What Are Fourth Degree Burns?

Burns are undoubtedly one of the most painful injuries, and can result in lasting or even permanent physical and psychological trauma. There are four categories of burns ranked with increasing severity. First degree burns may hurt, but generally heal quickly and do not require medical attention. Second degree burns are more serious, and may or may not require medical attention. Third degree burns generally cause permanent damage and always require medical attention; these burns may not even hurt due to the complete destruction of the nerves involved. Fourth degree burns are the most severe, and can often be fatal. If you or a loved one have suffered or died from severe or fourth degree burns due to another party’s negligence, reach out to a burn injury attorney to discuss your options for physical and financial recovery.

Fourth degree burns destroy all tissue at the burn site, starting from the skin and often reaching all the way to the bone.

Unsurprisingly, the effects of a fourth degree burn on a survivor’s life tend to be significant. Not only will a surviving fourth degree burn victim require ongoing medical treatment to help recover their tissues, they will likely deal with permanent scarring and disfigurement as well. In these cases, the injured party may require ongoing rehabilitative therapy and emotional counseling. The need for continued care after such a severe injury can result in frankly overwhelming expenses, which is why it’s important to explore any and all options for recovery.

If your burn was the result of another party’s negligence, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim.

Damages which can be recovered in a catastrophic personal injury claim may include but are not necessarily limited to the following:

• Past, present, and future medical bills
• Lost wages
• Impairment of future earning capacity
• Ongoing lifecare expenses
• Mental anguish
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of companionship

If your loved one dies as a result of their burns, the surviving family may be eligible to seek these damages and more on behalf of the deceased.

Due to the nature of fourth degree burns, it’s important to note that should the injured party die from their wounds, the family may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim. In a wrongful death claim the family can seek compensation for all the same damages their loved one would have if they lived, in addition to certain damages unique to wrongful death lawsuits; these wrongful death damages may include funeral and burial expenses in addition to loss of the loved one. If the deceased was in the middle of filing or litigation for their own personal injury claim at the time of their death, the victim’s family may close the first claim to file a wrongful death claim of their own.

It’s important to reach out to a burn injury attorney if you or a loved one have suffered or died from a serious burn injury.

Burn injuries are unique, and the damages can often be catastrophic. This is why it’s important to find a personal injury attorney with experience handling burn injury lawsuits. These attorneys will know exactly what evidence to look for to support your claim, how to obtain it, and may also have access to helpful resources which could help in the injured party’s physical and mental recovery. To learn more about fourth degree burns or for help filing a claim, reach out to a burn injury attorney as soon as possible.