Fire and Burn Injury

Thanksgiving Burn Accidents and Liability: Understanding Your Legal Options 

by Staff Blogger | 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:

  1. Medical expenses incurred due to the burn injury, such as hospital costs, transportation expenses, and ongoing medical expenses.
  2. Lost wages resulting from the burn injury, considering time away from work for healing and medical care.
  3. 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.
  4. Property damage resulting from the burn accident, such as to a home or other personal property.
  5. 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.

Surprising Burn Injuries Anyone Can Suffer

by Staff | February 1st, 2021

When people think of burn injuries, they typically think of those caused by fires. In reality, we all face several burn injury risks from causes that have nothing to do with open flames.

Here are a few of the most surprising, yet common, ways that burns happen.

Burn Injuries From Electrical Currents

Electrical injuries can cause some of the most serious burns imaginable. They’re common among workers who are regularly exposed to electrical currents, including electricians and construction workers.

However, we all have electrical currents in our homes. And we regularly use electronic devices. Though most devices and homes are safe from electrical hazards, problems such as manufacturing defects, improper wiring, or normal wear and tear can quickly turn a device or an electrical outlet into a burn risk.

Burn Injuries From Faucets in the Home

Home water heaters are supposed to be set at safe temperatures so that the maximum temperature reached won’t cause burns. However, water heaters often exceed these temperatures, and residents can suffer burns when a faucet is running hot water.

This is most likely in rental units, in both apartments and houses, especially when renters don’t have access to their water heaters. It’s important for all landlords to monitor the safety of water heaters to avoid risks to tenants.

Burn Injuries in the Kitchen

Though most kitchens use devices that don’t use open flames, burn risks are still very common in kitchens. The most serious burn injuries suffered in kitchens often happen to children who suffer scalding injuries from boiling liquids.

When you’re cooking in your home kitchen, make sure that children stay away from ovens and stovetops. Be sure to point cookware handles away from the edges of stoves or countertops, and always use oven mitts when handling items in the oven or cast iron skillets on the stovetop.

Burn Injuries From Hot Liquids Served in Restaurants

Perhaps the most infamous example of a hot liquid burning a consumer is the 1994 product liability lawsuit, Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants. In this case, a 79-year-old woman suffered third-degree burns when she spilled a hot cup of McDonald’s coffee on her lap.

Though many people saw this case as an example of excessive litigation, consumer safety advocates and legal scholars cite it as a clear instance of corporate negligence and a hallmark case for consumer protection laws.

Burn Injuries in Tanning Beds

Thousands of people visit emergency departments every year in the U.S. because of burn injuries suffered in tanning beds. Tanning beds can, in extreme cases, lead to third-degree burns, which can be potentially life-threatening. These injuries also dramatically increase sufferers’ chances of developing skin cancer later in life.

When Burn Injuries Are Someone Else’s Fault, Victims Have Legal Options

Many of the burn injuries listed above aren’t the fault of the burn victims. When burns are caused by someone else’s negligence, victims have the right to pursue legal avenues for compensation. The California burn injury attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers have years of experience getting compensation for clients who were injured through no fault of their own. If you or a loved one suffered a burn injury and want to consider legal options, contact our team today for a free consultation.

How to Safely Deep-Fry Your Thanksgiving Turkey

by Staff Blogger | November 25th, 2019

In recent years, deep frying the Thanksgiving turkey has become the most talked about cooking method, and for plenty of good reasons. Deep frying a turkey keeps the meat succulent and juicy while ensuring a perfectly crispy skin. It also cooks significantly faster than in the oven. However, deep frying a turkey can be extremely dangerous, and anyone who attempts it should always use extreme caution. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), more than twice as many fires are started from cooking accidents on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. Additionally, frying poses the highest risk of fire of any method of cooking. Based on data gathered between 2014-2016, roughly 2,400 cooking fires occur on residential property every Thanksgiving, causing an average of 5 deaths, 25 injuries, and $19 million in property damage. But if you decide the taste is worth the danger, make sure to keep all potential sources of accident and injury in mind.

Dangers Associated with Deep Fryers

  • Deep fryers can tip over and spill dangerously hot oil.
  • Overfilling the cooking pot can cause the oil to overflow when the turkey is added.
  • Any amount, even a drop, of cooking oil coming in contact with the burner can result in a fire.
  • The pot, handle, and lid can become hot enough to cause severe burns.
  • Without thermostat controls, deep fryers can overheat the oil and combust.
  • Any water that hits the hot oil, even condensation, can cause a spray of flaming oil outward.
If you are interested in learning how to safely deep fry a turkey this year, we want to help. Follow our guide by clicking the image below for tips on how to avoid fires and burn injuries this Thanksgiving when frying a turkey.

