Each year, more than one million Americans require medical intervention for burn injuries. The American Burn Association states that burn victims visit hospital emergency rooms 700,000 times each year, resulting in hospitalization for approximately 45,000 patients whose burns, on average, cover 14 percent of their bodies.
Nearly half of these victims die from their injuries. Survivors face pain, long periods of treatment and, perhaps, permanent disability. The victims family members also suffer the emotional scars of that traumatic event.
Severe burns are most often caused by electrocution, chemicals, scalding, fire and smoke inhalation. Human error is often the cause of burn injuries. Many more injuries are caused by human carelessness and neglect.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that fire causes one death every two hours. Four out of five deaths are caused by residential fires, creating damages greater than $7 billion yearly. In fact, deaths from burns suffered in residential fires are the fifth most common cause of unintentional deaths and the third-leading cause of fatal home injuries.
At greatest risk are children under age 5, and the elderly. These groups are least able to escape a fire, and least likely to survive serious burn injuries.
Among young children, scalding water is a more frequent cause of burn injuries than residential fires.
The workplace poses serious risks for burn injuries as well. Negligent acts by a coworker, employer, property owner or manufacturer have caused severe burn injuries, particularly for those working in food services, electrical services, or chemical and energy occupations.
If you or someone you care about has suffered a severe burn injury or loss of life due to another person’s negligence or a defective product, take time to speak to one of the qualified burn injury attorneys in this directory.