A childhood burn injury is one of the most frightening, painful, and life-threatening childhood injuries a young accident victim can experience. Burn injuries carry a high risk of secondary infections and associated health problems, including shock and respiratory failure.
If your child suffered a burn injury due to the negligence of someone else, such as the babysitter or day care worker who failed to care for your child, they may be liable for your child’s injuries and resulting medical treatment. Speaking with a child injury lawyer can help you determine her legal rights and options, as well as the steps to take to recover compensation for your child’s burn injury.
Child Burn Injury Statistics
Statistics indicate that fire and heat related burn accidents cause thousands of serious and life-threatening childhood injuries each year in the United States:
o Annually, 3,000 child deaths can be attributed to burn injuries and associated complications
o Childhood burn injuries are the second leading cause of death among US children.
o Nearly 40,000 child burn victims are hospitalized each year
Types of Childhood Burn Injuries
Fire is not the only cause of burn injuries in children. A burn can originate in a number of ways, including thermal, light, electrical, frictional, and/or chemical sources. A child can suffer a first, second or third degree burn. A third degree burn is the most serious, as it causes permanent damage to the deepest layer of the skin and surrounding tissues.
These injuries can result in minor damage, long-term injuries, or life-long scarring. If the burn injury was severe, your child may need skin grafts and other expensive medical treatments to restore damaged areas. Depending on the location of the burn, other injuries and infections can occur and lead to other serious conditions.
You and your family should not have to go into debt if your child’s burn injuries were caused by a reckless or negligent caregiver. An experienced burn injury lawyer can help you determine the long-term costs associated with your child’s burn injuries, along with the emotional toll these injuries have caused, when you file a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible party.
Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit After a Childhood Burn Injury
If your child’s burn injuries were caused by the negligent or malicious acts of an individual, manufacturer, business, or organization, you and your child may be eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit.
A personal injury lawsuit can provide much-needed funds for:
or medical and hospital bills
physiotherapy
o Emotional and trauma counseling
o Future medical costs related to burn injuries
oh pain and suffering
A childhood burn injury can have a devastating effect on the life of your child. You and your family should contact a child injury lawyer who is experienced in handling child burn injury cases to help you determine the liability issues in your child’s personal injury case.