While almost any injury is painful, burn injuries result in pain that’s nothing short of excruciating.  When someone suffers a burn injury as a result of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, the injured person needs to hold that person accountable for the extreme harm that’s been caused.  This is best done with the help of Texas burn injury attorneys, and below is an overview of the different types of burn injuries that can occur.

The First Degree Burn

The mildest form of burn injury is the first degree burn.  While this injury is painful, it generally heals without intense medical treatment.  Generally, a first degree burn will heal with the help of lotion and anti-inflammatory medication.  These burns feature symptoms that include swelling, redness and perhaps some mild blistering, and the recovery timetable generally ranges from a few days to a couple of weeks.

The Second Degree Burn

A second degree burn can be the most painful form of burn injury in existence, and these types of burns feature symptoms that include redness, swelling and blistering on the top layer of the skin, which is known as the epidermis.  Second degree burns usually burn the epidermis to the point where the tissue will not regenerate itself, and this leaves the second layer of skin, known as the dermis, exposed.  This exposure of this highly sensitive tissue can also be extremely painful and lead to ongoing bouts of blistering, swelling, the leaking of fluids and the need for ongoing medical care that will help the patient recover.  In addition to the painful exposure of the dermis, the patient is often vulnerable to developing infections, as the epidermis is one of the ‘shields’ the body provides against these medical problems.

The Third Degree Burn

The most severe form of burn injury is the third degree burn.  Ironically, third degree burns are not always extremely painful, as both layers of the skin are usually charred beyond any point of a possible recovery and the nerve endings beneath the skin are also destroyed.  Symptoms of third degree burns are gruesome, and can include the appearance of black, charred skin tissue that needs to be removed and the exposure of interior nerves and even blood vessels.  People who suffer from third degree burns often require extensive medical care that can include ongoing therapy and skin graft surgery to replace the skin tissue that’s been ruined.

Overall, burn injuries are extremely difficult to manage.  If you or someone you love has suffered a burn injury because of the actions of someone else, you need to seek the help of the Texas burn injury attorneys at Parker McDonald, P.C. Contact the firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.