Contact Us

Get In Touch

Teal & Montgomery
Attorney who is a medical doctor
Part of our Winning Team

Fire is terrifying when it is not contained. If you have been in any kind of house fire or explosion, you probably encountered trauma on many levels, as well as damage to your home, injuries to your child or family, and you may have even suffered the loss of a loved one. In addition to the momentary pain of the experience, you are now left with extensive physical and mental damage that will not be remedied in any small amount of time.

Call 916-448-1010 to speak with one of the attorneys at Teal Law Firm. Our compassionate and professional lawyers can come to see you in your home or hospital if travel is difficult for you.

Long-term Prognosis

Your long-term prognosis after a burn injury may depend in large part on how severe the burn injury is (first degree, second degree or third degree burn) and what type of burn it is (chemical burn, electrical burn, smoke inhalation injury, thermal burn or radiation burn). Each type of injury carries with it a specific set of treatment, hospital stays, various medical specialties and maybe even surgeries. This can take a toll on your time, job, bank account, relationships and much more.

Psychological Effects of Severe Burn Injuries

Most survivors of severe burn injuries encounter some level of psychological distress. While each person perceives psychological stress differently, people with burn injuries often report:

  • Sadness, anxiety or irritableness
  • Helplessness
  • Hopelessness
  • Feeling disturbed about depending on others for help
  • Feeling distant from family and friends
  • Loneliness
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Trouble staying asleep, encountering nightmares
  • Trouble relaxing the body and mind
  • Having a hard time concentrating
  • Diminished energy or feeling tired often

What was the cause of the burn?

Your personal injury lawyer’s ability to help you obtain the compensation that you need to cope with expenses and losses associated with the burn injury may depend on what type of accident caused the burn injury. Some common causes of severe burns are:

  • car accident where there was also an explosion
  • An industrial or construction chemical burn, electrical burn or explosion
  • A house fire or other fire inside a structure
  • Radiation burns occurring during treatment for breast cancer

Complex and Complicated Side Effects

As with many other catastrophic and serious injuries, you may face a long time in the hospital while your body heals. Infection may be a risk in the early days and weeks following a serious burn injury. Even once your skin heals and grows back, scarring or disfigurement may dismay you. Skin grafts and plastic surgery may be necessary to restore your body.

Hypermetabolic Changes

Many people don’t realize that the effects of severe, catastrophic burns are far more than merely skin deep. Burn patients often experience what’s called hypermetabolic changed, “characterized by a hyperdynamic circulatory response with massive protein and lipid catabolism, total body protein loss, muscle wasting, peripheral insulin resistance, increased energy expenditure, increased body temperature, increased infection risks, and stimulated synthesis of acute phase proteins located in the liver and intestinal mucosa” [i]. It’s important to detect and treat these complications early and efficiently.

Established History of Excellence

Since 1975, burn injury lawyers of Teal & Montgomery in Sacramento and Santa Rosa have helped burn victims recover compensation after accidental injuries. We welcome the opportunity to explain how we can help you pursue and obtain financial damages after suffering from a burn injury or any catastrophic injury in California.

California Severe Burn Injury Lawyers

Our team of dedicated, skilled personal injury and medical malpractice attorneys includes a doctor who is also a lawyer. The entire law firm of Teal & Montgomery is prepared to place a high priority on excellent, effective preparation of your burn injury case.

Please call 916-448-1010 to schedule a free initial consultation at your convenience.

[i] Gauglitz, G. (n.d.). Hypermetabolic response to severe burn injury: Recognition and treatment. Retrieved February 28, 2015, from http://www.uptodate.com/contents/hypermetabolic-response-to-severe-burn-injury-recognition-and-treatment