Personal Injury Lawyer

According to national statistics, one of the most leading causes of accidental injury and death is burn injuries. Many people may not realize it, but approximately 10 percent of all burn injuries are work-related. Any employee who suffers a burn injury should contact a workers’ compensation attorney to find out what type of financial compensation and benefits they may be qualified for.

Burn injuries are categorized by three degrees:

•       First-degree burns: First-degree burns damage the first layer of the skin. These are the least serious and, in some cases, the burn does not require professional medical treatment and can be treated at home.
•       Second-degree burns: Second-degree burns damage the first and second layers of the skin. These burns should be treated by a medical professional.
•       Third-degree burns: Third-degree burns damage all the layers of the skin and the tissues that are below skin layers. These burns cause physical pain, as well as long-term and permanent damage.

Types of Burns

There are several ways that job-related burns can occur:

•       Chemical burns: These types of burns happen when eyes or skin comes in contact with acids, alkaloids, chemicals, and other caustic agents
•       Cold burns: When a worker is exposed to cold, wet, and windy conditions at work, they can suffer cold burns
•       Electric burns: Electric burns are a result of electric current running through the worker’s body
•       Friction burns: Any time the body makes contact with a hard surface, there is the risk of a friction burn. For example, road rash can occur when the body slides across tar, cement, etc. in an accident
•       Radiation and sun exposure burns: Workers who work under ultraviolet lights or outdoors run the risk of radiation burns or sunburns without the proper precautions
•       Thermal burns: A thermal burns can occur if the worker is exposed to explosions, flames, hot liquids, or hot objects

Certain occupations are more at risk for sustaining burn injuries because of the hazards they are exposed to during the course of their work duties. These include:

• Construction workers
• Custodians
• Electricians
• Firefighters
• Food workers
• Health care workers
• Landscape and outdoor workers
• Mechanics

Anyone who has suffered a workplace burn injury should understand that they are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits to cover their medical expenses and lost wages while they recover from their injuries. The only exception would be if the injury was a self-inflicted one.

A geo area workers compensation attorney can help an injured worker file for benefits, ensuring that the injured worker receives all the benefits they are entitled to. An attorney can also evaluate the case to determine if there is potential that the victim is entitled to pursue a third-party lawsuit against another party if there was negligence involved that resulted in the injures, such as a defective or dangerous product.

If you have suffered a burn in a job-related accident, contact a work injury lawyer, like from Hickey & Turim, SC, today to meet with a skilled workers’ compensation attorney.