Did Your Child Suffer a Serious Burn Injury?

As the saying goes, you can tell a child not to touch a stove, but they will only listen after they touch it and discover the pain for themselves. This may be true, but there is no excuse for a negligent property or business owner when it comes to your child getting seriously hurt under their watch.

Burn Injuries are Common Among Young Children

Burn injuries are extremely painful, can last a lifetime, may lead to a disability, and can even cause death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), two children in the U.S. die of burn-related injuries every day. Moreover, at least 300 children are treated in emergency departments for burn injuries daily.

Common Danger Areas in Homes, Child Care Facilities, and Other Premises

You can file a personal injury lawsuit, or wrongful death lawsuit, if your child is burned in the premises owned by another party. This party can include a neighbor, friend, family member other than the child’s other parent, school, restaurant owner, or daycare. Moreover, if another party is the supervising adult of your child, such as a Cub Scout leader, that party may be held responsible for injuries regardless of the accident location. Below are common areas and items within premises that lead to child burn injuries:

• Cooking and the Kitchen—The kitchen is the most likely place that children get burned. The stove, heating plates, hot coffee or tea, hot oil, and other hazards are everywhere. Whether a hot pan of grease fell on your child or a hot object was left in reaching distance, the negligent party should be held accountable.
• Hot Water and Other Liquids—Babies and toddlers are unable to get away from hot water, according to the CDC. In fact, hot tap water burns account for more child hospitalizations than any other type of hot liquid, accordion to Stanford Health. Thermostats should be set to 120 degrees, and all water or formula should be tested by the adult before allowing the child to consume it.
• Overly Hot Food—Babies and toddlers can also suffer serious injuries from ingesting overly hot food, or from having food or liquid spilled on them in the kitchen.
• Electrical Outlets—Electrical outlets and electrical cords are not only responsible for serious third degree burns, but electrocution as well.
• Fireplaces, Heaters, and Radiators—Babies and toddlers in particular are the most likely victims of heaters, fireplaces, and radiators, which should be barricaded away from crawling tots.
• Grills—Grilling or barbecuing is a common source for burn injuries among children of all ages.
• Outdoor Fireplaces—Backyard fireplaces and open flame gas heaters can result in serious injury to children who are unsupervised.
• Fireworks and Firecrackers—Fireworks seriously injure thousands of children every year, sometimes resulting in the loss of fingers, or death. Adult supervision is necessary at all times, and young children should be kept away from fireworks all together.

Other Types of Premises Liability

• Lack of Working Smoke Alarms—If a burn or smoke inhalation injury or death is caused because the home or building did not have working smoke detectors, the property owner may be held liable for your child’s injuries or tragic death.
• Lack of Working Fire Exits—Emergency exits in public buildings, office buildings, hotels, schools, apartment complexes, and other non-single-family-home premises are required to have lighted emergency exits in case of fire. Additionally, many of these premises are required by law to have unlocked panic bars that open doors to the outside (making it easy to escape and preventing people from jamming the doorway).
• Lack of Fire Extinguisher—Fires are sometimes unpreventable. Being able to put the fire out, though, may be a possibility if there is a working fire extinguisher available. When premises are not equipped with a working fire extinguisher required by city or state code, the owner can be held liable for injuries to all invitees, including your child.
• Candles, Cigarettes, Matches, and Lighters—Did your child get a hold of a dangerous object, like a lighter or a lit cigarette, and then get burned as a result? These flammable objects need to be kept out of range of children when they are under the supervision of a child care facility, or their friend’s parent if they are on a playdate, for example.

Contact a Naples Personal Injury Lawyer Today

Whether your child was burned at their friend’s house, a family member’s home, school, daycare, at a restaurant, or any other premises, you have the right to seek financial compensation for their pain and suffering, medical bills, permanent scarring and disfigurement, and other damages. Call the Naples personal injury lawyers at The Law Offices of Marc L. Shapiro, P.A. today at 239-649-8050 to schedule a free consultation.

Resources:

stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=facts-about-burn-injury-90-P02796

cdc.gov/safechild/burns/index.html

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