Injured on Thanksgiving?

Sometimes accidents are unavoidable, but other times this isn’t true. If you’ve been injured in an accident because someone was behaving negligently and ignored safety measures, you may be eligible to get compensation for your medical expenses. Even if you were injured at the home of a friend or family member during Thanksgiving dinner, don’t put aside the idea of contacting a lawyer––you still need to pay your bills, and in many cases, your loved one won’t be responsible for paying out of pocket. At Berg Injury Lawyers, our team of California personal injury attorneys work with the at-fault party’s insurance company to help injury victims get the compensation they deserve. If you’ve been injured through no fault of your own, we want to help you. And when you reach out to us for assistance, your initial consultation is always free.

Stay Safe While You Cook This Thanksgiving

by Staff Blogger | November 23rd, 2015

It only takes one bite to know that flash frying a turkey is an effective and tasty way to cook your bird for Thanksgiving. If this is your plan, you should be aware of the risks of suffering a fire and burn injury while frying a turkey. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) estimates that each Thanksgiving, as many as 43,000 fires are reported in the United States. Roughly 1,000 of those fires are the result of accidents while frying turkeys. Last year in California alone, more than 12 fires that were linked to turkey frying accidents resulted in insurance claims. In order to help keep Americans safe while they cook this year, the USFA has complied a list of tips that you can use to prevent a turkey fryer fire. In addition to these suggestions, the legal staff at Berg Injury Lawyers urges you to consider these options as well if you’re going to fry a turkey.
  • Cook outside- This will help to reduce the materials that can be exposed to flames in the event of a fire.
  • Make sure the turkey is thawed and dried- Any water or ice that comes into contact with hot oil can cause the flammable liquid to splatter and possibly ignite on the burner.
  • Have a fire extinguisher handy- Grease fires can be difficult to extinguish and can be aggravated with water, so be sure to have a fire extinguisher readily available any time you’re frying food.
The California personal injury attorneys at Berg Injury Lawyers hope these tips help to keep you and your loved ones safe as you cook this Thanksgiving.

California Fire and Burn Injury Reported By 11 Workers Following Gas Line Explosion

by Staff Blogger | April 20th, 2015

Fires and explosions that occur on a job site pose a serious health and safety risk to workers in California. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that dozens of workers suffered a serious or fatal California fire and burn injury as the result of exposure to a blast or flames on the jobsite. To bring the dangers fires and explosions at the workplace can pose into perspective, let’s take a look at the blast that occurred last week at a Pacific Gas & Electric Co. pipeline. Reports from NBC Bay Area News indicate the explosion sent 11 people to the hospital, four of whom remain in critical condition. Officials say a worker was driving a front-loader in the vicinity of the pipeline moments before the blast occurred. An investigation into the incident has determined that a vehicle striking the pipeline probably prompted the blast and that the worker operating the machinery had failed to notify the gas company about the location of his work so the pipeline could be flagged for avoidance. The investigation into the incident is continuing; however the California personal injury lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers would like to remind any worker who suffers a fire and burn injury on the job to consider speaking with a qualified legal representative prior to accepting a settlement. Feel free to call us anytime to discuss your legal needs by dialing (800) 400-2374.

Alameda Fire Department Offers Safety Program to Elderly and Disabled

by Staff Blogger | April 14th, 2014

The dangers posed by residential fires, such as suffering a serious Burn Injury, should be a concern for the citizens of Alameda, California, considering the city as seen a growing occurrence of such incidents. In fact, the Alameda Fire Department (AFD) reports there were 137 fire calls in 2012, which rose to 143 responses the following year. In order to help reduce the number of fires seen in Alameda, the AFD is offering a risk prevention program for the elderly and disabled who are living in the area. According to the Alameda Sun, the Safety Accessibility Program is being offered to low income individuals who are either over age 62 or who suffer from a disability. Those who participate will receive both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed in their home free of charge. Firemen and volunteers will then regularly stop by to test and change batteries on the equipment. Other safety equipment, such as handrails and lighting, may also be available for those who are in need. The Alameda Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers applaud the efforts being made to improve fire safety in the region and encourage those who are in need to contact the AFD through Ruth Ann Crawford at 337-2133 to get signed up today!

