A minor burn injury, such as coming into contact with hot liquid may heal within a few days or weeks, but a serious burn injury can mean a trip to the emergency room, surgery, scarring and disfigurement.

According to the latest statistics reported by the American Burn Association, roughly 486,000 people receive treatment for burn injuries in the United States each year. Of those, 30,000 who must be treated at burn centers.

While people can get burned because they are not careful, not all burns are the injured person's fault. There are many causes of burns, including but not limited to:

• Fire
• Family violence
• An electrical current
• Contact with hot liquid or steam
• Long exposure to sunlight
• Contact with harsh chemicals

Deep or widespread burns cannot be taken lightly. If left untreated, the burns can lead to life-threatening infection, low blood volume (hypovolemia), dangerously low body temperature, breathing difficulties (inhaling smoke can lead to respiratory failure), scarring and permanent joint problems.

When Burns Lead to Personal Injury Claims

In many situations, burn injuries can be the result of negligence, and as a result, the victim may have grounds to file a personal injury claim for compensation. Such scenarios include burns that occurred after:

• Using a defective product that was marketed as safe.
• Getting injured (burned) on someone else's property.
• Sustaining burn injuries in a car, truck, or motorcycle accident.
• Suffering a chemical burn after using a dangerous product that failed to warn the consumer about the possibility of burns.
• Getting burned during a medical procedure that went awry, for example, suffering serious burns after an aesthetic procedure that involved a laser.
• Sustaining burns during a procedure, such as a massage (e.g. hot oil or hot stones), or at a salon or spa that uses harsh chemicals or steam that are dangerous to the skin and eyes.

If you sustained a burn injury in an accident, you may have grounds to file a claim for compensation. To learn more, contact a personal injury attorney near you.