Chicago Burn Injury Statistics

Causes, Impacts, And Legal Support for Chicago Burn Wounds

Chicago burn injury statistics reveal the major risk that thermal burns and scald burns can pose to the public. Every year, thousands of Illinois residents suffer injuries due to house fires, workplace accidents, or faulty appliances. 

While around 600,000 burn injuries occur each year throughout the United States, densely populated areas like Cook County have higher incidence rates, especially during the colder months. 

An average of one person per 10,000 in the United States requires inpatient hospitalization for a burn injury each year. Severely burned patients may suffer from full-thickness burns, which involve both the epidermis and the underlying tissue. These injuries may look white or charred, and they can cause permanent disability.

Burn survivors can contact our burn injury lawyers to receive compensation from negligent landlords, property owners, employees, and others who may have been involved. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation. 

Burn-Related Injuries Statistics from the American Burn Association

Much of the data comes from the American Burn Association or burn data centers throughout the United States. 

• Most incidents in the United States occur between May and August (37.5%). In Chicago, injuries are more likely to occur during the colder months due to heating-related accidents.
• The South Atlantic region of the United States has the country’s highest occurrence of burn injuries.
• The arms are the most common place for burns (45%), followed by the hands (42%). 
• Not all burn injuries are recognizable from the outside. The hot air from the burning process of chemicals or fires can also lead to severe injury.

Burn Centers and Hospital Admission Statistics

Those with major burns, especially if they have other injuries like smoke inhalation or widespread damage, need to visit an emergency department with a specialized burn team. Quick treatment can reduce pain and prevent long-term disability. 

Some of the top burn centers in Illinois include the University of Chicago Medicine and Loyola University Medical Center, which see thousands of patients each year for chemical burns, thermal burns, and scalding. 

The American Burn Association reports the following statistics: 

• 97.7% of those admitted to the hospital for these injuries survive the initial incident.
• Burn victims include 57.1% White, 19.6% African-American, and 14.5% Hispanic.
• The median age of adults with burn injuries was 49 years.
• Burns from fire or flame were the most common reason for victims seeking burn care (41.7%). 32.2% of victims sought care for scald injuries, 10.8% for contact burns, 3.7% for chemical burns, and 2.9% for electrical burns.

Unfortunately, Chicago victims may face long transport times and expensive ICU stays, especially in apartment and workplace accidents. They may deal with significant lost wages and lengthy recovery times. 

Burn Incidence in Children 

Children are also at risk of severe injuries. These are often preventable and may include the child being unsupervised or injured by a faulty product. In cities like Chicago, accidents with young children often involve being in a busy kitchen, touching radiator heaters, or putting their hands under scalding hot water in older buildings. 

Here are a few key statistics to know about the unintentional injury of burns in younger children:

• The median age of burn injuries in children under 18 years was three years.

• Scalding is the most common cause of burn wounds in children. 
• Children are also at risk of contact burns, flame fires, and electrical burns. 
• Burns are the fifth most common cause of non-fatal childhood injuries. 
• Approximately 75% of scalding burn injuries in children are preventable. 
• Hot tap water leads to more severe injuries in children than other hot liquids. 

Child deaths related to burns are most common among those who don’t receive quick treatment. Pediatric patients should be taken to specialized centers like Lurie Children’s in the Streeterville neighborhood, which offers world-class care.

Common Causes of Burn Injuries

Burn-related injuries can arise from various sources, with the most common including the following:

• 40% of burn injuries occurred from a flame or flash of fire, with 90% of them being accidental. 
• 61% of all burn and fire injuries happened at a private residence. 
• An estimated 25% to 30% of those involved in a mass casualty event will suffer from a moderate to severe burn injury. 
• A home structure fire is reported every 95 seconds nationwide, making it one of the leading causes of victims suffering a burn or inhalation injury.
• Smaller, one- and two-room house fires account for 55.8% of all fire-related injuries and 67.8% of civilian deaths.

Household fires can occur for a number of reasons, including unmonitored barbeque pits, HVAC malfunctions, stove or oven accidents, or trash fires. Loose clothing near hot objects or small children tipping scalding liquids are also among the most common causes.

Work-Related Burn Injury Rates

It’s estimated that as many as 20% to 25% of all severe burns occur in the workplace. Firefighters are among the most at risk, and the U.S. Fire Administration reports 37 firefighter fatalities by June, 2025.

