Burn Awareness Week in Indiana and Illinois: February 2-8, 2020
From its headquarters in Chicago, the American Burn Association is once again organizing a national campaign to educate the public about the fact that burn injuries remain one of the leading causes of accidental death and injury in this country. Next week will be “National Burn Awareness Week.”
According to the American Burn Association:
- Thousands die each year from fire and smoke inhalation; and
- While 96.8% of those who suffer burn injuries will survive, many will face the consequences of a life with serious scarring of their bodies, life-long physical disabilities, and adjustment difficulties.
Accidents Resulting in Serious Burn Injuries
Burns can happen in a variety of situations, and there is no one type of accident that can be considered the “usual” burn accident. People can be severely burned at home, at work, or in a motor vehicle accident.
At home, for instance, accidents involving faulty products like a kitchen appliance can result in a serious or fatal burn injury. At work, employees can suffer severe burns from exposure to chemicals, steam, or flames. Even driving down the road, someone can be catastrophically injured from burns resulting from friction in a motor vehicle accident.
The National Fire Prevention Association warns that “every 60 seconds, someone in the U.S. sustains a burn injury serious enough to require treatment.”
What is a Burn?
The Mayo Clinic defines a “burn” as “… tissue damage that results from heat, overexposure to the sun or other radiation, or chemical or electrical contact. Burns can be minor medical problems or life-threatening emergencies.”
Degree of Harm: 1st Degree to 4th Degree Burns
Burns can range from first (1st) degree to fourth (4th) degree in severity. While first degree burns may resolve without permanent damage, fourth degree burns are the most severe and can be deadly. See, “Burn Injuries and Death from Accident Burns.”
Here in Indiana and Illinois, severe or deadly burn injuries can happen at:
- Hotels
- Restaurants
- Apartment or Condo Complexes
- Homes
- Workplaces or Job Sites
- Motor Vehicle Accidents involving passenger cars or commercial vehicles
- Explosions involving commercial truck or tanker accidents
- Industrial sites
- Hospitals
- Golf Courses.
Things That Cause Severe or Deadly Burns
The human body can suffer severe burn injuries from any number of causes. As we have discussed before, WebMD describes the following ways that someone can be seriously burned in an accident:
- Fire (from any flame, including those used in construction or industrial work like welding)
- Steam from boiling liquid (not necessarily water)
- Hot objects (like engines in a car or truck; irons; tools used on a construction site)
- Hot liquids (including hot soups at a restaurant or hot industrial glues at a plant facility)
Ice (cold burns from skin exposure) - Electrical current (electricity flowing through tools used on the job, tools used at home or school, etc.)
- Lightning (natural electricity)
- Chemicals (including acids and gases used in manufacturing, mining, and industrial facilities)
- Radiation (this can include radiation therapy as well as from tanning booths, X-rays, etc.)
- Friction (motor vehicle accidents can cause friction burns where the victim is thrust against the asphalt; pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists are prone to friction burns in crashes).
Claims for Accident Burn Injuries in Indiana and Illinois
After someone has been seriously injured or killed after suffering burn injuries, the consequences must be evaluated not only for necessary immediate medical care and long-term burn care and treatment, but for things like additional hospital stays, rehabilitation needs, and other physical health care necessities.
Physical Burn Injuries
Medical costs can be very, very high in burn injuries. Treatment for severe burns suffered in an accident can include things like:
- Immediate emergency surgery after the accident;
- Skin graft surgeries;
- Plastic Surgeries;
- Short Term Pain Relief;
- Long Term Pain Relief;
- Nutritional Counseling;
- Hydrotherapy; and
- Burn Injury Equipment (e.g., wheelchairs, walkers, etc.).
Psychological Burn Injuries
It is vital in any burn injury claim to assess the equally necessary aftercare support for the burn injury victim insofar as his or her psychological needs, where the emotional harm resulting from a severe burn must be addressed. Severe burn victims will need to cope with their changed lifestyles, work abilities, and physical changes (scarring, lack of movement, etc.). Oftentimes this will require the extended support of a psychological therapist trained in helping burn victims return to productive, fulfilling lives (“successful reintegration of the survivor”). These may include:
- Psychological Treatment (for depression, anxiety, etc.); and
- Work Rehabilitation Therapy.
Accordingly, burn injury accident claims can be very extensive and expensive. Those who have caused the injury and are legally liable should readily accept this responsibility. However, there are occasions when the reality of the costs alone is enough to have the wrongdoers try and minimize their liability or even fight against admitting they caused the accident at all.
Victims, who have suffered severe burn injuries in an accident where one or more parties had a legal duty of care and failed to meet that duty resulting in the incident where the burns resulted, may have the additional harsh reality of having to aggressively pursue legal claims for justice. Initially, their claims may be disrespected or denied.
Fortunately, there are established personal injury laws, product liability statutes, and workers’ compensation systems in place in both Indiana and Illinois to help burn injury victims hold those who have caused the accident accountable.
- For more, read: “Burn Injury Accident Claims: Calculating Justice for Burn Victims.”
Severe or fatal burns can result from a variety of accidents here in Illinois and Indiana. Deadly burns can be caused from flames, as well as chemicals, electricity, radiation, friction, or steam. Please be careful out there!
