The current cultural narrative of Thanksgiving paints a beautiful picture of families gathering together to feast and celebrate their blessings. However, it’s easy for an accident to happen when frantic families are hustling to cook a hearty meal. In fact, countless families race to local emergency rooms each year because of holiday-related burn injuries.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), families suffered thousands of minor burn injuries and nearly 2,000 reported home cooking fires in 2017. Most people can recover from minor burn injuries without facing any serious health complications; however, more serious injuries often necessitate ongoing medical treatments and rehabilitative services.
We hope that your family has a safe and happy holiday season. But if you happen to face an emergency, please review this list of tips created by our Austin burn injury attorneys.
First-Degree Burns
First-degree burns, or “superficial burns,” usually only cause mild damage to the outermost layer of skin. These injuries tend to heal after about 7-10 days. Even so, you should still see a doctor if the injury affects your face or a large area of skin.
Treatment for a first-degree burn includes:
- Immediately soaking the wound in cool water
- Not using ice or cotton balls on the wound
- Applying an antibiotic and carefully wrapping the injury
- Using aloe vera gel to soothe your skin as it heals
Second-Degree Burns
If you sustain a second-degree burn, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible. This type of injury causes the skin to blister and “pop open.” These wounds typically take at least three weeks to heal and may alter the pigment color of your skin. It’s important to keep the affected area clean and properly bandaged to prevent infection.
Treatments for a second-degree burn include:
- Immediately soaking the wound in cool water for at least 15 minutes
- Not using ice or cotton balls on the wound
- Seeking treatment from a medical professional
- Following the doctor’s treatment regime to the letter
If you or a loved one suffers a third-degree burn, someone needs to call 911 immediately. A burn injury of this severity can lead to nerve damage, permanent scarring, and serious medical complications.
Schedule a Consultation
The legal team at The Stewart Law Firm, PLLC hopes that you have a safe and cheerful Thanksgiving holiday. At the same, if you do require legal assistance due to a burn injury, contact our Austin burn injury lawyers as soon as possible. We understand the physical risks and complications associated with these types of injuries, and we can help you pursue damages that facilitate your overall recovery.
Contact The Stewart Law Firm, PLLC at (512) 217-5112 to schedule a free consultation.
