Burn Injuries

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The National Institutes of Health report that more than 2 million in the United States require treatment for burns each year, and between 3,000 and 4,000 die of severe burns. Especially vulnerable: older people and young children.

There are many, many causes of fires, and the United States has the highest rate of fire-related deaths in the world. Every 80 seconds, there’s a home fire in the U.S., with a home fire death occurring every three hours.

Fires of some sort are the most common cause of burn injuries, but burns can also be caused by heat (thermal burns), chemicals, electricity and sunlight or other ultraviolet light.

The most common injury caused by burns is disfigurement to the skin, the largest organ of the body. This can also result in associated body chemistry and organ damage. When burn injuries are suffered, the severity of the burn will depend on which layers of the skin become damaged or destroyed. First-degree burns involve only the first layer of skin. If both the first and second layers of skin are burned this is called a second-degree burn. The most serious burns are third-degree burns where all layers of skin and underlying tissue is damaged. Common causes of burns include:

If a manufacturer creates a defective product, or if a property owner is negligent in the maintenance of the premises and that negligence results in a fire, those parties can be held responsible for injuries sustained. The consumer products most commonly associated with fires include:

• Wood and coal burning stoves and fireplaces
• Kerosene heaters
• Gas-fired space heaters
• Portable electric heaters
• Cooking equipment
• Cigarette lighters and matches
• Upholstered furniture
• Mattresses and bedding
• Clothing
• Flammable liquids

Burns can destroy nerves, creating a very dangerous condition, since the ability to feel pain is essential to survival. Also, burn injuries affect the skin’s ability to prevent loss of body fluids, so burn injuries can lead to dehydration.

Not only can burn injuries severely affect the body’s functioning, but they can also drastically alter a person’s appearance through scarring, a cosmetic deformity, sepsis (the presence of bacteria or their toxins in the blood or tissues), adult respiratory distress syndrome, and death. Burn injuries also frequently cause mental and psychological scars.

Burn victims injured by the negligence of another person or entity have legal rights to file a claim against the negligent party to recover damages. Since burns are among the most expensive catastrophic injuries to treat, settlements and jury awards in these cases are often significant. A burn victim may require skin grafts (a process where burned skin is replaced with healthy skin from another part of the body), skin replacement (a temporary alternative to skin graft), physical therapy, and reconstructive surgery (to repair skin disfigurement and scaring).

Compensation depends on the injury and the ability of your attorney to prove the level of damage inflicted upon the victim and that that the negligence of others caused the accident. In addition to medical costs, damage awards may consider pain and suffering, impact to lifestyle, potential earnings and medical costs.

We know every situation is different, that is why we urge you to contact The Abelson Law Firm to speak to an experienced burn injury attorney who can help you determine your rights. Please contact us online or by phone at 202-331-0600 or toll free 1-888-797-4242 for a free consultation.

GET LEGAL HELP FROM EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS TODAY

The lawyers at The Abelson Law Firm have substantial experience handling burn injury cases. If you or a family member have suffered a severe burn injury, please contact us online or by phone at 202-331-0600 or toll free 1-888-797-4242 for a free consultation.