Burn Injury Awareness Week Calls Attention To Common Type of Personal Injury
Burns are among the most painful and potentially serious types of personal injuries. They can occur on the job, in the home, or as a result of accidents. Depending on the degree of burn, victims can suffer permanent scarring and long-term impairments. This February, burn injury awareness week calls attention to this common type of personal injury. It’s important to protect yourself from burns and know that compensation may be available.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), burn injuries happen roughly once every 60 minutes in the U.S. They impact millions of people each year and are a leading cause of personal injuries. While fires are an obvious factor in causing burn injuries, they can happen in a variety of ways. Among the most common include:
● Chemical burns due to contact with toxic substances
● Electrical burns due to contact with live wiring and exposed currents
● Inhalation burns due to inhaling toxic substances
● Thermal burns due to contact with hot surfaces or hot oils and fluids
Burn injuries most commonly occur in the following ways:
On the job
The result of car, bike, or pedestrian accident.
The result of slips, falls, or getting struck by objects.
When the reckless actions of others are to blame, you have the right to hold them accountable in a claim.
How Serious Are Burn Injuries?
Burn injuries are categorized in varying degrees:
First-degree burns impact the skin’s surface and are painful, but generally causes no lasting harm.
Second-degree burns are more serious and extend below the skin’s surface, often resulting in permanent scarring.
Third-degree burns are the most severe and can impact underlying tissues and body organs. In addition to scarring and disfigurement, third-degree burns can result in life-threatening infections. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly ten thousand people die as a result of these types of infections each year.
When burn injuries happen on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. When they occur due to car accidents, at someone’s home, or in any type of public place, you can file a personal injury claim. Insurance policies that the at-fault party has in place may cover some of your costs, but to get the maximum amount you deserve, your best option is likely filing a personal injury lawsuit. Compensation for burn injuries available under the South Carolina Code includes:
● Economic damages, which cover actual costs, such as your current and future medical expenses and lost wages
● Non-economic damages, which compensation you for pain and suffering
● Punitive damages, which is an additional amount that may be ordered if the at-fault party acted in a particularly negligent manner
Reach Out To Our Aiken Personal Injury Attorney
Burn injury awareness week calls attention to this common type of personal injury. Now that you know more about burns, at the Surasky Law Firm, we help burn injury victims and their families get the compensation they are entitled to in a claim. To discuss the options in your case, contact our Aiken personal injury attorney and request a consultation today.
