Facts About Burn Injuries

According to the American Burn Association, an estimated 4,860,000 burn victims receive medical treatment every year.  From this total, about 40,000 victims are hospitalized, including 30,000 at hospital burn centers.
Burns are generally caused when the skin is exposed to fire, flame, laser, light, chemicals, electricity or fast-moving parts (such as a rotor wheel).  Sometimes, car accident victims suffer burns when their air bags deploy in the accident, releasing the air bag with force and chemicals.
Burn injuries can be devastating.  They result in physical injuries, severe pain, and cause emotional damage to the victim and his/her family.  After a burn heals, there may be scaring, which can be permanent unless it is properly handled by a professional.
Incidents resulting in burn injuries are generally based in tort law – negligence or products liability.  In order to prove negligence, the victim must prove a list of elements: (1) must prove that the responsible party owed a duty of care to the victim; (2) the responsible party breached this duty of care; and (3) the responsible party’s breach was the direct and proximate cause of the victim’s injuries.
Under a products liability action, the party responsible for the burn injury is generally the party who manufactured or produced the equipment that caused the burn.  An example of this would be where a portable heater is manufactured in a defective way, causing burns to a consumer.
Of course, the better course of action would be to prevent such accidents in the first place.  At home, install and maintain smoke alarms on every floor and near all bedrooms.  Test your smoke alarms once a month.  Create and practice a family fire escape plan, involving the children.  Make sure everyone knows at least two ways out of every room and come up with a central meeting place outside.
Use safe cooking practices.  Never leave food unattended on the stove and always supervise or restrict children’s use of stoves, ovens, and/or microwaves.  To prevent burns from scalding water, check your water heater temperature. The Center for Disease Control recommends that water heater thermostats be set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
Different types of burns require different treatment.  The best way to protect yourself or a loved one after a burn incident is to seek medical attention.”
For more information, please call The Mason Law Firm at 661-476-5678 or email mason@mrscvlaw.com.