If you have ever accidentally dripped hot grease on yourself or bumped the edge of a pan taken out of a hot oven, you know how badly such injuries can hurt. When it comes to severe burns, unfathomable pain and long, arduous recoveries are common among those who are victims of such injuries. If you are currently navigating the healing process after suffering serious burns on one or more parts of your body, you are likely relying on various people for support.
Care providers are often key factors toward successful outcomes where burn recovery is concerned. If another person's negligence was responsible for your injury, you may need a different type of support as well. Burn recovery care is quite expensive and you may not be prepared to meet such costs when medical bills start rolling in or you have to take time off work to recuperate. There are resources to help obtain the care you need as well as justice against the party deemed responsible for your condition.
Initial phases of burn recovery
You may have wound up in the back of an ambulance following the accident that caused your severe burn injury. From that point on, you have a long road back to good health. On that road, some days will be better and some will be worse as you struggle to overcome the challenges arising from your injuries. This list summarizes the recovery phases many burn victims experience:
- Perhaps the first phase of your recovery began at the scene of your accident. Emergency medical specialists evaluated your condition and began the process of resuscitation by providing adequate fluid intake and whatever urgent treatment was needed at the time. Later, doctors examined you more closely to determine the degree of burn you suffered.
- Open wounds are more prone to infection. This is why the second stage of burn recovery focuses on closing the wounds. If burn wounds are not closed as much as possible in a timely manner, deformity, loss of tendon use or other disabling conditions may result.
- During the next phase of burn recovery, any temporary closures placed over your wounds would likely be replaced with more definite coverings. This phase often leads to the final phase of reconstructive surgery, if needed and rest of the rehabilitation journey.
You may endure pain for many weeks or months to come following a serious burn injury. Regaining control over self-care and daily activities may prove challenging as even walking, talking or moving appendages may be difficult and painful. It's often helpful to seek treatment at designated burn centers where staff members are specially trained to address the needs and concerns of severe burn victims. During recovery, it's good to know there is legal help available regarding events that led to your injury.
A Texas personal injury attorney can guide you through the process of seeking compensation and holding negligent parties responsible for your financial losses and pain and suffering.