A 21-year-old woman suffered severe burns when her car was struck at a gas pump in the Kensington area of Philadelphia, according to authorities. The woman’s daughter was also involved in the Sept. 25 accident, which gave rise to flames, but she was reportedly rescued from the back seat by an unidentified man wearing “some kind of uniform.”
The car accident occurred at around 11:30 p.m., when another motorist at the gas station mistook her gas pedal for the brake and charged into the 21-year-old woman’s car, effectively knocking over a gas pump and starting a fire. According to authorities, police are not planning to file any criminal charges in connection with the incident. However, the event remains under investigation, reportedly.
The 21-year-old woman suffered second- and third-degree burns, authorities said. Emergency crews transported her to Temple Hospital, where she received treatment in the intensive care unit. According to authorities, the woman’s daughter escaped unharmed and is with her father.
Second-degree burns affect the first two layers of skin and cause pain, redness and swelling. Third-degree burns reach into the fatty layer beneath the skin and may destroy nerves, potentially causing numbness. Besides the physical pain and afflictions, burn victims must often cope with the costly financial burdens deriving from modern and intensive treatment.
This may involve plastic surgical procedures, such as skin grafts, microsurgery and tissue expansion. The bills that accompany such procedures may accumulate in a rapid and intractable manner.
However, accident victims may seek civil remedies to help offset these financial burdens. By retaining a personal injury lawyer and filing suit against the party whose recklessness or negligence contributed to the fiery crash, burn victims may seek restitution for the many pecuniary damages they suffer in association with their accident-related injuries.
Source: CBS Philly, “Woman Hurt When Car Crash In Kensington Knocks Over Gas Pump, Starts Fire,” September 26, 2014
