Mild or Severe Burns After a Work Injury

I recently spoke to a woman who had her hand severely burned at work but she delayed medical care because she thought it was “ok.”  Now, not only is she trying to handle the added stress dealing with the Virginia workers’ compensation system, she is also faced with the possibility that her hand will never be the same because medical care was delayed.

Burns can happen in many different work environments and in a wide range of severities.  Workers need to know the different types of burns and how they are defined in order to know if they are serious enough to warrant emergency care.

Degrees of Burn Injuries

Source: www.mayoclinic.com

“To distinguish a minor burn from a serious burn, the first step is to determine the extent of damage to body tissues. The three burn classifications of first-degree burn, second-degree burn and third-degree burn will help you determine emergency care.”

1st-degree burn

The least serious burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned, but not all the way through.

• The skin is usually red
• Often there is swelling
• Pain sometimes is present

Treat a first-degree burn as a minor burn unless it involves substantial portions of the hands, feet, face, groin or buttocks, or a major joint, which requires emergency medical attention.

2nd-degree burn

When the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin (dermis) also is burned, the injury is called a second-degree burn.

• Blisters develop
• Skin takes on an intensely reddened, splotchy appearance
• There is severe pain and swelling.

If the second-degree burn is no larger than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter, treat it as a minor burn. If the burned area is larger or if the burn is on the hands, feet, face, groin or buttocks, or over a major joint, treat it as a major burn and get medical help immediately.

For minor burns, including first-degree burns and second-degree burns limited to an area no larger than 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) in diameter, take the following action:

• Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running water for 10 or 15 minutes or until the pain subsides. If this is impractical, immerse the burn in cool water or cool it with cold compresses. Cooling the burn reduces swelling by conducting heat away from the skin. Don’t put ice on the burn.
• Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Don’t use fluffy cotton, or other material that may get lint in the wound. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burn, reduces pain and protects blistered skin.
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever. These include aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 2, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns.

Minor burns usually heal without further treatment. They may heal with pigment changes, meaning the healed area may be a different color from the surrounding skin. Watch for signs of infection, such as increased pain, redness, fever, swelling or oozing. If infection develops, seek medical help. Avoid re-injuring or tanning if the burns are less than a year old — doing so may cause more extensive pigmentation changes. Use sunscreen on the area for at least a year.

Caution

• Don’t use ice. Putting ice directly on a burn can cause a person’s body to become too cold and cause further damage to the wound.
• Don’t apply egg whites, butter or ointments to the burn. This could cause infection.
• Don’t break blisters. Broken blisters are more vulnerable to infection.

3rd-degree burns

The most serious burns involve all layers of the skin and cause permanent tissue damage. Fat, muscle and even bone may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear dry and white. Difficulty inhaling and exhaling, carbon monoxide poisoning, or other toxic effects may occur if smoke inhalation accompanies the burn.

For major burns, call 911 or emergency medical help. Until an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:

• Don’t remove burned clothing. However, do make sure the victim is no longer in contact with smoldering materials or exposed to smoke or heat.
• Don’t immerse large severe burns in cold water. Doing so could cause a drop in body temperature (hypothermia) and deterioration of blood pressure and circulation (shock).
• Check for signs of circulation (breathing, coughing or movement). If there is no breathing or other sign of circulation, begin CPR.
• Elevate the burned body part or parts. Raise above heart level, when possible.
• Cover the area of the burn. Use a cool, moist, sterile bandage; clean, moist cloth; or moist cloth towels.

Chemical Burns

A Richmond work injury attorney may be able to help if you are injured while working with dangerous chemicals. Chemical burns are painful on-the-job injuries that may cause serious damage to a worker, and may warrant filing a claim.

Chemical burns may result from a number of hazardous substances like acids, alkalis, and hydrocarbons. The types of injuries these may cause depend on which parts of the body are exposed to them, how much product is involved, and the duration of contact.

Acids may lead to what’s called coagulation necrosis, which may actually reduce penetration of the skin, compared to alkalis. Alkalis, or bases, may also be extremely damaging because they can break down the skin and penetrate into the body. Inhalation of chemicals in gas form may lead to lung damage and acute respiratory problems.

A chemical burn should always be treated no matter its severity. Depending on the extent of damage, the healing process can take quite a bit of time. Also, as is common with any kind of burn, chemical burns can be not only physically painful, but psychologically traumatic, particularly if there is extensive scarring of the skin involved.

Regardless of the type of chemical burn you suffer at work, you may be entitled to file a Workers’ Compensation claim to help with your medical bills and other expenses.

Contact a Virginia Workers Compensation Attorney

Have you been hurt in an accident at work? Call the Injured Workers Law Firm at 804-775-7755 and ask about our free book, Ultimate Guide to Workers’ Compensation in Virginia, for more information about your rights. You deserve to be treated fairly and to receive the compensation to which you are entitled, and we can help.