According to the American Burn Association (ABA), approximately 500,000 burn injuries occur in a year in the United States. The pain associated with these types of injuries can be extreme and with a 94 percent survival rate, most people experience severe discomfort.
Below are the most common burn injuries:
- 46 percent: Contact with a fire or flame
- 32 percent: Scalding injuries
- 8 percent: Thermal burns
- 4 percent: Electrical burns
- 3 percent: Chemical burns
- 7 percent of all remaining burns include a variety of things such as burns from fireworks, inhalation, etc.
Men are 70 percent more likely than women to suffer a burn, and most of the accidents occur in the home. Burn injuries can be some of the most catastrophic and extremely devastating type of injuries. The severity of the injury will vary according to the skin tissue damage. There are three layers of skin that can be burned as well as muscle, blood vessels and bone.
Legal Claims in Burn Injuries
It is difficult to predict the amount of settlement one may receive with a burn injury, or any personal injury for that matter. Burn injuries tend to have a higher settlement due to the amount of pain involved in the injury and the permanent scarring often associated with this type of accident. There are several factors considered before a legal settlement is dispersed including the severity of the injury, the amount the defendant can pay and the intentions of the person that caused the injury.
For more reading on the legal options available to you in a personal injury case, visit our blog.