Fire-related burns and chemical-related burns are some of the most painful injuries that a person can suffer. Severe burns can cause the injured person to suffer a lifetime of pain. In severe cases, a burn victim may become disabled and unable to work due to his or her injuries. Every year, New York City residents suffer from fire-related injuries. If you have suffered a fire-related injury caused by another person’s negligence or recklessness, you may be entitled to compensation. To schedule an initial consultation with a skilled personal injury attorney, contact Pulvers Thompson, a New York City personal injury law firm today.
Dry Heat is a Common Cause of Burn Injuries
Coming into contact with a dry heat source such as a fire is the most common cause of burn injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), someone died in a fire every two hours in the United States in 2000. That same year, someone became injured due to a fire every 23 minutes. The American Burn Society estimates that 1.1 million burn injuries require medical attention every year in the United States.
House fires are some of the most common causes of burn injuries. Unfortunately, only 60% of Americans have an escape plan for a house fire and only 25% practice their escape plan. If you or someone around you suffers a burn injury from a fire, the best thing to do is to stop, drop, and roll. Call emergency services as soon as possible because burn injuries caused by fire can cause infection, swelling, and even death in some circumstances.
Wet Heat is a Common Cause of Burn Injuries
Many Americans suffer burn injuries from wet heat every year. Wet heat injuries happen when the skin comes in contact with hot steam or hot liquid. Many Americans might remember the personal injury lawsuit involving an elderly woman who suffered burn injuries after scalding hot McDonald’s coffee came in contact with her skin. This case rose to prominence in the media in the early 1990s. Many people do not realize that the plaintiff did suffer severe injuries from the wet heat put off by the scalding coffee.
She was wearing sweatpants that absorbed the scalding liquid and held the liquid next to the skin on her thighs. She suffered full-thickness burns to her groin, buttocks, thighs, and genital area. The injury resulted in 6% of her body surface area receiving significant burns. The elderly plaintiff had to seek treatment for eight days in a hospital and had to receive skin grafts over the burned area. This case exemplifies how serious burn injuries from wet heat can be.
We can Help
If you have suffered burn injuries from fire or from a wet-heat source, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the skilled personal injury attorneys at Pulvers Thompson today to schedule your initial consultation.
