Burn injuries are, unfortunately, quite common. It is estimated that there at least 450,000 burn injuries occur in the United States every year, according to the American Burn Injury Association. Additionally, 45,000 injuries resulted in hospitalizations and another 3,500 resulted in fatalities. These severe injuries can occur anywhere, especially when negligence is involved. However, some causes are substantially more common than others. If you sustained a severe burn injury that was caused by the careless actions of another party or entity, do not hesitate to seek skilled legal representation.
Below is a list of some of the most common causes of burn injuries:
- Motor vehicle accidents: During an accident, the gasoline in a vehicle can ignite, which can cause it to burst into flames. In fact, according to a report from the U.S. Fire Administration, fires related to motor vehicle accidents account for 16% of all fires that fire departments respond to. These fires are responsible for 490 deaths and 1,275 injuries every year.
- Defective products: Products that are defective can spark or overheat, which can either burn the person using the product or result in a fire that causes burn injuries. Products that use combustible fuel sources or batteries commonly cause such problems.
- Apartment and hotel fires: According to the National Fire Protection Association, it was reported that 95,500 apartment structure fires in 2011 resulted in 4,425 injuries. Additionally, firefighters respond to about 3,700 structure fires every year at hotels or motels.
- Workplace fires: Workplace fires and explosions cause about 3% of the 4,609 deaths that reportedly occurred on worksites in the United States throughout 2011.
- Scalding injuries: Children and the elderly are most prone to these types of injuries and, according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, it is estimated that more than 100,000 individuals every year are treated in hospital emergency rooms after sustaining a scalding injury. Hot tap water is the most frequent cause of scalding burns for children.
- Gas explosions: This has increasingly become a concern, given that gas pipelines stretch across more than 2.6 million miles throughout the country, and that more than half of them were constructed in the 1950s and 1960s. These explosions can even occur at work sites.
- Chemical accidents: Chemical accidents are usually associated with labs or worksites, but these accidents can happen at home as well. Household products like bleach, concrete mix, cleaning products, and pool chlorinators are all hazardous enough to result in burns.
- Electrocutions: When a worker is exposed to an electrical current, it is not uncommon for him or her to sustain an electrical burn. Additionally, flash arc burns and thermal contact burns can also occur when one is exposed to electricity on a worksite. When an electrical current runs through the body it can result in damage to the cardiovascular system, the respiratory system, and the central nervous system, often causing death.
BURN INJURY ATTORNEYS IN TULSA
If you or a loved one sustained a burn injury that was caused by the negligent or careless actions of another individual, you need to obtain skilled legal counsel as soon as possible. At Richardson Richardson Boudreaux, PLLC, our team of skilled burn injury attorneys in Tulsa is dedicated to fighting on behalf of those who have been wrongfully injured. Do not hesitate to get the help you deserve.
Get started on your personal injury case today and reach out to our law firm at 918-492-7674 to request a free initial case evaluation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys.