Car Accident Burn Injuries

Broken bones and health complications are often our first thought when discussing a car accident injury, but burn injuries can be among the most severe and life-altering. Victims who experience car accident burn injuries often endure devastating physical, emotional, and financial consequences.

This article covers how burns happen, the types and severity of burn injuries from car crashes, immediate medical care needs, liability determination, damages calculation, and the importance of hiring an experienced car accident lawyer in Chicago.

How Burns Happen in Car Accidents (Fires, Chemicals, Hot Surfaces & More)

Burn injuries in a car crash can occur in various scenarios. One of the most common causes of burn injuries is a vehicle fire.

A vehicle can catch fire after a car crash, often resulting from fuel leaks, electrical system failures, or malfunctions in electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Car accident victims can also suffer thermal burns and friction burns due to direct contact with extremely hot engine components, exhaust systems, or heated road surfaces following an accident.

Chemical burns are another significant risk, resulting from exposure to hazardous and toxic substances like gasoline, battery acid, coolant, or chemicals such as sodium hydroxide released during airbag deployment.

Additionally, electrical burns can occur from damaged wiring or contact with external power lines. Finally, scald injuries frequently happen due to exposure to hot fluids, such as steam emitted from an overheated radiator.

Types of Burn Injuries from Car Accidents

The primary categories of burn injuries from car accidents include:

1. Thermal burns: from heat sources like flames or hot metal.
2. Chemical burns: from hazardous vehicle fluids.
3. Electrical burns: from exposed wires or live electricity.
4. Scalds: due to contact with steam or hot liquids from overheated engines.
5. Friction burns: skin abrasion from rapid contact with rough surfaces.
6. Inhalation burns: respiratory damage from inhaling smoke or toxic fumes during car fires.

Understanding Burn Severity: Degrees of Car Accident Burn Damage

Burn injuries from car accidents or a vehicle fire vary significantly in severity, categorized medically by degrees:

1. First-Degree Burns: First-degree burns are superficial injuries affecting only the outermost layer of skin, known as the epidermis. These are minor burns with symptoms typically including redness, mild swelling, and pain similar to a mild sunburn.
   
   These burns usually heal within days and rarely require medical intervention beyond basic first aid and topical treatments.

1. Second-Degree Burns: These burns involve deeper damage, extending through the epidermis into the dermis, the second layer of skin. They cause intense pain, significant swelling, redness, and blistering in the affected area. Due to skin barrier damage, second-degree burns carry an elevated risk of infection and scarring.
   
   Proper medical treatment, including wound cleaning and dressing, is necessary, and healing can take several weeks or more.

1. Third-Degree Burns: Third-degree burns are severe injuries, destroying both the epidermis and dermis and often affecting underlying fat layers and nerves. Paradoxically, these burns may initially be painless due to extensive nerve damage. The skin can appear charred, white, blackened, or leathery.
   
   Immediate medical attention is crucial, and skin grafting surgeries are typically required. Recovery involves extensive treatment and prolonged rehabilitation.

1. Fourth-degree burns: These burns are the most severe category of burn injury. These cause serious injury extending deep beneath the skin to affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, and even bones. Such extensive tissue damage often leads to permanent disability or requires amputation.
   
   These burns are frequently life-threatening, demanding urgent, specialized medical interventions, multiple surgeries, and extensive rehabilitation. In addition, they carry a high risk of significant complications, including infection and organ failure.

Why Immediate Medical Care is Critical for Accident Burn Injuries

It is vital to seek medical attention immediately following burn incidents. Burn wounds carry high risks of infection, fluid loss, shock, and rapid deterioration if untreated.

Victims suffering from moderate to severe burns require specialized care at dedicated burn centers. where trained medical professionals manage complex injuries, stabilize vital signs, and mitigate potential complications.

Common Complications Associated with Burn Injuries

Victims who have suffered burns in a car crash face various serious complications, including:

• Severe infections (sepsis)
• Hypovolemia (dangerous fluid loss) and shock
• Respiratory problems from the inhalation of smoke or chemicals
• Significant scarring and contractures limiting mobility
• Permanent nerve damage
• Organ failure or amputation
• Fatality in extreme cases involving life-threatening burn injuries

Treatment for Car Accident Burns: From Emergency Care to Rehabilitation

Treating burn injuries involves multiple stages:

1. Emergency Care and Stabilization

Immediate medical intervention following car crash burn injuries is critical. First responders rapidly stabilize vital signs, administer fluid resuscitation to prevent shock due to fluid loss, and provide pain medication to manage severe discomfort. This initial care helps reduce the risk of serious complications like hypovolemic shock or organ failure.

