Types of Hot Water and Scalding Burns

Most think of fires when it comes to the cause of burn injuries, but burn injuries can happen to anyone almost anywhere. Although fires are a primary cause of burn injuries, there are a number of ways that people in Midland can suffer serious burn injuries, impacting them for the remainder of their lives.

Every year, over 40,000 Americans are hospitalized due to burn injuries.

If you or a loved one has suffered a burn injury, you should contact Midland injury attorneys to review your case. The Texas burn injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw have been helping victims for nearly three decades, and we always vow to do more than any other law firm in fighting to get you the compensation you deserve.

Typically, burns are caused by dry heat—fires, stoves, irons, or heaters. Scaldings, or hot water burns, occur when one’s skin comes into contact with extremely hot liquids. The Burn Foundation states that over half a million people across the United States suffer from scaldings every year. Although scaldings can happen to anyone, children and the elderly are impacted the most. Children under five years old and adults over 65 are most likely to experience burns due to scalding.

When vapors or heated moisture cause damage and pain, it can destroy affected cells and tissue. In severe cases, your body can enter shock due to the heat, and the burns themselves can be life-threatening.

Speak with an experienced burn injury attorney serving Midland if you have suffered a scalding.

For the most part, scalding accidents in Midland are preventable if people take the proper precautions. Usually, scalding accidents occur when victims are careless because they’re unfocused or in a hurry. The following are a few examples of the causes of scalding burns:

• If you’re too close, you can be burned by the steam from a microwave or oven.
• Sometimes, a hot water heater that’s set too high can lead to scaldings. Typically, if your water heater is set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or above, you are at higher risk for scaldings.
• When you’re drinking a hot beverage or eating a hot soup, spilling it on your skin can cause serious harm.

Scaldings can happen to anyone, but employees in the restaurant industry are especially prone to them. To clean cookware well and to prevent any unwanted bacterial growth, restaurant kitchens keep their water temperature extremely high. Additionally, cooks can suffer burns from hot grease.

No matter what type of scalding you’ve suffered, you should speak with an attorney about your case.

There are a few types of hot water and scalding burns that you can suffer depending on the circumstances of your accident. Each category of burn will affect your skin differently and require varying types of treatment:

1. Superficial epidermal burn - Also known as a first degree burn, this type of burn affects only the outermost layer of skin and leaves victims experiencing some swelling, redness, and pain.
2. Superficial dermal burn - Superficial dermal burns reach the second layer of skin, the dermis. Second degree burns leave victims with mild blistering and pain.
3. Full-thickness burn - Affecting the epidermis, dermis, and subcutis, a full-thickness burn is the most serious of all types of burns. A victim of a full-thickness burn will need immediate medical attention and will often need skin grafting and long-term medical treatment to deal with the severity of this type of burn.

Talk to a Midland injury attorney about what type of scalding burn you’ve suffered.

If you or a loved one has suffered scalding or hot water burns, you need a burn injury attorney serving Midland to fight for you. Our Texas burn injury attorneys at Carabin Shaw know how to build a compelling case to get you justice.

Call today for a free consultation with a lawyer at 1-800-862-1260 or fill out our online contact form.