Burn Injuries

Burn Injuries Overview

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences, part of the National Institute of Health, defines a burn as tissue damage caused by a variety of agents, such as heat, chemicals, electricity, sunlight, or nuclear radiation. Most common are burns caused by scalds from flammable liquids and gases, in motor vehicle accidents, building fires, and explosions. According to the American Burn Association, each year in the United States, 1.1 million burn injuries require medical attention. Approximately 45,000 of these require hospitalization, and roughly half of those burn patients are admitted to a specialized burn unit.

About 4500 people die from burns each year in the US. This number is a sharp reduction from the 9000 annual fatalities from burn injuries of 30 years ago. The change reflects increased medical understanding of burns and their treatment. Burn survivors also have improved health, functioning, and quality of life. Because burns damage the skin's protective barrier, they are often followed by serious infection. Another 10,000 people die every year in the United States of burn-related infections. Among hospitalized burn patients pneumonia is the most common infectious complication

Twenty years ago, burns covering half the body were routinely fatal; today, patients with burns covering 90 percent of the body can survive, although with permanent impairments. Doctors cannot predict a burn patient’s outcome solely on the type and severity of the person’s injuries.

Severe burns are among the most devastating types of injuries. If you or a loved one is a burn survivor, you may take some comfort in learning about your legal rights which, if exercised with the skill and knowledge of an experienced burn attorney, can ease your burden