Thanksgiving Burn Accidents and Liability: Understanding Your Legal Options
| November 21st, 2023
When we celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, we enliven the values of warmth, thankfulness, and sharing a delicious meal between loved ones. However, with Thanksgiving always comes the risk of burns and other cooking-related mishaps. Safety is a critical prerequisite of enjoying your holiday.
Burn injury accidents can cast a serious pall over the holiday season, whether caused by a scorching oven, a scalding pot of gravy, or an unexpected deep-fryer accident. Get the help you need to navigate these thorny legal situations by working with an experienced burn injury lawyer.
Common Causes of Thanksgiving Burn Accidents
Thanksgiving celebrations can sometimes end in accidents and injuries. The following are some of the most common causes of burn accidents on Thanksgiving:
Burn Injuries from Fires
Every Thanksgiving, according to the U.S. Fire Administration, there are more than 2,400 fires in residential buildings, resulting in scores of burn injuries and millions of dollars of damage. These fires are often caused by careless cooking and improper use of dangerous equipment, such as deep fryers. On Thanksgiving Day, try to keep the kitchen occupied only by individuals who are actively cooking to lessen the risk of burn injuries or home fires.
Oil Burns
Accidents involving deep fryers can result in deadly fires, burn injuries, and fatalities. When heated oil drips over the burner, turkey fryers can start fires.
Cooking Burns
Touching something hot, such as an electric coil on the stove, or failing to remove your skin from contact with a hot surface right away might result in second-degree burns.
Burns Brought on by Alcohol
Alcohol abuse can result in all manner of accidental injuries, including burns. Impaired judgment and coordination increases the likelihood of an accident occurring in the kitchen or near open flames.
How to Prove Liability for Various Burn Injury Types
Because each type of burn injury is unique, there are various ways to determine who is at fault. This is where the skills of a Sacramento injury lawyer can be critical, as they can review your case, identify the root cause of the injuries, and what may be needed to establish liability.
The Value of Consulting a Lawyer to Prove Liability
Liability for a burn injury can be challenging to establish. While a jury trial decides on some of these cases, many disputed injury claims are decided through motion practice before a judge. Some lawsuits are settled in arbitration or mediation. All of these conflict resolution techniques require that the injured party has the support of an experienced attorney aware of the kinds of evidence that will help the case and the kinds of legal arguments that should be laid out in court.
Legal Recourse for Thanksgiving Burn Accidents
If you or a loved one has experienced burn injuries during a Thanksgiving celebration, you might be interested in what legal options are available to you. Here are just a few of the possible legal remedies that may be available to you:
Legal Action for a Personal Injury
If someone else’s carelessness caused your burn injury, you can file an injury claim to pursue compensation for damages. This claim will allow you to pursue compensation for your suffering, missed pay, and medical costs.
Claim for Product Liability
If a deep fryer malfunctioned and caused your burn injury, you may be able to launch a product responsibility claim against the seller or manufacturer.
Demand for Premises Liability
A premises liability lawsuit can be lodged against a property owner if your burn injury happened on someone else’s property, such as in a house fire caused by a careless homeowner.
Gathering Evidence and Documenting Injuries
- Get medical attention immediately, even for minor injuries.
- Keep a symptom notebook and record of all injuries.
- Attend follow-up appointments and abide by your doctor’s orders.
- To gather evidence, take pictures of the accident area and get contact information from any witnesses.
- Keep records of all your medical costs and expenses.
- Hire a skilled personal injury lawyer to learn more about your legal rights and choices.
Seeking Compensation for Damages
You are eligible for compensation if you sustained losses due to a Thanksgiving burn accident caused by someone else’s carelessness. The following types of damages can be pursued:
- Medical expenses incurred due to the burn injury, such as hospital costs, transportation expenses, and ongoing medical expenses.
- Lost wages resulting from the burn injury, considering time away from work for healing and medical care.
- Pain and suffering, such as missed income and medical expenses, long-term effects, and the impact of severe wounds on a person’s psychological and physical wellbeing.
- Property damage resulting from the burn accident, such as to a home or other personal property.
- Loss of earning capacity for any future loss of earning potential brought on by the burn injury, i.e., the possibility that the victim won’t return to their old employment or earning potential.
The Benefits of Engaging a Lawyer
Working with an Injury lawyer in Sacramento can prove especially helpful if you have experienced burn injuries. Some of the benefits of hiring a personal injury lawyer include:
- Setting up consultations with expert witnesses, especially those in the medical industry or an accident reconstructionist, to provide information that supports your case.
- Negotiating with insurance companies to secure you fair compensation.
- Representing you in court, if necessary.
- Providing objective opinions on the strength of your case and sharing their extensive legal expertise.
- Providing emotional support by increasing the likelihood that victims will receive fair compensation.
If you have been injured by a burn during a holiday get-together, it is vital that you understand your legal options. Contact us and schedule a time to meet with one of our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys and get the legal guidance you need and the compensation you deserve.
