National Fire Protection Association Reports Thousands of Firefighter Injuries Annually
Firefighters put in long hours and an exceptional amount of physical effort to keep us safe and snuff out dangerous fires. If you are a Southern California firefighter, you know that even putting out a relatively small fire can lead to serious physical injuries.
Of the 62,085 firefighter injuries recorded by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) in 2016, more than 24,000 were fireground injuries. Approximately 46% of these injuries involved strains, sprains, muscular pain, and overexertion. Nearly 10,000 firefighters reported being exposed to infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and meningitis during emergency calls, and more than 36,000 were exposed to hazardous materials such as toxic chemicals, asbestos, and radioactive substances.
Many firefighters were also harmed while driving or riding in emergency vehicles going to and from hazardous incidents. In 2016, there were more than 15,000 such crashes, which is one of the highest recorded numbers since the year 1990.
Any of the aforementioned injury types can limit firefighters’ ability to work and earn a living, which can lead to large medical bills, strictly limited income, and personal and financial hardship. Such circumstances warrant a conversation with an attorney who has experience handling claims involving firefighter injuries.
Firefighter Injury Lawyers in Orange County
At Humphrey & Associates, we do right by our community’s firefighters and first responders. If you are a firefighter and you have been injured on the job, we are here to represent you and advocate for your best interest in order to keep you from experiencing any additional hardship. Connect with a member of our team as soon as possible to schedule your free consultation and learn about your legal options.
Call (844) 612-5800 today to speak to an Orange County firefighter injury lawyer about your situation and allow us to advocate for you during this time.