Illinois workers in warehouses, food service, construction, and manufacturing are at an elevated risk of burns and fire-related deaths. The Illinois Department of Labor regularly investigates fire-related OSHA violations, such as injuries from an improperly used acetylene torch.

Burn Injury Risk Factors

Some age ranges, careers, and other factors are at a higher risk. In Chicago’s older neighborhoods, many buildings were constructed before modern fire codes, meaning they are more likely to have space heaters, exposed wiring, and poor insulation, which poses a significant risk. 

Data shows that residents on the South and West sides of Chicago are more likely to experience house fires, particularly people in Englewood and Austin. Other places with elevated risk include Humboldt Park and Roseland.   

Additional risk factors include the following.

Age

Age plays a role not only in the occurrence of burn injuries but also in their severity. Both younger children and older adults are more likely to need prolonged hospitalization. However, other age groups are also at risk of fatal and non-fatal burn injuries.

Certain Appliances

Cooking caused over 158,000 home structure fires in 2023, with some appliances being riskier than others. Households with electrical appliances have a higher occurrence of 53% of fires. Flame burns are most common with cooking appliances.

There are also differences in the time of day when household fires occur most often. Most commonly, cooking fires occur between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. when people cook dinner. Another high occurrence occurs between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when people fall asleep during cooking.

Burn Prevention Statistics

Better fire prevention strategies have greatly reduced injury rates. For example, the number of hospital days per stay in burn centers and fatality rates related to burns have decreased over the years.

Smoke detectors have decreased burn injury deaths by as much as 80%, leading to 74% fewer residential fires. Unfortunately, these tools are not as accessible in low and middle-income countries. 

The Chicago Building Code requires that all residential buildings have smoke alarms (§13-64-120), which can significantly reduce burn risk. The Chicago Fire Department Foundation provides free smoke detectors to some food pantries, helping low-income individuals access this life-saving tool. 

The 2023 Illinois Smoke Detector Act also requires that every residential dwelling have a sealed 10-year battery that cannot be removed (425 ILCS §60/1). 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided some burn prevention tips, which include setting your water heater thermostat to 120 degrees or lower and never leaving a stove unattended. 

Burn Fatalities Statistics

While less than 3% of burn injuries are fatal, severe burn injuries can lead to death. Cities like Chicago still report dozens of fire-related deaths per year, often due to apartment fires. 

The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal is tasked with investigating thousands of fires per year. In 2024, there were 52,728 fires across the state. In many cases, negligence or faulty equipment is cited as a leading cause.  

• Of those who suffer inhalation injuries, there is a 24.9% fatality rate.
• It’s estimated that burn injuries lead to as many as 180,000 deaths each year worldwide.

Burn death rates greatly vary depending on the severity of initial burns, the time it takes to receive treatment, and the level of medical care available. Those in high-income countries tend to have a better recovery rate due to more treatment options available to burn patients. The majority of fire-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries due to risks like open-fire cooking.

Damages in a Burn Injury Case

The cost of a burn injury depends on the severity and level of treatment needed. Here are a few things to know about burn incidence damages:

• Over 9,000 burn injury cases require ICU visits each year, costing the U.S. healthcare system over $600 million per year. 
• Burn injury victims with concomitant trauma spend an average of 9.8 days longer in the hospital than those with superficial burns.
• It’s estimated that between 1% and 5% of burn victims also suffer from the penetration or blunt trauma of a heavy item.  A severe burn injury is considered a burn in addition to major trauma or smoke inhalation.

Some victims may require prolonged mechanical ventilation, numerous surgeries, and rehabilitation. In Illinois, victims can pursue compensation through the Cook County Circuit Court or another jurisdiction. We have recovered damages for victims suffering second- and third-degree burns from apartment fires, workplace accidents, and product defects. 

Secure Expert Legal Counsel!

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, we have assisted victims across the Chicagoland area in seeking compensation for their injuries due to South Side apartment fires, kitchen explosions, or warehouse accidents. 

Our team will negotiate with the insurance agency on your behalf, ensuring that you receive the compensation you deserve. We work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you owe us nothing unless we earn you compensation. Call us today at (888) 424-5757 or use our online contact form to schedule your free consultation. 

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.