What Causes Burn Injuries?
Burns can be caused by scalding liquids, open flames, chemicals, electricity or explosions. Different types of burns may require different types of medical treatment.
The cause of the burn is also important for financial reasons. If the burn occurred at work, then the victim may seek financial compensation via the workers' compensation system. If a burn injury is caused by the negligent or intentional misconduct of another person, then the burn victim may be able to seek financial compensation via a personal injury lawsuit.
Burn Injuries in the United States: According to the American Burn Association, each year more than 40,000 people suffer burns severe enough to warrant hospitalization. More than 60 percent of burn victims are treated at a hospital with a verified and specialized burn center.
Common Causes of Burn Injuries
Burn types are divided generally into three categories: thermal (heat) burns, chemical burns and electrical burns. Any of these types of burns can occur in a wide variety of situations — at home, on the road or at work.
Thermal burns can occur in:
- Car fires
- House and apartment fires
- Scalding from hot liquids
- Clothing fires
- Furniture fires
- Propane or natural gas explosions
Another type of injury that often accompanies a fire is smoke inhalation injuries, which can result in carbon monoxide or cyanide poisoning.
Chemical burns often result in inhalation injuries and can happen in:
- Accidents with household chemicals
- Industrial accidents
Electrical burns happen when a person comes in contact with an electric surge but is imperfectly grounded. Electrical burns often require special attention to rehydration and prescription of diuretics to prevent renal failure. For more information, see the Medications page of this Web site.
More questions? We encourage you to contact us for additional information.
