Our Burn Injury Lawyers

Recognizing the Degrees of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries come in three “degrees,” or levels of severity. These three different degrees of burns have different appearances, symptoms, and methods of treatment. To ensure that you can take proper action if you or someone around you gets burned, you should learn to differentiate between first, second, and third-degree burns.

First-degree Burns

In a first-degree burn, only the outermost layer of the skin, known as the epidermis, is damaged by heat. This causes the affected area redden, swell, and become painful. On the scale of severity, first-degree burns are at the bottom, meaning that they are very mild burns and should not be considered major injuries unless they cover large, sensitive areas of the skin.

Second-degree Burns

When both the skin’s outer layer (epidermis) and the layer just underneath it (dermis) are burned, the injury is now considered a second-degree burn. These burns are the most painful, and can be identified by severe swelling, blistered skin, and a red, splotchy color. Judging the potential danger of a second-degree burn is also tricky: if the burn affects an area less than 3 inches in diameter, it is considered a minor injury. If the affected area is larger, it should be treated as a major injury.

Third-degree Burns

A third degree burn is the most severe type of burn injury, and, counter-intuitively, also the least painful. This is not due to a strange twist of fate; rather, third-degree burns penetrate deep enough to actually destroy nerve endings and stop pain signals from ever reaching the brain. In fact, besides damaging all layers of skin, a third-degree burn may destroy tissue as deep as, and including, the bone. Identifying a third-degree burn is not hard, as its symptoms are distinct from the other two: dry, charred skin which may turn either white or black in color, as well as the characteristic lack of pain. Victims of third-degree burns are in serious danger, as these injuries can easily cause shock and death.

Location Matters

With all burns, the location of the injury is important. If a burn is located on a sensitive area of the skin, it should be treated as a major injury. Such areas include: the face, hands, feet, groin, or buttocks.

If you have suffered serious burns due to the negligence of another party, you may be entitled to compensation. To find out, call a burn injury lawyer from Williams Kherkher at 866-950-9000 for a free initial consultation.