Texas Truck Accident Lawyers

Treating Burn Injuries – the DON’Ts

When faced with burn injuries, it is important to remember that time is of the essence. A burn left untreated will only get worse with time, as the heat seeps deeper into the skin, damaging more cells, nerves, and tissue. Untreated burns seriously compromise the integrity of the skin, the body’s primary defense against disease, thus increasing the risk that the victim will go into shock or suffer infection or illness.

Of course, the other side of the issue is the health risk posed by an overenthusiastic but untrained Good Samaritan. Treating a burn incorrectly can result in making the situation worse and cause long-lasting side effects. So before you attempt to treat your own burn injury or help someone else, make sure you know what NOT to do.

DO NOT pop blisters – blisters, despite their appearance, are part of the body’s natural defense reaction. Popping a blister does not speed up the healing process – in fact, it actually makes you more susceptible to infection.

DO NOT peel away dead skin – In severe burn cases, skin can actually become charred and dead, and it may be tempting to remove this dead skin because of its appearance. Doing so, however, may cause permanent scarring of the affected area and expose the skin underneath it to infection and further damage. Another thing to remember is not to peel away clothing that is stuck to a burned area. If you do so, you run the risk of tearing healthy or healing skin and opening a wound for bacteria and viruses to invade.

DO NOT use greasy ointments – This includes greasy antiseptic creams, ointments, and the “folk remedy,” butter. They will not do any good on a major burn site, and have several negative side effects. To begin with, applying these ointments can actually hurt the body’s ability to heal and fight infection. Second, greasy creams can also trap heat underneath the skin, allowing the burn to cause even more damage.

Severe burn injuries can result in a variety of ways – house fires, electrical sockets, dangerous chemicals - and explosions. While many of these causes may seem entirely random and accidental, explosions can often be caused by negligence in a high-risk environment.

If you have been injured because of an explosion, you may be entitled to compensation if the blast was due to someone else’s negligent behavior. Call 866-950-9000 for a free initial consultation with a Texas explosion lawyer from Williams Kherkher to learn more about your legal rights.