According to The American Burn Association, as many as 450,000 people receive emergency room and hospital treatment for burns each year in the United States. Burns can range in severity, with the most severe injuries leading to death. There are many causes of burn injuries, including a few you may not know about.
Scalding
Scalding burns occur when you come into contact with extremely hot steam or liquid. Many people assume scalding burns come from hot drinks like tea and coffee. However, over-heated tap water actually accounts for many of these burns. It poses a serious risk to children and adults alike.
Open Flames
It may be obvious that open flames cause burns, but most people don’t think of their stovetops as having open flames. But most fire burns occur from home cooking accidents and home fires that get out of control.
Contact With Hot Objects
Coming into contact with hot objects like plates, pans, cooking appliances, and furnaces can all lead to burns. Often, this can result from defective products that don’t protect consumers as they need to.
Even parts of your car can overheat if they’re defective, leading to burns or even explosions.
Electrical Sources
Electrical burns occur when electricity passes through the body. The body’s resistance to electricity causes heat to build up, leading to damage below the skin while also creating entry and exit wounds. These kinds of burns cause internal damage, which is different from most other types of burns. They can even shock the brain.
Most electrical burns occur from touching a live wire or an electrical device that short circuits. The severity of the injuries can depend on the source of the electricity, as well as voltage, current, and even the path the electricity takes.
Chemical Sources
Many of the chemicals you may rely on for cleaning can be caustic. They can burn your skin if you come into contact with them without protection. These kinds of burns can occur from acids or bases with or without heat exposure.
In some instances, chemical burns don’t cause any pain, but they can still be harmful to your skin. Chemical burns can also occur below the skin’s surface without damaging the skin at all.
The severity of the burn depends on the length of exposure, which is why it’s so critical to wash chemicals off as soon as possible. Some common chemicals that you likely come into contact with that can cause burns are:
- Sulfuric acid
- Hydrochloric acid
- Hydrofluoric acid
- Ammonia
- Phosphates
- Potassium hydroxide
- Sodium hydroxide
Reactions to solids and liquids can be different. Swallowing or inhaling can also cause serious internal injuries.
Friction
Being in a car accident can lead to many types of injuries, including burns — and not just if parts of the car catch fire.
Skin violently rubbing against a surface can lead to burns. If the crash forces your skin against a surface, you could easily suffer a burn. Even the airbag can cause friction burns from the force or from the chemicals they contain. Friction burns often create large areas of raw skin with exposed nerves.
Turning to Personal Injury Lawyers
If you’ve suffered a burn because of someone else’s negligence, you could get compensation to cover your medical bills and pain and suffering. You shouldn’t have to bear the burden of damages on your own.
At Saeedian Law Group, we offer representation for those in Los Angeles and throughout California. With an experienced personal injury lawyer by your side, you can fight for the compensation you deserve. Call us at Saeedian Law Group today to speak with a personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, CA.
