Burn injuries are among the most painful and permanently disfiguring injuries that can result from accidents in Nevada — vehicle fires, chemical exposures, electrical accidents, and premises hazards all produce burn injuries that require intensive treatment and often leave permanent physical and psychological scars. A Las Vegas burn injury attorney at Marathon Law Group fights for burn victims and their families to recover the full compensation these devastating injuries require.
Injured in Las Vegas? Call Marathon Law Group at (702) 522-1808 for a free consultation. Our personal injury attorneys work on contingency — you pay nothing unless we win your case.
Types and Degrees of Burn Injuries
Burn injuries are classified by depth of tissue damage. First-degree burns affect only the outer skin layer (epidermis) and typically heal without medical intervention or scarring. Second-degree burns affect the epidermis and part of the dermis layer; they are painful, blister, and depending on their depth, may require skin grafting and can cause scarring. Third-degree burns destroy the full thickness of the skin and the underlying tissue, requiring surgical debridement and skin grafting, leaving significant permanent scarring and often causing functional limitation in the affected area. Fourth-degree burns extend into muscle, tendon, and bone — these are life-threatening injuries requiring extensive surgery and may result in amputation. The percent of total body surface area (TBSA) burned compounds the severity calculation: a third-degree burn covering 20% of the body requires much more aggressive treatment than one covering 1%.
How Nevada Accidents Produce Burn Injuries
Vehicle fires following high-impact collisions are a significant cause of burn injuries in Nevada. Fuel system defects, improperly stored cargo, and post-crash vehicle contact can ignite fires that trap occupants. Chemical burns occur in industrial and commercial settings when improperly stored or handled caustic chemicals contact skin. Electrical burns — from contact with energized lines on construction sites, faulty wiring in rental properties, or defective consumer products — produce both surface burns and deep internal tissue damage along the path of the current through the body. Hotel, casino, and restaurant kitchen fires occasionally produce severe burns to guests and employees from hot liquids, surfaces, and flames.
Burn Injury Treatment and Long-Term Care
Serious burn injuries require treatment in specialized burn centers, of which Nevada has one major facility (the University Medical Center Regional Burn Center in Las Vegas). Acute treatment includes fluid resuscitation, wound debridement, infection management, and repeated skin grafting surgeries. Recovery from serious burns involves months of physical and occupational therapy to prevent contractures (scar tissue that restricts joint movement), management of chronic pain, and psychological treatment for the significant depression and post-traumatic stress disorder that accompanies severe burn injury. Reconstruction surgery for visible facial or functional scarring may be required years after the initial injury. All of these future costs must be captured in a comprehensive damages claim.
Nevada Burn Injury Compensation
Nevada burn injury victims can recover economic damages including all medical treatment costs (acute care, surgeries, rehabilitation, reconstruction, future care), lost wages and earning capacity reduction, and home care costs. Non-economic damages — which are not capped in Nevada personal injury cases — include pain and suffering (burn injuries are exceptionally painful, and the pain is prolonged), emotional distress, disfigurement and permanent scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life. In cases involving a defective product (a vehicle with a dangerous fuel system, a defective appliance) or intentional conduct, additional damages may be available.
Contact Marathon Law Group for a Free Burn Injury Consultation
Burn injuries demand aggressive legal representation to capture the full, long-term scope of the harm. Marathon Law Group handles serious burn injury cases throughout Nevada and is ready to discuss your situation at no charge. Call (702) 522-1808 for a free consultation.
If you or a loved one has been injured, contact our experienced Las Vegas personal injury attorney at Marathon Law Group. We offer free consultations and only get paid when you win.
For more information about your legal options, visit our Nevada personal injury practice area page or contact us today for a free consultation. You should also be aware of the Nevada personal injury statute of limitations to protect your rights.