Burn Injury | Phoenix Personal Injury Law Blog
What You Should Know About the Different Kinds of Burns
Everyone has experienced a burn at some point in their life. Whether it was a minor one from touching a hot pan, or a severe one from a catastrophic auto accident, everyone has had at least one burn at some point. However, what a lot of people don’t realize is that there are many kinds of burns, and many ways to sustain one. Even worse? When these burns happen due to someone else’s negligence.
Are Sparklers and Fireworks Safe in Arizona?
The Fourth of July is right around the corner, and millions of people will be purchasing and using sparklers and fireworks. Across the U.S., following sparkler and firework safety precautions is a top priority in order to avoid burn injuries. In Arizona, it’s also important to be cautious of the extremely dry and hot weather so you don’t cause a fire. Every year, dozens and even hundreds of fires are started across the state because of improper firework use.
Avoid Grill Injuries During the Holidays!
It’s grilling season. Whether you’re grilling hotdogs, hamburgers, or veggies, there are plenty of ways to do it safely. Millions of people will be out on their patios or in their backyards grilling this summer, and while this is a great way to get family and friends together, it can also be a recipe for disaster if you don’t use caution. Here are some tips to make sure your grilling season is a safe one:
Avoid an Accident at Your Summer Barbecue
As Arizona personal injury attorneys, we want to make sure that get-togethers remain fun and everyone stays safe without experiencing any injuries. Burn injuries are one of the most common types of injury a person can suffer during BBQs. Burn injuries can be serious and even deadly, as well as result in a lifetime of pain and disfigurement. Here are some tips to help you and your loved ones avoid injuries while at a fun gathering of friends and family.
Wear protective gear around the grill. It is important to protect yourself from the heat of a grill. Wearing an apron as well as using an oven mitt or BBQ mitt is important and can protect you from serious burn injury. Make sure to also keep the flames turned down and watch for grease flare-ups. Don’t lean into the grill to check the food. Instead, keep your face away from the flame at all times.
Burn Awareness and Preventing Arizona Child Injury
There are so many things children can burn themselves on, and as Arizona child injury attorneys, we want to make sure parents and caregivers understand and attempt to decrease the risks around the house. Burns can range from mild to severe, while most severe burns will cause lifelong scarring and some will cause disfigurement. Severe burns can also lead to death.
While not every accident is preventable, here are some ways to make your household safer:
Burn Injuries from Hot Liquid Drinks and Foods
Your morning cup of coffee. Your soup at lunch. The juices on your steak at dinner. They all have two things in common: they’re liquids and if heated to the right temperature they could cause serious injuries to you or someone you love. According to the Burn Foundation, hot liquids scald more than 500,000 people each year. Children under the age of five and adults over the age of 65 are at significant risk for suffering a scalding injury.
Different temperatures of liquids can cause different types of injuries with varying levels of severity. It’s important to understand how different injuries happen as a result of scalding liquids so you can take steps to protect yourself and those around you. In just 15 seconds, liquids at 133-degrees Fahrenheit can cause third-degree burns. Liquids at 156-degrees can cause those same burns in just one second.
Arizona Burn Injury Statistics
An Arizona burn injury can be sustained in a multitude of accidents ranging from car crashes to industrial accidents and everything in between, and as experienced attorneys we know that these types of injuries are most often serious, permanent, and costly. Between 2004 and 2006, the Arizona Department of Health Services (AZDHS) reported that 2,195 people sustained burn injuries requiring a hospital stay of at least one day or more. According to AZDHS, the average cost of a hospital stay for a burn injury victim in 2006 was more than $10,000, and the cost has gone up substantially over the past six years. Additionally, AZDHS reported that between 1999 and 2009 an average of 46 people died each year as a result of burn injuries sustained in exposure to flames or fire.
What to Do If You’re Involved in an Arizona Burn Injury Accident
If you are injured in an Arizona burn injury accident it may be difficult to think of the steps you should take in order to protect yourself and to ensure your safety. If you are hurt and have sustained burn injuries you should:
Tips for Preventing Burn Injuries in the Home
The Arizona Department of Health Services reports that Arizona’s injury rate “exceeds the national average in most major categories.” Although burns rank fifth among all causes of unintentional injury and death in Arizona, they rank third for children ages 1 to 14. Native Americans, rural residents, children, elderly adults and residents living in poverty are at an increased risk of sustaining burn injuries.
Arizona residents should educate themselves about how to prevent some of the most common injuries, particularly burns that occur in the home. Proper prevention tactics can prevent unnecessary deaths and reduce the risk of injuries.
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Confidentially reviewed by Attorney Mark Breyer