Articles Posted in Burn Injuries

Everyone knows that smoking cigarettes can be dangerous to your health. This fact has spurned the creation of the e-cigarette industry as an alternative to traditional smoking and now is more prominent among young Americans than smoking itself.

E-cigarettes, or electronic cigarettes, are battery-powered devices that allow a user to feel like they are smoking without the traditional presence of tobacco. They work by putting off an aerosol that is inhaled by a user just like traditional cigarette smoke is inhaled by a smoker and can present with a wide range of flavors. Prominently known as vaping, the health benefits and risks of e-cigarettes when compared to traditional smoking are not well understood at this time but it has not stopped millions from taking up the habit.

A recent incident in the news is highlighting the fact that potential dangers associated with e-cigarettes might extend beyond the vapor inhaled and exhaled by users and might include the devices themselves. Last week, a woman in Florida claims she was sitting in her car, intending to use an e-cigarette outside of a friend’s house when something went wrong. The user claims that she pushed a button on the e-cigarette and that the device exploded in her face, knocking her teeth loose and causing her to sustain burns to her torso and hand. Her car caught fire as a result of the explosion.

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Burns are one of the most common types of injuries experienced by Americans. In fact, an estimated 1 million burns happen every year, and roughly half of those are significant enough to require medical attention. Burns can be caused by fire, friction, hot liquid, hot steam, or other means and can happen in a home or work setting. With so many possibilities, it may not be surprising that most people encounter a situation that can cause a burn at some point during their day.

When it comes to burn accidents, it is important to understand the circumstances in which the burn happened. Having that knowledge can assist a victim in realizing whether she has a valid claim for her injuries and whether she is entitled to financial compensation for her damages.

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The personal injury lawyers at Abels & Annes, P.C. have represented numerous burn accident victims over the years in a number of different scenarios that led to injuries. Currently, these same attorneys are representing a seven-week-old infant after the child was scalded with dangerously hot water.

In this case, a mother was giving her infant daughter a bath in their Chicago apartment. While the infant was being bathed, the girl flailed her arms and unintentionally struck the hot water tap which caused a surge of hot water to enter the sink and to partially cover the child. The water led to first and second degree burns over a portion of the child’s skin and required her to undergo medical treatment to correct the damage that was done.
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A house is a place where a family lives and grows. It should provide a safe shelter to those who call it home and protect them when needed.

But there are risks with any home, whether it is the home you are living in or merely the home of a friend you are visiting. Cracked or broken steps may cause a fall that can lead to an injury. Water that is too hot to be safe can scald when washing your hands or bathing a child. An icy accumulation on steps can lead to a slip-and-fall accident. All of these situations and more can present a premises liability accident that may lead to injury by a victim or even death in the worst cases.

Though the victims of accidents cannot undue that which happened to them, they may be able to seek relief that can eliminate the financial damage done. Compensation may be available to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and even provide payment for pain and suffering, depending on the facts of the accident and the circumstances surrounding it. Speaking with a personal injury lawyer may help you understand your legal options if you have been involved in an accident that left you hurt.

Officials in Bensenville confirmed a tragic fire incident that claimed the life of a four-year-old boy on Wednesday afternoon. The fire took root in a home in the 1500 block of West Devon Avenue at approximately 2:00 p.m. Firefighters were on the scene and spoke with a family member who informed them that a child was still inside the home. The firefighters searched the home as quickly as possible to find the boy but by the time he was discovered, he had already passed away in the fire. Six family members were able to escape the home safely but two dogs were killed in the fire.

Officials are still investigating the fire, including the cause of the initial flame, and trying to determine what factors led to the boy’s tragic death.
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In March, the Kennedy Elementary School in Chicago Heights was reportedly evacuated following a small fire that was apparently caused by a space heater. According to Anthony Leli, a School District 170 official, the unattended heater caused a chair to ignite unexpectedly inside of the school library. Leli said although the fire was extinguished by a passing maintenance worker, the local fire department was summoned to the school. Investigators from the Chicago Heights Fire Department allegedly ruled the small fire an accident and declined to issue a citation in connection with the incident. Thankfully, none of the children who were using the library when the fire broke out were harmed.

