Workplace Burn Injuries | Personal Injury

A burn injury is defined as a type of injury to the skin caused by an outer force which may include heat, radiation, chemicals, and more.

According to a 2010 National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey, more than 603,000 people visited the emergency department for burns. Additional the National Burn Association found that in 2012 more than 450,000 persons received treatments for burn injuries.

There are three different kinds of burns a person may suffer and that causes can vary. Burn injuries are common in the workplace and may be superficial or very serious and require medical attention. Commonly workplace burn injuries are covered under workers compensation and can provide injured workers the ability to have their medical expenses covered as well as recover lost wages.

If you or a loved one has suffered a workplace burn injury and is having difficulty claiming workers compensation benefits, our attorneys can help you fight for the MAXIMUM amount of compensation you deserve.

For a free evaluation of your workplace accident injury, fill out the FREE CASE REVIEW form to your right.

Types of Burns

According to the American Burn Association, more than 30,000 persons who experienced burns were taken to hospital burn centers. These centers average about 200 patients per year whereas hospitals in the United States average less than 3 burn admissions each year.

There are three specific types of burns a person may experience:

• 1^st degree burns damage the first layer of the skin and are often referred to ask superficial burns.
• 2^nd degree burns damage the first and second layer of the skin. These burns may be referred to as superficial or deep depending on how deep the burn goes.
• 3^rd degree burns damage all the layers of the skin and the tissue under the skin, these burns require medical treatment.

4^th degree burns are also possible and these types of burn injuries damage the muscles, ligaments, bones, tendons, and more. The seriousness of a burn can all depend on the health of the victim, their age, the size and depth the burn, and the location of the injury.

Causes of Workplace Burns

Although we commonly think of burns as something that happens due to fire or hot temperatures, there are a number of causes of workplace burns that could happen in a multitude of different occupations.

Some common causes of workplace burns include:

• Heat Caused by fire, steam, hot liquids, and other hot objects
• Chemical Related to contact with industrial or household chemicals in liquid, gas, or solid forms
• Radiation Exposure to x-rays, sun lamps, UV lights and more
• Cold Caused by exposure to wet, windy, and cold conditions
• Electrical Caused by exposure to electrical sources such as wires or by lightning
• Friction These types of burns are caused by contact with hard surfaces, rugs, and roads. Commonly motorcyclists refer to this type of burn as road rash

The American Burn Association (ABA) did a study on burn injuries between 2002 and 2011 and found that 44% of burns were caused by fires or flame exposure, 9% due to contact with a source of heat, 4% were electrical burns and 3% were chemical burns.

At-Risk Occupations for Burn Injuries

Most any type of person can suffer from a workplace burn injury, however there are some occupations that more frequently exposed to the common causes of workplace burns. For example, an electrician is more likely to suffer form an electrical burn compared to an administrative assistance.

Some occupations that involve burn hazards include (but are not limited to):

• Janitorial Work
• Construction Workers
• Electricians
• Food Prep Workers (Chefs, Cooks, Servers)
• Healthcare Workers
• Fire Fighters
• Mechanics

Occupational burn injuries accounted for 6% of all burns studied between 2002 and 2011 according to the ABA. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also notes that on average heat burns caused workers to miss an average of 5 days of work and chemical burns 3 days of work.

Contact our Phoenix Burn Injury Attorneys Today

If you or a loved one has suffered a serious burn injury due to a workplace accident, the victim may be entitled to further workers compensation benefits such as lost wages, medical expenses, and more. Our experienced workers compensation attorneys can help you determine if you the benefits you may be eligible for and help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

At Phillips Law Group we are dedicated in helping injured workers fight for their right to fair and just compensation and have been representing clients throughout Arizona for more than thirty years. Our main office is located in Phoenix, Arizona and we proudly serve the surrounding areas, including:

• Mesa
• Glendale
• Surprise
• Gilbert
• Chandler

and many more. To speak with one of our knowledgeable attorneys about your workplace accident, call 1-800-706-3000 . Our intake staff members are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to take your call to discuss the preliminaries of your claim.

If you would prefer to contact us online, fill out the FREE CASE REVIEW form at the top right hand corner of this page your information will remain strictly confidential.