How Are Burn Injuries Most Commonly Caused (and Can You Get Compensation)?

Burns can range from minor injuries to life-changing injuries. Severe burns can even result in fatalities. So, it is a good idea to know what the most common causes of burns are so that you can take appropriate precautionary action. 

Hiring a Local Personal Injury Lawyer, e.g. in Chicago

Before we look at how burn injuries are most commonly caused, it is worth mentioning that sometimes they can be caused by someone else’s intentions or negligence. 

If you have suffered a burn injury due to someone’s carelessness or maliciousness, you can at least pursue compensation to cover expenses that the injury caused, such as medical costs, pain and suffering, and lost earnings.  

To get the compensation that you deserve, you should contact a local personal injury lawyer who has experience in your type of case.  

For instance, if you file a burn injury claim in Chicago, Zayed Law Offices can assist you in navigating the personal injury claims process and represent you in court if necessary. 

Common Causes of Burns

While an individual’s negligence or even maliciousness can cause burns, there are many more common causes of burn injuries.  

Three of the most common causes are motor vehicle accidents, failure to inspect premises properly, and coming into contact with chemicals or electricity. 

Burns can happen in motor vehicle accidents in various ways, such as coming into contact with flames, hot surfaces, or chemicals. Gasoline leaks are also often responsible for road accident burn injuries.  

With regard to failing to inspect premises, that refers to homeowners and business property owners who fail to inspect their premises for potential fire hazards and fail to act to prevent fires, such as installing smoke detectors and fire exits. 

Here are some other prevention and safety tips to reduce the risks of fire in your home.

The other common cause of burn injuries, coming into contact with chemicals or electricity, can also occur at work or home. Electrical burns sadly often cause damage to internal organs and chemical burns are particularly dangerous because the damage can worsen over time. 

There are many other common causes of burn injuries. In addition to coming into contact with chemicals, electricity, and fire, burns can be caused by thermal sources like steam and hot liquids. 

They can also be caused by radiation, such as from X-rays, and UV light from the sun or from tanning beds. 

Types of Burns

Burn injuries fall into three different categories: first-degree burns, second-degree burns, and third-degree burns:

■ First-degree burns are mild

Sunburn is a type of first-degree burn. With this kind of burn, the top layer of your skin turns red and is painful but it can go away quite quickly after being treated with an over-the-counter burn cream or ointment. 

■ Second-degree burns affect the top and lower layers of your skin

They are more serious than first-degree burns. You could experience pain, blistering, and swelling.

■ Third-degree burns are the most damaging because they affect all three layers of your skin

Third-degree burns can also destroy sweat glands and hair follicles. Third-degree burns can be red, black, or white. They require immediate medical attention. 

When should you see a doctor?

As mentioned above, for third-degree burns, you must see a doctor straight away. 

You should also see a doctor as soon as possible if you have:

■ Burns that cover your face, hands, feet, buttocks or groin, or a large area of your body or a major joint.

■ Burns that make your skin look leathery.

■ Burns caused by electricity or chemicals. 

■ Difficulty breathing. 

■ Burns that have patches of black, white or brown, or appear charred.

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