Personal injury attorneys may represent clients who have experienced burn injuries. Burn survivors might tell you that suffering a burn and working through the recovery process is among the most painful experiences a person can have. Even small burns can be very painful and may still result in some level of disfigurement.
Lawsuits associated with burns typically involve injured people who have been permanently disfigured or disabled as a result of another person’s or entity’s negligence. Burn injuries may result in paralysis, hearing or sight damage, disfigurement, or mobility impairment. Surgeries and time spent in burn treatment units can produce large medical bills in addition to any time lost from missed work.
Burn Survivor Resources
Burn recovery, rehabilitation, and follow up surgeries can be physically and mentally taxing on both a burn survivor and his/her family. In Florida and across the US, groups of burn survivors and medical professionals have come together to provide support and educational resources for burn survivors and their families. These resources allow burns survivors to talk with one another and learn about the challenges and options of dealing with the lasting effects of burn injuries. Here are a few good places to start:
- Burn Survivor Resource Center
4 Common Causes of Accidental Burn Injury
The most severe injuries involve third and fourth degree burns. With relevance to personal injury claims, the following causes are often to blame for burn injuries:
- Faulty Appliances in the Home
- Automotive Accident Fires / Explosions
- Industrial (Workplace) Fires / Explosions, Electrocution, or Chemical Burns
- Fires Resulting from Faulty Wiring in a Home or New Construction
Burn Statistics
The following statistics are according to data gathered by the American Burn Association as of 2012:
- Burn injury victims currently in treatment: 450,000
- Fire / burn related death fatalities per year: 3,400
- Estimated annual burn injury hospitalizations: 40,000 (30,000 at burn treatment centers)
- Specific cause for admission (burn injuries from 2002-2011): Fire/flames-44%, Scalds-33%, Contact/Thermal-9%, Electrical-4%, Chemical-3%, Other-7%
- Burn injuries are the #2 leading cause of all accidental deaths in the US, behind automobile accidents.
- 2/3 of fatal residential fires involving children occur in homes without a working smoke alarm.
- Most chemical burns are occupational or occur within the workplace.
- Estimated annual burn injury hospitalizations: 40,000 (30,000 at burn treatment centers)
- Secondary infection is the leading cause of death from non-fatal burns.
Burn Injury Attorneys Serving Florida
Anyone who has experienced a burn injury in the workplace or as a result on an accident may want to consider contacting an experienced personal injury lawyer with experience helping other burn injury survivors.
References:
Burn Survivors
