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What Factors Will be Considered by Your Burn Injury Attorney in Los Angeles

We all know that burns happen when we come in contact with excessive heat. However, there are actually many different types of burns and depending on the varying factors they may affect your settlement case in several ways.

Thus, your burn injury attorney in Los Angeles will likely ask you about your burns and will want you to go over the following information. As you continue to read this article, you will therefore become prepared to supply your attorney with the details that they need for your case. 

How you got burned

The most obvious burn is from heat such as fire or a hot implement. However, burn injuries can also include:

  • Burns caused by friction.
  • Burns caused by chemicals such as acid or other toxic substances.
  • Burns caused by radiation such as sunburn, nuclear contaminants, or radiotherapy. 
  • Burns caused by electrical energy such as being electrocuted. 

Depth of your injury

Though you may be familiar with first, second, third, and fourth-degree burns, now we use a system that takes into account the need for serious medical attention. These new classifications are as follows:

  • Superficial burns. These are light burns that can cover large areas but only go to the epidermal layer of your skin meaning you can recover quickly. 
  • Partial-thickness. These burns are medium-range and can reach the epidermis and portions of the dermis layers of your skin. 
  • Full-thickness. These burns reach the full extent of all your dermis layer meaning that they completely destroy everything in their path to this point. 
  • Extension to deep tissue. These burns go beyond your skin and can reach other soft tissues, muscles, and even bones. 

Burn surface area

There are generally three methods used to determine the extent of your body being covered in burns. This is reflected after a calculation with a percentage rate that can then be used in court. It is noteworthy, however, that your body shape, gender, and size can affect the overall results. 

How severe is it?

Once all the other factors have been considered and noted, you can then determine the severity of your burns and what kind of treatments will be needed.  They often fall into these categories:

  • Minor burn injury: Something that can be taken care of at a local doctor’s office. 
  • Moderate burn injury. Something serious enough that it would require you to be in a hospital.
  • Severe burn injury. Something that needs specialist care in a dedicated burn center