A burn injury can damage the skin, nerves, muscles, and other tissues. In Dallas, TX, burn victims may suffer these injuries in car accidents, truck accidents, workplace incidents, apartment fires, defective product accidents, or chemical exposure cases.
How Are Burns Typically Classified?
Burn injuries are often evaluated by how far they extend into the body and by their size. Size is often measured by the percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) affected. TBSA measures the percentage of the body surface area affected by partial- or full-thickness burns. Doctors use TBSA percentages to assess burn severity and make treatment decisions.
Burns are generally classified into four categories:
First-Degree Burns
A first-degree burn affects only the outer layer of skin, called the epidermis. These superficial burns may cause redness, pain, and swelling, but they usually do not cause deep tissue damage. In a standard burn assessment, first-degree burns are typically not included in the TBSA calculation.
Sunburn is a common example. First-degree burns often heal with basic care, but they can still be painful. In a personal injury claim, these burns may have a lower settlement value unless they cover a large area or occur alongside other serious injuries.
Second-Degree Burns
A second-degree burn damages the epidermis and part of the dermis, the layer under the outer skin. These burns may cause blisters, swelling, severe pain, and wet-looking skin.
Some second-degree burns heal with limited scarring. Others are deeper and may require wound care, infection treatment, physical therapy, or skin grafting. The value of a second-degree burn claim often depends on where the burn is located, how much skin is affected, and whether the victim has lasting scars.
Third-Degree Burns
A third-degree burn is a full-thickness burn. It destroys the epidermis and dermis and may damage deeper tissues. The burned area may look white, brown, black, leathery, or dry, and the victim may feel less pain in the center of the burn because nerves have been damaged.
Third-degree burns are usually serious. They may require emergency care, surgery, skin grafts, hospitalization, and long-term treatment. These burns are more likely to cause permanent scarring, limited movement, nerve damage, and emotional trauma.
Fourth-Degree Burns
A fourth-degree burn extends beyond the skin into deeper structures, such as fat, muscle, tendons, or bone.
These injuries can be life-changing. A fourth-degree burn may lead to amputation, permanent disability, loss of function, repeated surgeries, or lifelong medical care. Because of their severity, a legal claim involving these injuries may require medical and financial expert analysis to estimate future treatment needs and losses.
How Does Burn Severity Affect Settlement Value?
Burn severity affects settlement value because it influences medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, scarring, and future treatment needs.
Important value factors can include:
- The degree of the burn
- The percentage of TBSA affected
- Whether surgery or skin grafting was required
- The location of the burn
- Whether the burn caused scars or disfigurement
- The length of hospitalization
- The need for future medical care
- Whether the victim can return to the same job as before
- The amount of pain, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life the victim suffers due to their injury
A deeper burn usually requires more care and may leave more lasting damage.
Can Scarring and Disfigurement Increase Burn Injury Compensation?
Yes. Scarring and disfigurement can increase burn injury compensation because they may affect a person’s appearance, confidence, mobility, and quality of life. These losses can be especially serious when burns affect visible areas, such as the face, neck, arms, or hands.
Burn scars may be raised, tight, painful, or itchy. Some scars can limit movement when they form near joints. Others may require revision surgery, laser treatment, compression garments, or ongoing dermatological care.
Disfigurement damages may include both physical and emotional harm. A burn victim may experience anxiety, depression, embarrassment, social withdrawal, or difficulty returning to work. These effects should be considered when calculating the full value of a claim.
How Are Long-Term Burn Care Costs Projected?
Long-term burn care costs are projected by looking at the victim’s medical needs, recovery outlook, and future limitations. Doctors, life care planners, economists, and other experts may help estimate the cost of care over time.
Future care needs may include:
- Follow-up visits with burn specialists
- Additional surgeries
- Skin grafting or scar revision
- Physical therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Pain management
- Mental health treatment
- Compression garments
- Mobility aids
- Home modifications
These projections are important because burn care may continue long after the initial wound heals. A settlement should account for future needs, not just current medical bills.
Contact Our Dallas Burn Injury Lawyers at Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
A serious burn injury can affect your health, appearance, work, and future. If someone else caused your injury in Dallas, TX, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain, scarring, disfigurement, and long-term care costs.
Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers has extensive experience handling injury claims and has recovered millions for clients. For more information, contact an experienced Dallas burn injury lawyer at (214) 556-8321 to schedule a free consultation today.
