What Types of Support Are Available for Burn Victims?

As experienced Louisiana burn injury lawyers, we know all too well that a severe burn injury can occur anywhere—at home inside a kitchen or garage, on the job at construction sites, offshore workplaces, and countless other areas.

A severe burn injury can be painful, terrifying, and expensive with the recovery time taking years. For many burn victims, their lives will never be the same. They may be forced to adjust to permanent changes, scars that can not be removed, or even an amputation of a body part.

Burns are categorized by the depth of the injury to the skin. First and second-degree burns affect only the top layer of the skin and usually heal without complications. In contrast, third-degree burns damage all three skin layers, the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. They also cause nerve damage. Fourth-degree burns are rare, but when they occur, they are even more severe. They can cause damage to muscles, tendons, organs, and bones which can lead to life-threatening issues like hypothermia and respiratory or cardiac failure, depending on the affected area. 

Common causes of burns include heat (thermal burns), strong acids or chemicals, radiation from prolonged exposure, and electrical accidents. 

Because of the ramifications, burn victims must receive the necessary support, not only medical but financial and emotional support, too. These injuries are often deemed catastrophic, and nobody should handle them alone.

Here are a few resources that offer support for burn patients and their family members after a burn injury accident.

Burn Centers

Because of the complexity of severe burn injuries, specialized medical support is needed and is often found in burn centers. Thousands of people receive care at burn centers after personal injury accidents each year.

Burn centers are now considered the go-to place for burn victims to receive the care they need, yet treatment for both physical and mental health issues at burn centers can be intense. Staff includes surgeons, doctors, therapists, dietitians, and pharmacists who provide critical care, surgical reconstruction, and rehabilitation.

Procedures typically performed on patients at burn care centers include wound care, debridement, skin grafts as well as physical and occupational therapy, and mental health counseling. 

American Burn Association

The American Burn Association (ABA) is a non-profit organization based in Chicago that has supported burn victims for nearly 60 years. It focuses on treatment, research, education, and prevention.

Founded in 1967, the ABA is recognized for its “Verification Program,” which requires burn care facilities to adhere to standards in patient safety, education, and advocacy.

Currently, over 70 burn centers in the U.S. are ABA Verified, including the Burn Center at University Medical Center in New Orleans. The  27,000-square-foot facility serves inpatients and outpatients with 16 inpatient ICU beds, four outpatient clinic rooms, a debridement room with a hydrotherapy tank, and a rehabilitation center.

The ABA offers credential programs for medical staff, including the nursing specialty certification, in collaboration with the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing, and the Burn Therapist Certified (BT-C) program for rehabilitation specialists. 

Additionally, the ABA organizes National Burn Awareness Week in February to raise awareness about burn injuries and support victims and their caregivers.

The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors

The Phoenix Society was founded in 1977 by Alan Breslau who suffered severe burns from a plane crash. After having a chance encounter with a young burn victim, Breslau was inspired to create a way for patients to support each other by sharing their experiences. 

Today, through the Phoenix Society’s SOAR Program (Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery), nearly 100 hospitals and burn centers across the country connect burn survivors, either through their burn injuries or as loved ones of burn survivors. By sharing their stories, survivors can provide emotional support and help current patients navigate their healing journeys, offering valuable information they have gathered along the way. 

In addition to the SOAR Program, the Phoenix Society hosts the annual Phoenix World Burn Congress, an international conference designed to help advocates “identify and understand the issues that impact the daily lives of those associated with burn trauma.” Survivors participate in workshops, with topics ranging from fire safety to the power of laughter, to helping children rebuild their self-esteem after a burn injury.

Children’s Burn Foundation

Every year, nearly 300 children and adolescents die from fire or burn injuries, and over 100,000 are admitted to a hospital or treated in an emergency department. To support young burn victims, the Children’s Burn Foundation was established in 1985 in Sherman Oaks, California to help children with their recovery. The foundation assists with the short-term emergency needs of their families. It supports more than 85,000 children annually and provides funding for reconstructive treatment, emergency family assistance, survivor and family camps, counseling, and operating teen support and prevention education programs.

Burn Injury Lawsuit

Legal support is also an important part of recovery for burn victims injured due to negligence. Support from a burn injury lawsuit can be invaluable. After a victim suffers a severe burn injury, they need time to heal, yet healing from this type of injury can be expensive. 

An experienced burn injury lawyer understands these costs, and while a burn victim concentrates on healing, a lawyer can work on determining if the injury was due to someone else’s negligence and the appropriate compensation required for the injuries. The process of a burn injury lawsuit includes a consultation with an attorney so they can gather details about the case, determine what legal actions the situation requires, and gather the evidence and documentation needed to move forward.

The Louisiana personal injury law firm of Herman, Katz, Gisleson & Cain has the expertise required to help burn injury victims receive the compensation they deserve while holding those responsible for the injuries accountable. Contact us online for a free case evaluation or call (844) 943-7626 for more information.