Serious burn injuries — and the treatments they need to heal — are very painful. But the physical pain suffered by victims can sometimes be secondary to the psychological pain they experience after their burn injury.
If you suffered a serious burn, we’ve included some important information below.
Consider the psychological effects of your burn
When burns are so severe that they are disfiguring or limit the functionality of your body parts, there is a psychological component to the physical trauma. The permanent effects of serious burn injuries can deeply alter self-perception and adversely affect your most intimate relationships.
Burn victims can become dependent on family or professional caregivers to meet their personal needs. While loved ones may try their best, not everyone is cut out for a caregiving role.
Reliving the event
Some burn survivors get stuck in a mental loop of the accident or fire that maimed them. Others who lived through a tragic event where others died may struggle with survivors’ guilt and be unable to move on.
Even when the above examples aren’t present, burn survivors worry about the future, their finances and how to recalibrate relationships after the incident.
Psychological distress affects health and recovery
Your mind controls your body, but when you suffer psychological distress, e.g., get burned, your mind suffers, too. It can manifest in different ways — brief attention span, poor short-term memory — and cause blood pressure fluctuations and influence glucose levels.
Depression and anxiety afflict most burn victims. If you struggled with those conditions before your injuries, they were likely exacerbated by your burns.
File your claim for damages
If you suffered serious burn injuries due to the fault of another driver or other liable party, you deserve compensation for your injuries, losses and present and future damages.