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Kitchen Fires

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The coronavirus has more people cooking at home, whether out of boredom or because restaurants are close. Home cooking is a wonderful thing and we hope that many people will stick with the healthy habit long after sty at home orders are lifted. But more people cooking at home comes with a downside, more house fires. According to the American Red Cross, cooking is the leading cause of house fires and unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires.

Fire Safety Tips for the Kitchen

The first thing is to check the batteries in your smoke detectors and make sure that your fire extinguishers are properly charged. But, don’t rely on your smoke detectors to

alert you to the danger. Stay with your food and stay alert. Defective smoke detectors can fail to go off when there is a fire leaving people in the home unaware until it is too late to get out.

  • Never place pizza or to-go boxes, oven mitts, potholders, paper plates, dish towels, plastic packaging and other flammable items on the stove or in the oven, even when not in use.
  • Do not use your oven as storage space.
  • Remove any clutter decorations and other flammable items from the area. Keep them well away from the stove and oven.
  • Dress properly – no long, hanging sleeves, scarves, shawls, or dangling jewelry, even if you are making a video of yourself cooking.
  • Make sure your stove and oven are clean before you begin. Grease and spilled food items can quickly catch on fire are burners and heating elements get hot.
  • Always look inside the oven immediately before you turn it on to preheat.
  • Never leave food unattended while cooking.
  • Never leave the house when kitchen appliances are in use. This includes ovens, toaster ovens, microwaves and other small appliances.
  • Do not fall asleep with food on the stove or in the oven. Do not slow-cook food in the oven overnight while you sleep.
  • Use a timer in case you do get distracted.
  • Keep pot handles turned in toward the center of the stove to prevent accidents and spills.
  • Never try to put out a grease fire with water or flour. You can smother it with baking soda. If you don’t have baking soda, turn off the heat and smother it with a lid.
  • If something catches fire in the oven, do not open the door. Leave it closed and turn the oven off.
  • If something catches fire in the microwave, leave the door closed, turn it off and unplug it.

If your house fire was the result of someone else’s negligence or a defective product, search our directory for an experienced burn injury attorney in your state.

Road Rash

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Road rash is often thought of as a minor injury, but it can be very severe, disfiguring and life-threatening. Road rash is a friction burn, both an abrasion and heat burn. Like other types of burns, it is categorized by degrees. When serious, road rash is often treated in burn centers or burn units. The biggest danger is usually infection after-the-fact, but in some cases road rash can cause life-threatening bleeding, and road rash can be so severe the body parts, such as finger, are ground off entirely. Most commonly the result of motorcycle accidents, severe road rash can also occur in bicycle accidents and in motor vehicle accidents where ejection occurs.

Dangers of Road Rash

Road rash is a very painful injury, even when it’s mild. And it tends to scar, even when it’s mild. Serious road rash can come with serious complications, including life-threatening infections and permanently debilitating damage to tissues. The treatment for serious road rash is very painful as well, often involving debridement.

Some of the consequences you can suffer from road rash include:

  • Shock
  • Infection
  • Sepsis
  • Nerve damage
  • Soft tissue damage
  • Scarring
  • Traumatic tattoo
  • Disfigurement
  • Amputation
  • Permanent impairment

Severe road rash can require skin grafts and/or a lengthy hospital stay. Infections are a common complication of road rash. Dirt, grime, asphalt and other debris are ground into the wound. Cleaning road rash is a slow and painful process and it is not always possible to remove all of the debris. Debris left behind can become permanently embedded in the skin and causing discoloration known as traumatic tattoo.

Amputation from road rash is most often the result of infection, but it can occur as part of the initial injury. In cases where there is no amputation, road rash can still tear through muscle, nerves and soft tissue causing permanent impairment.

Accidents Resulting in Road Rash

Motorcycle, bicycle and skating accidents are most commonly known for causing road rash. In motorcycle accidents, road rash tends to be severe due to the higher speeds. In bicycle and skating accidents, lack of protective gear can lead to severe road rash even though they normally happen at lower speeds.

Road rash can also occur in motor vehicle accidents when there is ejection or partial ejection.

If you have suffered severe road rash as a result of someone else’s negligence, contact an experienced burn injury attorney in your state today.

Burn Injuries –Seeking Compensation through Premises Liability

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A burn injury can be painful and devastating. If you or someone you know has suffered a burn injury resulting from another party’s negligence, you may seek compensation for the damages caused by the accident by filing a personal injury claim. If the injury occurred on someone else’s property and resulted from the negligence of the property owner or manager, that person may be liable under a theory of premises liability.

Burn types

When your skin comes into contact with an excessively hot substance or surface, you will be burned. Burns are grouped into three main categories.

1- First degree burns

These are relatively minor burns. The burns result in reddening of the skin. The victim may also experience some topical pain. Recovery from these burns is relatively easy with proper care. The human body is able to heal the burned area with little need for medical intervention. These cases rarely justify the expense or time involved with a lawsuit.

2- Second degree burns

These are more severe than first degree burns. The pain is much deeper since deeper tissues are affected by the burning. These burns result in the skin swelling, reddening and blistering. Some medical intervention may be required to help in recovery and healing from these burns.

3 – Third degree burns

These are the most severe types of burns. These burns affect deep tissues in the body. They completely destroy the skin and the nerves. Third degree burns may result in blackened or visibly charred skin. The burned areas may be white where the skin has been completely destroyed. Recovery from these burns requires medical intervention. Scars are likely to last a lifetime.

Common causes of burns

Burns can result from exposure to various situations including:

  1. Overexposure to the sun
  2. Fire
  3. Radiation
  4. Steam
  5. Hot liquids
  6. Friction
  7. Corrosive chemicals
  8. Electricity

Negligence

Proving negligence when it comes to burn injuries can be a complex process. However, the at-fault party can only be held liable if there is evidence of negligence. Examples of situations that show negligence include:

  1. The victim getting burned after coming into contact with a frayed wire
  2. A fire that was not properly contained
  3. Burns may result from chemical spills or radiation leaks
  4. Burns resulting from poor maintenance of a building of the fire suppression system

Who should be held liable?

When the accident occurred on another party’s property (including a landlord property), the owner of the property may be held liable for the damages resulting from the accident. The victim may seek compensation for damages under a premises liability claim. However, the victim must demonstrate that the injuries suffered were a direct result of the property owner’s negligence.

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of someone’s negligence, please contact an experienced burn injury attorney today.