Burn injuries continue to be one of the leading causes of accidental injury in the U.S., where young children, the elderly, and the disabled are especially vulnerable.
National Burn Awareness Week, observed during the first full week of February, is an initiative started by the American Burn Association that provides a window of opportunity to raise awareness for:
The prevalence of burn injuries
The common causes and types of burns; and
Ways that we can all mobilize to prevent these injuries
Contact Burns Statistics
A common risk of injury exists from touching hot surfaces. The 2020 campaign for National Burn Awareness Week is “Contact Burns - Hot Surfaces Damage Skin!” Here are a few surprising statistics related to contact burn injuries:
Roughly 70,000 people went to the hospital emergency department because of contact burns in 2018.
About one-third of contact burn patients are children under the age of five (5).
Most burns associated with cooking in 2013-2017 were caused by contact with a hot object or liquid rather than by fire or flame.
Preventing Contact Burns
Here are some steps you can take to help prevent these injuries in loved ones:
Supervise children around hot objects at all times
Use back burners when cooking
Avoid going barefoot outside when temperatures are high
Unplug tools such as straighteners and hair irons when not using
Put screens around glass fireplace doors
Provide young children with burn safety education
If you or a loved one sustains burns due to another person, we are here to provide you with the compassionate and caring legal support that you deserve. Our Austin personal injury attorneys will review each detail of your case to determine what your legal options are moving forward.
Let us take the stress off of your shoulders so you can focus on healing. Contact the Law Offices of Vic Feazell at (254) 938-6885 to schedule your free case review.