If a driver or passenger is in a car accident, they can suffer many different injuries. One of the most serious injuries is a burn. Burn injuries can cause physical pain as well as emotional trauma.
Types of burns
The most common burn injuries from a car accident are thermal, chemical, electrical and friction burns.
Thermal burns happen when a person’s skin contacts flames, hot fluids or hot surfaces. Chemical burns are caused by corrosive materials like acid. Electrical burns can happen when the skin contacts electrical wires and friction burns happen when a person’s skin contacts a rough surface like pavement.
First degree burns affect the outer layer of skin may cause redness, pain and swelling. Second degree burns are on the top of the skin and the underlying layer. They can cause blisters and serious pain. Third degree burns are the most serious and can cause numbness or nerve damage.
Causes and damages
Drivers and passengers in a car accident can be burned by several common causes. If there is a fuel leak caused by the collision, the vehicle occupants can be burned. In serious situations, a car accident can cause an explosion which results in severe burns.
Occupants can be injured by exhaust pipes, heated metal and engine parts. Also, when an airbag opens it can cause a thermal burn.
Injured parties can have long-lasting physical and emotional impact. They may suffer from chronic pain or disfigurement, which can require expensive medical treatments or surgeries.
There is help available for car accident burn victims to pursue compensation for their injuries.