Disfigurement and Emotional Distress from Serious Burn Injuries

The California Camp Fire didn’t just burn properties to the ground, but it also took the lives of many people and injured others. Many of those who sustained serious burn injuries were the elderly or those who were confined to their homes at the time of the incident, some of which who are still being hospitalized to this day and others who have passed away due to their burn injuries. If you or someone you love was affected by burn injuries in the Camp Fire, your injuries might go above and beyond the pain you feel – but can also bring emotional distress if you have suffered from the most serious disfigurement and are unsure of how you will move past this traumatizing time in your life.

Disfigurement and Emotional Scars 

A burn injury is almost always severe in its own way. Nobody ever expects to endure one of these serious injuries that seemingly come out of nowhere at times but, if you are involved in a serious fire at the hands of a negligent party, you have many rights to compensation. Your compensation increases if you have suffered especially serious injuries, including those that will be lasting as they leave you disfigured or cause serious scarring.

It is already known that burn injuries change the way that a body functions. Scarring can go much deeper than leaving you with the reminder of a serious and traumatic event, but can actually change the way that your skin works around the joints and cause you severe pain and distress. There are also many phases of the healing process that many people don’t always have proper preparation for, including the following:

• The wound healing phase, which involves the rate at which the scarring heals, which can determine how much scarring will result in the end
• The scar formation phase, which causes the skin to become darker, stiffer, and raised
• The scar maturation phase, which is when the skin tends to return to a normal skin tone

Many people will feel various levels of psychological distress while they are healing from serious burn injuries due to the fact that a scar can sometimes be the reminder of the actual event that caused you the pain or could cause you to feel less confident in yourself, especially when the scar has caused visible disfigurement. People who sustain burn injuries will typically say that they get sad or even anxious about the way that their injury changed their appearance, or they feel helpless when people stare at them. They might distance themselves from friends or family and their injuries will keep them awake at night as they remember what happened on that fateful day.

If You Have Suffered Serious Burn Injuries 

In early December, those who suffered burn injuries and lost loved ones started to file personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits with the help of their attorneys alleging that PG&E acted in a negligent manner, which led to the horrific Camp Fire of 2018. If you have been injured and believe that you are eligible for filing a lawsuit as well, our attorneys at Marlene Leiva Law Group are waiting to speak with you as soon as possible about your options. Contact us today for more information on how we can assist you in your time of need at 415-459-7300.