2. Wound Treatment and Infection Management

Once stabilized, burn wounds require careful cleansing and debridement, which involves removing damaged skin and tissue. This critical step significantly reduces infection risks and promotes proper healing. Medical professionals often prescribe antibiotics to manage infections effectively and support the patient’s immune response.

3. Surgical Interventions

Skin graft procedures replace damaged tissue with healthy skin from another part of the patient’s body or donor skin. Serious burns often require multiple surgeries to help keep the affected area flexible and pliant.

These surgeries are often carried out by a burn specialist and encourage regeneration, decrease healing time, and reduce scarring and infection risks, especially for third and fourth-degree burns.

4. Rehabilitation and Therapy

Extensive rehabilitation is necessary for both the physical and emotional injuries sustained. Physical therapy helps patients regain strength, mobility, and range of motion, while occupational therapy ensures that the affected area remains flexible and functional for daily activities. Most burn centers provide this.

5. Long-Term Pain Management and Reconstruction

Severe burns often involve ongoing pain management programs to address chronic pain and nerve sensitivity. Reconstructive or cosmetic surgeries may be necessary for reducing disfigurement, restoring appearance, and helping burn victims cope emotionally with the aftermath of their injuries.

The Long-Term Physical Impact of Severe Burns

Severe burn injuries frequently result in long-term physical challenges such as:

• Permanent scars and extensive disfigurement.
• Chronic pain and nerve sensitivity.
• Reduced mobility and loss of function.
• Difficulty regulating body temperature.

Burn victims often endure significant emotional distress after another driver’s negligent actions. These often include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, body-image struggles, social isolation, and difficulties coping with ongoing pain and lifestyle adjustments. Comprehensive psychological support is crucial during the healing process.

Determining Liability in Car Accident Burn Injury Cases

Liability typically rests on the party whose negligence caused the auto accident. For instance, if a driver’s negligence led to the crash and resultant fire, that driver can be held accountable. However, determining liability can be complex if burns result from vehicle defects rather than collision impact alone.

Potential Liable Parties Beyond the At-Fault Driver

Beyond the negligent driver, other parties might share liability, including:

1. Vehicle or parts manufacturers responsible for defects causing fire or chemical leaks (e.g., defective fuel tanks or batteries)
2. Employers, if the negligent driver was performing job duties
3. Companies transporting hazardous materials

Calculating Damages in Your Burn Injury Claim

A burn injury claim typically includes comprehensive damages to cover:

• Medical costs for past and future care, surgeries, and long-term treatments;
• Lost wages and reduced earning potential from disability;
• Property damage from the crash;
• Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and significant compensation for disfigurement and permanent disability.

Dealing with Insurance Companies After Sustaining Burn Injuries

Insurance companies may underestimate the severity and lasting impacts of accident burn injuries, failing to account for long-term physical and emotional pain fully. Therefore, thorough documentation, medical evidence, and strong legal advocacy are essential for securing fair compensation for medical costs and more.

Why an Experienced Auto Accident Lawyer is Essential for Burn Injury Cases

Given the complex nature and severity of burn cases, hiring a lawyer experienced in handling car accident burn cases is critical. They understand the extensive medical treatment, complexities around liability involving multiple parties, how to gather evidence effectively, and can accurately value the profound impacts on victims’ lives, ensuring appropriate compensation.

How Our Law Firm Advocates for Car Accident Burn Victims

Our law firm specializes in advocating compassionately and effectively for accident victims who have experienced catastrophic burn injuries. We leverage resources such as expert medical testimony, detailed analysis of medical bills, and comprehensive projections of long-term costs.

Our dedicated attorneys strive to achieve maximum compensation to support your recovery and quality of life.

Expert Legal Counsel for Car Accident Burn Injuries in Chicago

If you or a loved one sustained burn injuries in a car accident, contact us today. Our experienced car crash attorneys offer compassionate, dedicated legal support and will aggressively advocate to secure the compensation you deserve.

Consultations are free, and our services operate on contingency fees, meaning you pay nothing unless we successfully recover compensation for your claim. You can reach us at (888) 424-5757 or through our online form.

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.