Burn injuries can be very serious, even life-threatening. A burn injury can leave a victim with both emotional and physical scars for life. Statistics tell us that each day in the United States over 1,200 people suffer a burn injury that requires medical treatment. That means someone is seriously burned almost every minute of every day.
Our South Carolina burn injury lawyers at Joye Law Firm understand how serious a burn injury can be, which is why we are dedicated to helping burn victims and their families.
If you have suffered a burn injury in an accident that was someone else’s fault, you could be entitled to compensation.
Just Call Joye Law Firm
You can reach us at (888) 324-3100 or fill out an online form for a free case review.
Joye Law Firm has offices in Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Clinton, but our experienced burn lawyers are ready to take care of your case anywhere in South Carolina.
Statistics About Burn Injuries in the U.S.
Serious burns are far more common than most people realize. The following facts and figures help to highlight the prevalence and severity of burn injuries in the United States:
- On average, there are 450,000 burn injuries throughout the United States each year that require medical treatment.
- Each year, about 3,500 people are fatally injured in a fire or burn accident. Burn injuries and fire injuries are combined in this statistic because it is often impossible to determine whether an individual who died in a fire died from smoke inhalation or burns.
- Approximately 45,000 people are hospitalized each year for burn injuries. Of those who are hospitalized, 25,000 are admitted to specialized burn centers.
- Of those who suffer a burn injury, 70 percent are male and 30 percent are female.
- Of those admitted to a hospital for a burn injury, 44 percent list the cause as fire/flame, 33 percent scald, 9 percent contact, 4 percent electrical, 3 percent chemical and 7 percent “other.”
- 68 percent of all burn injuries occur at home, while another 10 percent occur at work.
- In one recent year, stoves and ovens were responsible for 17,300 burn injuries, while heating equipment caused 58,660 burn injuries.
Children are particularly susceptible to burns caused by a variety of sources. Children are curious by nature and can suffer burns as a result. In addition, because burns can occur so fast, a child left unattended can suffer a burn injury within a matter of seconds. Statistics that specifically relate to burn injuries suffered by children illustrate how common, and how serious, the problem is:
- Fires and burns are the third leading cause of unintentional death for children under the age of 14 years old.
- Of the children under age 4 who are hospitalized for burn injuries, 65 percent are the result of a scald injury and 20 percent are caused by contact burns.
- More than 3,800 children were treated for fireworks-related burn injuries in one year alone.
- In a single year, more than 88,000 children under the age of 14 were treated in emergency rooms for burn-related injuries. Of those injuries, 62,500 were thermal injuries and 25,500 were scald burns.
- Annually, over 1,200 children under the age of 4 are hospitalized for fire or burn-related injuries.
- Children under the age of 5 account for 20 percent of all burn injuries.
- Children at the age of 1 have the highest statistical risk of a scald injury.
Contact Our South Carolina Burn Injury Lawyers Today
If you’ve been seriously burned in a South Carolina accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you can trust our attorneys to work to get you the money and benefits you are entitled to.
Call Joye Law Firm at (888) 324-3100 or fill out our free online case evaluation form.
