. Survivors often experience anxiety, depression, and PTSD.
Legal Rights of Burn Victims in Chicago
If another driver’s negligence caused your burn injury, you have the right to pursue legal action. A skilled car accident attorney in Chicago can help you fight for compensation to help cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, permanent disability, etc.
At Roger D. Rudich Ltd., our Chicago auto accident attorney has years of experience securing just settlements for car accident victims. Contact us today for a consultation. We’ll carefully evaluate your burn injuries and fight for your full compensation.
