If you have ever burned yourself on a hot pan, you know how excruciatingly painful even minor burns can be. After all, a burn sends damaging heat into your skin and subcutaneous tissues. If you have a serious burn, though, your life may be in danger. This is especially true if your burns cover much of your body.
Sadly, car accidents continue to be a leading cause of catastrophic burns in the U.S. In fact, according to the National Fire Protection Association, motor vehicle accidents are responsible for roughly 15% of all fatal civilian burns and about 10% of injury-causing ones.
Cars with internal combustion engines
Most of the cars, trucks, SUVs and commercial vehicles on the road today have internal combustion engines. These engines use gasoline or diesel to generate power. Because these substances are flammable, they can ignite during a motor vehicle accident.
Cars with electric motors
Even though they do not have internal combustion engines or run on combustible fuel, electric vehicles present a separate risk. The stored energy in lithium-ion batteries can ignite during a collision. Even worse, this energy has a tendency to reignite even after firefighters believe the fire risk has passed.
Your safety strategy
If you are in a car accident and see smoke or flames, your safety strategy includes getting as far away from your vehicle as possible. When doing so, though, you should be certain you do not end up in an equally or more dangerous place, such as the middle of a highway.
Recovering from a burn injury can be a lengthy and expensive proposition. Ultimately, by seeking financial compensation from the driver who is responsible for the accident, you have the financial resources you need to obtain the care you deserve.
