Burn Injuries Present One Of The Leading Causes Of Death In The United States

There is no doubt that a fire can turn lethal in an instant. A small fire in a home wood stove can quickly turn into a house fire, a campfire can turn into a charred campground, and a cigarette can ignite an entire forest into flames. In terms of the human toll, burns from fires can range from minor to life-threatening, and can change a person’s entire quality of life in a matter of seconds. However, fire is not the only cause of burn injuries in the United States, and many burn injuries occur as a result of other burn accidents. Data gathered by the American Burn Association helps shed light on the common causes and frequency of burn injuries in the United States.

According to the American Burn Association, burn injuries are one of the leading causes of unintentional injury and death in the United States, with a civilian-caused fire death occurring approximately every two and-a-half hours. In fact, in 2016, the report reveals, 3,390 civilian deaths occurred from fires, including house and residential fires, non-residential building fires, vehicle fires, outdoor fires and other not-classified fires. Residential building fires were the leading cause of civilian deaths from fires in 2016. In addition to burn injuries from fires, the American Burn Association reports that the most common causes of burn injuries are burns by scalds, coming into contact with hot objects, electrical burns, and chemical burns. The risk of children suffering serious burn injuries in the United States is more than double that of adults. Accordingly, burn injuries present the fifth leading cause of death by injury for young children ages 1-4 years old, and the eighth leading cause of injury deaths in people under 65 years old.

Burn Injuries May be Caused by Another Person’s Negligence

A burn injury is not always the burn victim’s fault. A burn injury can be the result of another person’s (or a company’s) negligence. Negligence, simply put, is a legal mechanism that holds another person or company responsible for injuring a person when the injury was caused by that other person or company. Under Texas laws, if a person or company fails to meet the duty of care that they or it owes to a person, and that person suffers an injury as a result, the person or company that caused the injury may be liable and may be required to pay money damages to the injured person. In a burn injury case, if a burn injury was caused by the negligence of another person or company, the burn victim may be entitled to money for things like medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other damages.

Initiating a Burn Injury Lawsuit

If you or a family member has suffered a burn injury at the hands of another person or company, it is important to know your rights and options up-front. In order to get the full picture of what you might be entitled to and how to initiate and navigate the process, it is best to chat with an experienced Houston burn injury lawyer. In Houston, the lawyers at the Gilde Law Firm are experienced personal injury attorneys who handle burn injury cases. The Gilde Law Firm offers a free and confidential consultation to learn about your burn injury and to see if they can help you get justice. Reach out to the Gilde Law Firm today to get your consultation started and speak to a lawyer for free.

Source:

ameriburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/nbaw-factsheet_121417-1.pdf