Two California Workers Suffer Serious Chemical Burns

by Staff Blogger | March 10th, 2014

There are several types of burn injuries one can sustain, but one of the most difficult to treat is a chemical burn. Compounds and substances with an extremely low Ph, such as an acid, is capable of causing serious damage to the tissues of the body. The injuries may be further complicated by difficulties in neutralizing the substance to stop the burn. Just last month, two workers at the Golden Eagle Refinery in Contra Costa County were left with a serious California Burn Injury after coming into contact with an acid while working. The accident happened February 12, when a pipe burst and splashed the acid on the two employees. Both were immediately rushed to a local trauma center where they were able to receive treatment. The facility where the accident occurred is now coming under fire for failing to protect workers’ safety after company officials refused to allow inspectors with the Chemical Safety Board onto the property. The company stated the injuries did not warrant a federal investigation and added they are instead cooperating with CalOSHA on the matter. The California Personal Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers are aware of the serious dangers chemical burns can pose and encourage anyone who has suffered such an injury to discuss their legal options with an attorney.

Worker Suffers Fire and Burn Injuries While Restoring Power In San Francisco Neighborhood

by Staff Blogger | January 20th, 2014

Workers in the utility industry face countless on-the-job dangers each day, but one of the industry’s greatest risks comes from the dangers of electrocution. Contact with high voltages of electricity can cause internal injuries, burns, and potentially death. The California Fire & Burn Injury Attorneys with Berg Injury Lawyers explain a San Francisco, California, worker recently suffered such injuries while responding to a power outage. The incident occurred just after 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, December 8, in the Potrero Hill neighborhood. Reports indicate roughly 600 residences and businesses were without power when the victim responded to the scene and quickly began work on a transformer. While testing the unit though, the victim came into contact with a live wire and was electrocuted. As a result of the incident, the victim suffered burns to his skin that required he be transported to a local trauma center for further treatment. Incidents like this leave many workers wondering what they should do in the event they suffer a burn injury while on-the-job. Berg Injury Lawyers and their team of California Personal Injury Attorneys say a victim of such an accident should first seek the medical treatment they need. Then, they should collect evidence of the accident before contacting an attorney to further discuss their legal rights and options.

Fresno Woman In Critical Condition After House Fire Thursday Morning

by Staff Blogger | December 23rd, 2013

December 20, 2013 House fires can be life-threatening situations for families—especially if they happen while a family is sleeping Although house fires are often accidental, hazards such as faulty wiring, defective household products, and flammable construction materials also can cause fires. The Fire and Burn Injury Lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers know that when house fires are started because of the negligence of a construction company or product manufacturer, the victims may be eligible for compensation for their medical bills and lost wages. The Fresno Bee reports that a local woman suffered serious injuries when a fire started in her home early Thursday morning near Dakota and West Avenues. The Fresno Fire Department received a call around 3 a.m. that a fire had trapped a person inside a home on the 3600 block of North Warren Avenue. When firefighters arrived, smoke and flames had engulfed the home. The responding firefighters then called for backup to help get the fire under control. By the time firefighters reached the woman trapped in the home, they discovered that she was in cardiac arrest from smoke inhalation. Emergency workers performed CPR on the woman and started her heart was she was being transported to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. The woman is currently listed in critical condition. A spokesman said that a man and two children in the home were able to escape the fire without injury. He went on to say the fire was electrical and caused $80,000 in damage to the home. The Fresno Personal Injury Lawyers at Berg Injury Lawyers are here to stand up for the rights of people who suffered fire and burn injuries in house fires that were caused by another party’s negligence or carelessness. The firm also wishes the woman who was injured in this fire a complete recovery from her injuries.

Three Workers Suffer Serious Burn Injuries at Northern California Tesla Motors Factory

by Staff Blogger | November 25th, 2013

November 25, 2013 One of the most common types of injuries reported by employees today are burns resulting from fires or explosions in the workplace. In fact, the Bureau of labor Statistics estimates that a total of 132 workers lost their lives as a result of such accidents last year. Three workers at the Tesla Motors factory in Fremont, California, were left seriously injured as a result of burns they suffered while on the job earlier this month. The California Fire and Burn Injury Lawyers with Berg Injury Lawyers explain the incident happened just before noon on Wednesday, November 13. Reports from MY FOX-Austin indicate the workers were performing their normal duties at the facility when an aluminum casting press suddenly malfunctioned, causing molten metal to spew from the equipment. Each of the workers suffered serious burns as a result of being scalded by the spilling liquid metal. They were transported to a local trauma center for further treatment to the injuries they sustained in the incident. Doctors later determined one of the workers had sustained serious burns to his chest and upper body, while the other two victims sustained second-degree burns. Berg Injury Lawyers and their team of California Personal Injury Attorneys are aware of how difficult recovering from serious burn injuries can be. That is why the firm is here to help anyone who has suffered such an injury because of someone else’s negligence.