Burn Injury Lawyer in Atlanta
An accident can occur anywhere at any time, and most of the time, dealing with the aftermath can leave you feeling overwhelmed, scared, and frustrated. These feelings are amplified with burn injuries for a number of reasons. One reason is the emotional shock you feel after sustaining a serious burn, which occurs with some regularity in the United States. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there were an estimated 486,000 visits made to emergency rooms nationwide for burns in 2011, and according to the National Institute of Health, there are about 3,800 burn fatalities every year in the U.S. However, the news about burn injuries is not all negative.
For example, in present day, people with severe burn injuries, burns covering 90% of their body, can survive, but they will experience permanent impairments as a result of their injuries. This is impressive considering patients with burns to just 20% of their body often died during the 1970s, according to the NIH. Moreover, hospitals are better equipped to handle burn victims than they were in the past. About 50% of all burn victims are treated specialized burn units, and hospitals are much more equipped to deal with traumatic burn injuries than they were in the past. However, being aware of the scenarios or places where people tend to sustain burn injuries will help you be more cautious on a day to day basis, and thus, reduce the likelihood that you will sustain a serious burn injury during your lifetime.
3 of the Most Common Types of Fires
Outside Fires
A fire can occur anywhere, but the most common place that fires occured in the U.S. in 2016 was in outside areas such as a forest, which accounted for 42.8% of all fires that occured that year. However, there are many fires in the U.S. that begin in places we go or pieces of property that we use every day, and when you consider the fact that fires cost Americans an estimated $23 billion in 2017 according to the U.S. Fire Administration, it becomes pretty clear that it is in your best interest to avoid scenarios that have a high probability of resulting in a fire injury.
Residential Fires
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 29.1% of all fires nationwide were residential fires, and residential fires were the most common type of fire that lead to fatalities and injuries. In addition, fires that occured at a residences across the country were the most expensive in terms of property damage, but you can take certain steps to reduce your chances of being involved in or causing a residential fire. Some basic tips for residential fire prevention are listed below:
- Do not leave cooking food unattended: the most common cause of non-fatal residential fires that resulted in injuries in 2016 was cooking. So, if you are cooking food on the stove or in the oven, make sure you don’t leave it unattended.
- Always have your house’s electrical wiring inspected by a professional: 9.6% of fatal residential fires and 6.8% of non-fatal residential fires that resulted in injuries were caused by faulty electrical wiring. As such, you should always have your house’s electrical wiring inspected by a professional electrician.
Vehicle Fires
According to the U.S. Fire Administration, one out of every eight fires that fire departments nationwide responded to in 2016 were highway vehicle fires. An estimated 38% of vehicle fires were caused by unintentional action, and 60% of fatal vehicle fires were the result of a collision. Moreover, mechanical failure were the leading contributing factor in 45% of the highway vehicle fires that occured that year.
As such, you should always be cautious while driving, and if you are in an accident and see smoke coming out of either vehicle, you need move as far away from both cars as soon as possible. Moreover, as these statistics have demonstrated, making sure that your vehicle is properly maintained can reduce your chances of being involved in a vehicle fire. As such, you should always make sure you have performed all of the necessary maintenance your vehicle requires for you to drive safely.
Burn Injuries in Atlanta, GA
You may have noticed that a lot of the fires that occur in the U.S. can be caused by the negligent actions of another person. As such, you should always contact a personal injury attorney to determine what your rights are after being involved in a situation that has caused you to sustain a fire injury. At Glenn Cambre and Associates, our team of personal injury attorneys have dedicated their lives to helping fire accident victims, and we stand ready to help you. Don’t let a fire injury ruin your future. Call Glenn Cambre and Associates for a free consultation today.