We Ask The Experts

We Ask The Experts - How likely is a plaintiff to recover from a scalding hot water burn?

As a thirty-year board-certified plastic surgeon Expert who specializes in skin burns of all types, the plaintiff is going to suffer major devastation from a hot water burn.

In the litigation cases we have worked on, we have noticed injuries from scalding hot tea, hot coffee, hot soup with the lids either not on at all or not properly secured, spilling the hot liquids on their legs, breasts, arms, face, and neck. All of these areas are painful and sensitive to touch. Many of the patients may have permanent skin discoloration, months of itching and burning, and poor healing or require expensive skin grafting procedures. A complete review of the medical records by a board-certified plastic surgeon will identify the type of burn associated with the hot liquid.

Plastic surgery for boiling water burns

Burn injuries caused by a liquid material (e.g., boiling water) are called scald burns. This type of burn can bring immediate and severe pain, as well as serious scarring, depending on the severity. Scalding can happen anywhere, but it is commonly seen in the food and restaurant industry.

A boiling water burn can cause a variety of symptoms, from superficial epidermal burn to full-thickness burn injury. Unfortunately, a third-degree burn caused by boiling water can bring lasting damage to the tissues and may even endanger the victim’s life.

Types of burns according to the source of heat

One way to classify burn injuries is to identify the heat energy source or the main cause of the burn. It’s important to note that regardless of the circumstances, all five of them can be serious and indeed life-threatening. Here are some of the most common causes of burns:

Thermal burns

Thermal burns refer to skin injuries caused by contact with any external heat source. The increased temperature of such objects can result in tissue and cell death or charring. Some possible sources of thermal burns include hot oil, grease, steam, open flame from a fireplace, and house fire.

We see this type of litigation matter commonly in our Expert referral practice. If you are searching for a Burn Expert or if you are a Burn Expert, we would be glad to talk. #litigation #expertwitness #ExpertStrategyGroup