You may remember how your family rejoiced when they learned you had survived a fire or or explosion. Hopefully, rescue response time was swift and you were quickly transported to the nearest burn trauma unit in your area. Since then, you may have already overcome various challenges during recovery. Recuperation following such accidents is often long and arduous. Thankfully, there are many support networks available in Texas to help you maximize your recovery potential.
To achieve the fullest physical recovery possible after suffering severe burns, it may help you to gain a clearer understanding of such injuries and how they affect the human body. You will no doubt face much physical pain, and some days will be better than others. With appropriate care and access to available resources, you may be able to get life back on track and overcome the adverse effects of your injuries.
Understanding burn degrees
You may have heard doctors, nurses or family members mentioning degrees when discussing your chemical explosion injuries in the hospital. The following list explains the three main levels of burn categories:
- The mildest type of burn, which can still be quite painful, is a first degree burn. You may have suffered this type of burn several times in your life if you bumped a hot pan on the stove, accidentally touched a burning flame on a candle or stayed outside in the sunlight too long.
- A second degree burn typically produces thickening of the skin. You may also get blisters.
- If your skin looked like white leather after your accident, you may have suffered third degree burns, which can be very serious.
- Before your accident, you may not have realized that burns can be so severe as to extend through all layers of your skin and into your bones or tendons. This is the most severe type of burn, and medical journals classify such injuries as fourth degree burns.
It is possible that you came away from the accident on your job with more than one type of burn. Also, boiling water, for instance, may cause any level of burn, depending on its temperature and how much of it comes in contact with your skin. As a burn victim, you were immediately at risk for internal as well as external injuries. This is why immediate medical attention is so crucial following such accidents.
Beyond the physical: Who is responsible for the cost of your care?
All you can do when recovering from severe burn injuries caused by a chemical explosion is take one day at a time. As you recover, you may encounter challenges in other areas of your life, such as undue financial hardships brought on by mounting medical bills and other expenses related to your injuries. If your employer failed to setup an emergency preparedness system, you may want to discuss the situation with an attorney well-versed in the laws that govern compensation for damages involving burn injuries suffered in the workplace and other locations.