What Are Some Of The Long-Term Complications Resulting From Severe Burn Injuries That May Make Me Eligible For Veterans’ Disability Benefits?

Though only a medical professional can diagnose and treat complications arising from severe burn injuries, there are some issues that tend to commonly affect veterans with service-connected injuries of this nature. If you’ve been burned, it is important to know what conditions may affect you and whether you may be eligible for veterans’ disability benefits.

Burn Complications Can be Serious and Disabling

Some of the issues that tend to come up following econd, third, and fourth degree burns include:

Loss of sweat glands. Burns that penetrate into the dermal layer can destroy sweat glands. This cannot be corrected through skin grafting. Affected areas of the body will not be able to sweat and regulating your own body temperature may be impossible.
Scarring. Scars can be painful and disfiguring.
Infection. Infections can require significant medical treatment and compromise your health.
Contractures. If you have this condition, the skin surrounding the burn pulls too tightly together and prevents the affected joints from moving freely.
Psychological complications. This may include post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), sleep disorders, or depression. These can result either from the incident that caused the injury or lengthy periods of continual, extreme pain during the recovery process. Veterans who experience psychological complications must also seek treatment from mental health professionals.

If you suffer from any of these burn complications because of an injury sustained during your service to our country, it is important to know how to apply for veterans’ disability benefits.

Talking to a Veterans’ Disability Lawyer Is the First Step

Even if you qualify for veterans’ disability benefits, your receipt of benefits will not be automatic. You need to apply to the Department of Veterans Affairs and provide information about your service, your discharge, and your disability. You can save time and get the benefits you deserve by talking to an experienced veterans’ disability lawyer about your rights and about how to complete your application. For more information, please contact us any time via this website or by phone. We would be happy to talk to you about getting the fair benefits you deserve.