Burn injuries can affect residents of Roanoke City, people throughout the state and across the nation. These injuries are among the most devastating that a person can face. Unlike a broken bone or a cut, these injuries can linger and affect the lives of the victim and the victim’s family for an extended period of time. Not only do they cause immense pain, but they can leave a person unable to function normally, requiring extended hospitalization and long-term care.
Knowing the facts about burn injuries can help those who are confronted with this issue to know what they’re dealing with. Burns are frequently caused by skin scalding, fires and flammable gases and liquids. The first-degree burn is present on the outer layer of the victim’s skin. The burn in the second degree damages both the outer layer of the skin and the layer underneath it. A third-degree burn involves significant damage or outright destruction of the skin and its underlying tissues. If a person is burned severely, they might go into shock.
Treatment of burns will vary depending on the severity. If the burns are bad enough, it might be necessary to do a skin graft. If a skin graft is necessary, there are two different kinds. One is known as autologous skin graft and it involves skin being transferred from another individual. Another method is by using epidermal cells that are grown in a lab. It is not yet possible to grow the dermal layer that is underneath the epidermal layer.
People who suffer severe burns in an accident will have a long road in trying to recover. Depending on how badly they’re burned, there could be an extensive stay in the hospital and a substantial amount of rehabilitation needed to try and return to some semblance of normalcy and functionality. The person might not be able to work. The injured person and the families who have a loved one with burn injuries need to know how to be compensated if they were injured in an accident or due to another’s negligence.
Source: National Institute of General Medical Sciences, “Burns Fact Sheet,” accessed on Dec. 8, 2014