Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog
A fiery explosion caused from flammable mosquito repellent sent a Marshfield woman to the hospital after suffering from severe burn injuries in Massachusetts. She will need skin grafts to repair her arm, according to the Patriot Ledger.
The woman was at her friend’s house on Main Street in Hanover last Friday when the accident happened. To cool her burning skin, she jumped into a nearby pool. Her face and arms were burned. The owner of the house said that the explosion happened when the woman went to refill a pot of flammable bug repellent. The woman was sitting a few feet away from the pot of mosquito repellent that exploded.
Burn injuries in Boston can happen at any time to anybody. They’re most likely to cause injury to a person’s face, hands and arms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, burns are most likely to happen to children under the age of 20. Every day, nearly 450 people from this age group are sent to emergency rooms for burn-related injuries. Two of these children die every day because of these injuries.
It is important to take all of the proper safety precautions to help keep these young one’s safe and to protect them from potential burn injuries. Younger children are most likely to receive injuries from scald burns that are caused by hot liquids or steam. Older children are more likely to sustain injuries from flame burns. These burns are caused by direct contact with fire.
You may think a burn is just a burn, but actually there are a number of kinds that can occur:
-First Degree Burns: This is a burn that affects the epidermis — or the outer layer of skin. If you experience this type of burn, you can expect pain, swelling, tingling and hypersensitivity. The wound will typically look red and dry.
-Second Degree Burns: This type of burn affects both the epidermis and the dermis. This burn is often called partial thickness burns. If you experience this type of burn, you can expect extreme pain, redness, swelling and blistering. Weeping at the surface is also common. You can also expect some substantial scarring once the burn heals. These types of burns are usually caused by flash injuries (such as explosions), scalding liquids and flame injuries.
-Third Degree Burns: These are extreme burns that affect the entire thickness of skin and underlying muscle tissue. These burns destroy sweat glands and hair follicles. Nerve damage that these burns cause may lessen the pain. Treatment for these burns can be rather extensive and costly. These treatments can involve skin grafts and lengthy hospital stays.
-Fourth-Degree Burns: These are life-threatening burns. In this type of burn, the burning reaches all the way down to the bone and the skin is permanently lost. These incidents can sometimes be associated with lost limbs and amputations. These injuries are often caused by high-voltage electric and prolonged flame contact.
How can I prevent a serious burn?
-Be alarmed. It is important that you install and maintain smoke alarms in your home. Make sure they’re on every floor and near all rooms that people members sleep in. Test them at least once a month to make sure they are working properly.
-Have a plan. Create and practice a family fire escape plan. Make sure everyone in the house, especially kids, understand the plan. Also make sure that everyone knows at least two ways out of every room. Be sure to designate a central meeting place outside.
-Cook with care. Never leaving food unattended on the stove and supervise young children whenever they’re near cooking surfaces.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a Massachusetts accident contact Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call 877-617-5333.
More Blog Entries:
Boston Student Injured in Chemistry Lab Explosion, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, July 4, 2011