The United States is home to 423 national parks, 154 national forests, and 20 national grasslands. With a plethora of beautiful and unique natural environments to explore, it’s no surprise that 77 million households in the U.S. contain at least one resident that goes camping. However, the outdoors can be perilous for both novice and experienced hikers, campers, and travelers. There is an ever-present risk of harm, particularly from environmental injuries.
An environmental injury occurs when the victim is exposed to something harmful in their immediate area. Defective camping products, dangerous animals, unsafe environmental conditions, and exposure to deadly natural hazards can cause serious or lethal environmental injuries. Depending on the severity of the initial injury or condition and the victim’s proximity to a hospital, the victim may suffer minor, moderate, or severe wounds.
What Are Some Different Types of Environmental Injuries?
Understanding when and why environmental injuries occur is one of the best ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from harm. We’ve put together a list describing some of the more common environmental injuries, so you know what to look out for.
- Frostbite: When a victim suffers frostbite, the skin and deeper structures begin to freeze, which can result in tissue injury. Prolonged exposure to cold or moisture increases your risk of developing frostbite, as does inadequate clothing, high altitude, and wind chill.
- Hypothermia: This condition occurs when a victim’s body loses heat faster than it can be produced, resulting in a low body temperature of less than 95 F. Hypothermia usually occurs due to prolonged exposure to cold temperatures. This can arise due to an outdoor activity, old age, intoxication, or other factors.
- Heat Stroke: If your body temperature rises to 104 F or higher, you may experience a serious condition called heat stroke. This condition usually occurs due to physical exertion in high temperatures and commonly happens in summer. Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention, as it can damage the kidneys, brain, heart, and muscles. Possible symptoms of heatstroke include a high temperature, flushed skin, rapid breathing, headache, fast heartbeat, or an altered mental state.
- Altitude Sickness: If you climb or walk to a higher elevation too quickly, you may run the risk of altitude sickness. Contrary to popular belief, any altitude above 8,000 feet puts you at risk for this condition, particularly if you do not live in a place substantially above sea level. With severe altitude sickness, you may experience shortness of breath, an inability to walk, confusion, or a cough that produces a frothy substance. If you experience serious symptoms, do not hesitate to move to a lower altitude and seek medical help.
- Burns: Excessive heat from chemical, electrical, thermal, or electromagnetic energy can cause a burn. Open flames, smoking, and scalding are the leading causes of burn injuries.
- Lightning Injury: Lightning tends to strike isolated or tall objects, but a person may also be exposed to an electrical current through a nearby object or the ground. In some instances, lightning has struck more than ten miles from a storm, despite clear skies. When outside, stay aware of weather reports and updates to avoid unnecessary exposure to thunderstorm conditions.
- Abrasions: When you suffer an open wound, caused by your skin contacting a rough surface, this is known as an abrasion. Although the wound may seem like a minor scrape, it’s important to clean and bandage it properly to reduce the risk of infection.
Tracking the Impact of Environmental Injuries
A recent study carried out by Freedman Law demonstrates the serious impact of environmental injuries. Looking specifically at California, the study reveals that environmental injuries caused 150 deaths across the state in 2020, along with thousands of hospitalizations. To get a better sense of the impact of environmental injuries across the entire U.S., we graphed years of potential life lost (YPPL) in the diagram below.
YPPL estimates the average years a person (in this case, under the age of 65) would have lived had they not perished prematurely. Across the U.S., the YPPL due to environmental injuries has steadily increased from 2016 through 2020.
What to Do After An Environmental Injury
If you or a loved one suffer a serious environmental injury, do your best to remain calm and seek advanced medical attention. If you have the skillset, qualifications, and ability to assist the injury victim without putting your own health at risk, do so. Seek legal representation as soon as you can after the incident – if the injury was caused or influenced by negligence, you may have the foundation of a personal injury lawsuit.