| خلاصه مقاله | Purpose : Burn injuries often result in long-term physical and psychological damage,
accompanied by complex legal and ethical dilemmas. This systematic review aims to
investigate current legal frameworks and ethical considerations in burn injury care, with a
focus on liability, informed consent, and compensation systems in healthcare and occupational
contexts.
Methods : This study follows PRISMA 2020 guidelines. A systematic search was conducted in
PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for English-language articles published between 2000
and 2024. Keywords included “burn injury,” “medical ethics,” “legal liability,” “informed
consent,” “occupational injury,” and “compensation.” After screening 1,346 records, 53
articles met the eligibility criteria.
Results : Of the 53 included studies, 62.2% (n=33) focused on legal claims following thermal
injuries in healthcare settings and the workplace. Approximately 41.5% (n=22) addressed gaps
in informed consent, especially in emergency surgical burn procedures. Only 28.3% (n=15)
discussed structured compensation systems, revealing major discrepancies between highincome and low-income countries. Several studies emphasized the ethical conflict between
emergent treatment and legal documentation, especially in pediatric and incapacitated adult
patients. Burn victims in developing countries had significantly reduced access to legal
representation (reported in 63.6% of relevant studies).
Conclusion : The legal and ethical dimensions of burn care are often overlooked in clinical
guidelines, despite their importance in ensuring justice and equity. A unified legal approach
that integrates ethical principles such as autonomy and justice is essential, particularly in
resource-limited settings. Policymakers should develop context-sensitive legal guidelines that
support both patients’ rights and clinical efficiency. |