Common causes of burn injuries are household fires, car accidents, accidents in the workplace, negligence, defective products, or careless behavior. Burn injuries are of the most painful and unique among all severe injuries because of the length of medical treatments they require and the complications that can occur due to the high risk of infection. Here in Oklahoma, we are especially sensitive to burn injury victims and their families’ needs. Burn injuries often cause serious physical, financial and emotional consequences. The Oklahoma Burn Injury Attorneys at Oklahoma Attorney Group understand the obstacles burn injury victims will likely face. Committed to personal, social, and economic justice, our member burn accident attorneys hold negligent parties accountable while obtaining the financial compensation that a burn injury victim deserves.
Burn Accident Statistics
According to the American Burn Association, over 450,000 people are treated with burn injuries in emergency rooms each year. An estimated 45,000 people are admitted to the hospital for burn injuries, an estimated 25,000 receive treatments in hospital burn centers and an estimated 3,500 people die each year from burn injuries. Burn injuries most commonly happen in the home. The third leading cause of death in a home is from fires and burns according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fire departments nationwide rushed to 384,000 home fires in 2010. Those fires resulted in 13,350 burn injuries and 2,640 deaths among victims in these homes. These statistics equal out to mean an injury every 30 minutes with a death every 169 minutes.
Causes of Burn Injuries
The leading cause of a burn injury that happens at home is cooking. Most injuries happen when the skin comes in contact with a hot oven, burner, or cooking implement, or when hot liquids or foods are spilled onto the skin. Most home fires happen when smoking materials are not extinguished completely, or when lighters or matches are within reach of children. Workplace burn injuries normally happen because of caustic substances or hot objects. Burn injuries are also caused by vehicle accidents, especially deployment of an air bag and vehicle fires. A burn injury is classified by severity. A first degree burn damages the outer layer of the skin, the epidermis. A second degree burn causes damage to the epidermis as well as the second layer of skin, the dermis. A third degree burn damages or absolutely destroys the complete depth of skin, also destroying the tissues underneath.
Oklahoma Burn Injury Attorneys
Traumatic burn injuries can cause severe pain, permanent scarring, disabilities and emotional trauma, and often require expensive treatments and healing periods. The experienced member Oklahoma Burn Injury Attorneys at Oklahoma Attorney Group are committed to helping burn victims recover damages from those who caused the injury. If you have suffered burn injuries that were caused by a defective product, a condition that was unsafe or someone else’s negligent behavior, contact Oklahoma Attorney Group today to learn how we can help.
