What You Need To Know About Workplace Burn Injuries

This week is Burn Injury Awareness Week, a great opportunity to learn more about workplace burn injuries, including the common types of burns, occupations at high-risk for burn injuries and workers’ compensation benefits for these injuries.

You may not know that burn injuries are one of the leading causes of unintentional injury and death in the U.S. Eight percent of injuries treated in burn units are workplace-related.

If you suffered a burn injury at work, the Cincinnati workers’ compensation attorneys of O’Connor, Acciani & Levy can help you pursue compensation. Schedule a free, no obligation legal consultation today to discuss your legal options.

Types Of Workplace Burns

From 2011 to 2015, approximately 486,000 burn or fire injuries were treated in emergency rooms throughout the nation.

Burns are categorized by degree, the higher the degree the higher the severity:

• First-degree burns – These cause damage to the skin’s first layer. Sometimes these can be treated at home without seeking medical attention.
• Second-degree burns – These cause damage to the skin’s first and second layers. These often require treatment at a hospital.
• Third-degree burns – These cause damage to all skin layers as well as the tissue below the skin. These often cause long-term damage and physical pain.

Burns are also categorized based on how they were caused:

• Chemical burns – These occur when the skin or eyes make contact with chemicals, acids, alkaloids or other caustic agents, such as industrial cleaners.
• Thermal burns – These result from contact with hot liquids (scald burns), flames, explosions or hot objects.
• Electrical burns – These types of burns happen when electrical current moves through the body.
• Sun or radiation exposure burns – Outdoor workers and those working with lamps using ultraviolet light can suffer sunburns if proper precautions are not taken, such as using sunscreen and reducing hours of exposure.
• Friction burns – These occur when the body comes into contact with a hard surface, the road or rugs. Road rash is a type of friction burn.
• Cold burns – Cold burns form due to exposure to cold, wet and windy work conditions.

Occupations At Risk For Burn Injuries

Workplace burn injuries are possible in most work environments, though workers in certain occupations are at a higher risk. This is because certain professions are exposed to hazards that could cause burns on a more frequent basis compared to other professions.

Professionals at a higher risk of suffering workplace burn injuries include:

Workers’ Compensation For Burn Injuries

Any workplace burn injury that happens during the course of your employment is covered under workers’ compensation, except in circumstances where the injury was purposely self-inflicted, the worker was intoxicated, or horseplay or fighting caused the injury. Filing a workers’ compensation claim can help you access the compensation you need for your medical bills and lost wages.

Working with a skilled workers’ compensation attorney could help ensure your claim is filed properly and all legal avenues are explored.

An attorney can also analyze your situation to determine if a third-party lawsuit may be appropriate if your burn injuries were the result of an outside contractor, manufacturer or another party besides your employer. The advantage of a third-party lawsuit is you can pursue forms of compensation not available in a workers’ compensation claim, such as pain and suffering.

Contact Our Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Now

O’Connor, Acciani & Levy’s Cincinnati workers’ compensation lawyers have years of experience assisting injured workers. We are prepared to investigate your case and pursue the compensation you deserve for your workplace injury.

Request a free, no obligation consultation and learn the legal options available in your case. There are no upfront fees when working with our firm and you only pay if we are successful in securing compensation for you.