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We are around burn hazards every day. This includes cooking over the stove, taking a bath, smoking an electronic cigarette, or operating a machine at work. Because we are so used to burn hazards, many people forget how dangerous burn injuries can be. Burn injuries can result in scarring, disfigurement, lung injury, and even death. After a burn injury, the victim may be able to seek compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering.
What are Burn Injuries?
Burn injuries can be caused by contact with an open flame, touching a heated surface, scalding liquid, chemical burns, radiation burns, explosions, fireworks, electrical burns, and combustion of flammable substances. These injuries can occur in the home, on the road, while at school, or in the workplace.
Burn injuries are the fourth most common type of trauma in the world. Every year in the United States, over 480,000 people seek medical attention for a burn injury. Almost 40,000 of those injured require hospitalization for their injuries, including specialized burn centers. Most of those seeking medical attention were injured by an open flame injury, about one-third were injured by scalding burns, others were injured in electrical, chemical, or contact burns.
Workplace Burn Injuries
Many burn injury accidents occur in the workplace. According to one study, about 15% of people admitted to the hospital with acute burns had work-related burns. Workplace burns are higher among certain industries, with some of the most common occurring in industrial plant explosions. Manufacturing, construction, industrial cleaning, farming, and restaurant work carries a number of burn hazards. However, just about any worker could suffer a burn injury in the workplace.
Workplace burn injuries can be caused by unsafe working conditions, employer negligence, negligence of other employees, and failure to properly train employees. For many individuals who are injured in a workplace injury, their injury should be covered by a workers’ compensation program. This allows an injured worker to have their medical bills paid and receive financial payments for the time they are unable to work. However, some individuals may not be covered by workers’ compensation and can seek compensation through filing a personal injury lawsuit.
Child Burn Injuries
Many children are injured in a burn accident in the home, at school, or in day care. Children can suffer some of the most serious burn injuries because of their small size, lack of language ability, curious nature, and failure to comprehend burn hazards.
A small child can easily pull down a boiling pot of water, covering themselves in scalding liquid. Within seconds, the child may suffer serious burns from head to toe. In other cases, a child may scream out while getting into the bathtub. A caregiver may think the child is just being fussy, not realizing the water is hot enough to burn the child’s skin. Even spending too much time in the sun can lead to serious burn injuries.
In some cases, a child may suffer a burn injury while in the care of someone else. This includes a babysitter, preschool, daycare, summer camp, or Sunday school. When a child is injured, the person responsible for the child should immediately seek medical treatment. However, some caregivers may be afraid of reporting a burn injury because they fear they will be blamed for the injury.
Failure to seek immediate treatment can result in more serious scarring, damage, and increase the risk of permanent injury. If another person failed to report your child’s burn injury, they may be responsible for causing or exacerbating the child’s injury. Those who caused the injury may be liable for damages, including pain and suffering.
Burn Injury Treatment
A mild burn may not require medical treatment; however, any burn injury is best evaluated by a medical professional. More serious burns, including second- and third-degree burns should be looked at by a doctor. Failure to treat the burn can lead to infections and permanent scarring. In some cases, a burn injury victim may require treatment at a specialized burn center.
Washington D.C. Burn Injury Lawyers
If you or a loved one was injured in a burn injury accident, you should talk to an experienced D.C. personal injury attorney about getting compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Your personal injury attorney will help you through this difficult time, and make sure you have an advocate to fight for you. You should not have to suffer due to someone else’s negligence. Do not hesitate to call Gilman & Bedigian today for a free consultation.