Our skin is a life-sustaining barrier between the outside world and our internal vital organs. In fact, our skin is our largest organ. When it is burned, it not only distorts how the skin looks, it also causes damage to the underlying structures, like hair follicles and nerve endings. If the burn is severe enough, it can even damage the fat, muscles, and bone.
According to the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) National Inpatient Sample (NIS), there were 29,165 hospital admissions for burn injuries in 2020. An estimated 15,280 of these were considered minor injuries, while 9,340 were classified as deep burns, requiring surgical treatment.
After suffering a burn injury that wasn’t your fault, it’s important to connect with a Columbia burn injury lawyer to get you justice and maximum compensation for your injuries and other damages. Our Columbia burn injury lawyers can help you do that.
Our law firm, The Solomon Law Group, LLC, has made a name for itself in representing Columbia injury victims who have suffered harm due to another person’s negligence. We want to do the same for you. So, if you recently suffered burns, be sure to get in touch with our law office to schedule a complimentary case review to better understand what your legal options are.
Burn Injury Facts and Statistics
Burn injuries are one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 1 million burn injuries require medical attention every year in our country. Of those injuries, 50,000 require hospitalizations, and 20,000 of those admitted patients have burns covering at least a quarter of their bodies. Nearly a quarter of that latter group ultimately die from their injuries.
Not only are the burns themselves dangerous, but infections can be another serious hurdle for patients to overcome during the healing process. Unfortunately, about 10,000 people die of burn-related infections in America each year.
On top of fires being able to cause burns that can cause lasting impairments, the smoke they produce can also injure you.
Smoke inhalation can be just as dangerous as burns. The toxic fumes fires emit can severely damage your lungs, leaving you unable to breathe properly. Most people who die in fires actually pass away from the harmful gases these blazes produce, not from actual burns.
Data compiled by Stanford Medicine suggests that only three-quarters of all homes have at least one working smoke alarm.
Regardless of what caused your burns, you may deserve compensation for your damages. A Columbia burn injury lawyer can help you get justice if someone else’s negligence harmed you.
Common Causes of Burns
To avoid suffering from burn injuries, it’s important to know the most common ways that you can get burned. Any situation that could cause a fire, such as the following, can also cause burns:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle or bicycle accidents
- Large truck accidents
- On-the-job accidents
- Explosions
- House fires
As for that latter factor, the previously cited Stanford Medicine research shows that the majority of injury-causing fires are caused by home cooking equipment.
While open-flame fires are common causes of burns, they’re not the only ones. Our Columbia burn injury lawyers often represent clients who have suffered similar injuries in the following ways:
- Thermal burns: These occur when the heat of a fire or hot surface comes into contact with your skin. These are the most common types of burn injuries and can come from dry heat, wet heat like boiling water, or hot steam. These injuries often cause blistering on your skin or worse, depending on the amount of heat involved.
- Chemical burns: These injuries happen when a substance is not hot, but instead, the chemical composition is responsible for causing the burns on your skin. Substances like acid can cause chemical burns.
- Electrical burns: These frequently-occurring burns are caused by a person’s skin making contact with an electrical current. When it goes through your body, it can cause burns on your skin.
- Friction burns: Road rash is an example of a friction burn. This happens when your skin is dragged across a hard and rough surface. When you get into a motorcycle accident and are thrown from your bike, you can slide across the road and suffer from road rash that burns your skin.
No matter what kind of burn you’re suffering from, when it was caused by someone else’s negligence or recklessness, you shouldn’t have to pay for the bills that you incurred from your injuries. With the help of a qualified burn injury attorney from our firm, you’ll be able to recover the maximum compensation that you deserve. Get in touch with us to discuss how your injuries occurred today.
Why One of Our Columbia Burn Injury Lawyers Should Assist With Your Case
Burn injuries can be devastating. Not only will you have to deal with the physical healing in the aftermath of such an injury, but you’ll likely also have to emotionally heal from the trauma it causes, too.
At The Solomon Law Office, LLC, we’re here to help you through the legal process, which includes proving that the other party was at fault and holding them accountable. We know you may feel vulnerable and overwhelmed after your injuries, which is why we’ll take the lead on your legal claim so you can focus on healing.
You can trust our burn injury attorneys to fight for your rights and have your best interests at heart throughout the claims process.
Any of the Columbia burn injury lawyers on our team that you work with will fully investigate what happened, gather evidence, calculate your damages, and partner with experts to understand the full scope of what happened to you.
Reach out to us today so we can get started protecting your rights to fair compensation. Initial consultations with our attorneys are always free.
