First to Third Degree: What Burn Severity Means for Your Injury Case

Burn injuries can be some of the most painful and life-altering injuries a person can experience. Whether caused by a car accident, defective product, chemical exposure, or fire, burns can lead to long-term physical, emotional, and financial hardship. At The Spizman Firm in Atlanta, we help clients understand how the severity—or “degree”—of a burn injury can directly affect the value of a personal injury settlement in Georgia.

Understanding the Degrees of Burns

Burns are typically classified into three main degrees, each representing a different level of severity:

• First-Degree Burns: These are the mildest type of burn, affecting only the outer layer of skin (epidermis). Symptoms include redness, pain, and minor swelling. While first-degree burns usually heal without significant medical intervention or scarring, they may still be compensable if caused by another party’s negligence.
• Second-Degree Burns: These burns penetrate deeper into the skin, affecting both the epidermis and the dermis. Symptoms may include blisters, severe pain, and potential scarring. Second-degree burns often require medical treatment and may result in longer recovery times and permanent skin damage.
• Third-Degree Burns: These are the most serious burns, damaging all layers of the skin and potentially affecting underlying tissues, nerves, and muscles. Third-degree burns may not be painful at first due to nerve damage but can cause lifelong disability, disfigurement, and emotional trauma. Treatment may involve skin grafts, surgeries, and extensive rehabilitation.

How Burn Severity Impacts a Personal Injury Settlement

In personal injury cases, the extent and nature of your injury play a major role in determining the value of your settlement. The more severe the burn, the more compensation you may be entitled to receive. Factors that affect burn injury settlements include:

• Medical Expenses: Hospitalization, surgery, skin grafts, medication, and physical therapy costs are recoverable. Severe burns often require long-term care.
• Lost Wages and Earning Capacity: If your injury prevents you from working or limits your future earning ability, you may be compensated for those losses.
• Pain and Suffering: Burns are notoriously painful and emotionally distressing. Compensation often reflects the severity and duration of suffering, including mental health impacts like PTSD or depression.
• Scarring and Disfigurement: Visible scars, especially on the face or hands, can lead to higher settlements due to the lasting psychological and social consequences.
• Permanent Disability: When burns lead to permanent impairment or the inability to return to work, this significantly increases the value of a claim.

Why Legal Representation Matters

Insurance companies often try to minimize payouts in burn injury cases, especially when long-term care or cosmetic damage is involved. Having our Atlanta Personal Injury Attorneys on your side ensures that all aspects of your injury—physical, emotional, and financial—are properly valued and fought for in your claim.

At The Spizman Firm, we are committed to helping burn injury victims recover the full compensation they deserve. We proudly serve clients across Georgia, including Atlanta, Dunwoody, Alpharetta, Cobb County, Fulton County, Gwinnett County, Johns Creek, and Sandy Springs. If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence, contact us today for a free consultation.

Source:

stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-conditions/skin-hair-and-nails/burns/stages.html