Sadly, many people in Chicago and across the nation are injured in building and other fires every year. According to the American Burn Association, an estimated 450,000 Americans required medical treatment for a burn injury in 2011. In addition, more than half of those burned apparently required hospitalization and about 3,500 died as result of their injury. Nearly 68 percent of persons admitted to a specialized burn center in 2011 were purportedly hurt at their home, and approximately 10 percent of serious burn injuries occurred at work. American Burn Association data also claims that about seven percent of serious burns sustained across the United States in 2011 resulted from a traffic accident.

Although burn injuries are frequently caused by building fires and car wrecks, they may also result from electrical, cooking, scalding, industrial, and other accidents. Regrettably, the victim of a serious burn injury will generally require long-term medical care that can include rehabilitation and plastic surgery. Severe injuries can require lifelong medical care and treatment. If you were severely burned as a result of someone else’s negligent act, you may be eligible to collect financial compensation for your pain, suffering, lost wages and benefits, medical expenses, and other damages. When a child under age 18 is injured, his or her parents or guardians are entitled to bring an injury claim or lawsuit on the child’s behalf. You are advised to contact a quality personal injury lawyer to discuss your options for recovery following any severe burn injury.
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Two men apparently died in a recent fire at a 16-story apartment building on Chicago’s South Shore Drive. According to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, a man in his 30’s and a 50-year-old both suffered a massive heart attack as a result of smoke inhalation. Both were reportedly found on the seventh floor of the building and later pronounced dead at local hospitals. A woman also allegedly suffered a heart attack in the lobby of the building. After paramedics performed CPR on the woman, she was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center for further treatment. Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford stated one firefighter suffered minor injuries while battling the unexpected blaze.

According to Langford, the extra alarm fire broke out on the seventh floor of the building and spread to the eighth floor. At least ten ambulances were reportedly summoned to the scene as firefighters used ladders to battle the blaze on one side of the building and rescue building occupants on the other. It allegedly took less than an hour for firefighters to put out the flames.

The damaged building is reportedly one of hundreds of residential structures erected prior to 1975 that has no fire sprinkler or internal communication system installed. In 2004, a Chicago ordinance required the owners of all such buildings to install modern safety measures by January 1, 2012. Unfortunately, that deadline was later extended to January 1, 2015. Tom Lia, Executive Director of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board, stated much of the fire damage at this particular building could have been prevented by a sprinkler system.

Although most of those injured in this tragic case suffered smoke inhalation, many people are burned in building and other fires each year. In fact, the American Burn Association estimates that about 450,000 Americans required medical treatment for a burn injury in 2011. More than half of those burned reportedly required hospitalization and about 3,500 died as result of their burns. Approximately 68 percent of individuals admitted to a specialized burn center were purportedly hurt at home. In addition, about 10 percent of severe burns occurred at work and seven percent resulted from a traffic accident.

Burn accidents may be caused by building fires, electrical accidents, car wrecks, scalding, and industrial accidents. Sadly, the victim of a serious burn will normally require long-term medical care. If you were severely burned due to someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to collect compensation for your pain, suffering, loss of income and benefits, medical expenses, and other damages. Contact a skilled personal injury attorney to discuss your options for recovery.
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Throughout the holiday season, Americans are regularly cautioned against imbibing too much at holiday parties and driving home impaired. Unfortunately, other safety hazards are also more common in the fall. According to data recently compiled by State Farm Insurance, more grease and cooking fires occur in the United States on Thanksgiving Day than at any other time. In addition, the State of Illinois reportedly ranked number two for the number of holiday cooking fires nationwide over the last five years. Only Texas had a higher rate of statewide cooking-related fires on Thanksgiving Day. Many believe the increased number of fires has resulted from the recent popularity of turkey fryers.

The National Fire Protection Association alleges that deep fryers result in at least $15 million worth of property damage every year. Additionally, the oil used in such devices can potentially cause devastating physical harm to both adults and children. Fortunately, the majority of turkey fryer fires can be prevented. For example, deep fryers should not be used on a wooden structure such as a deck and they should be kept away from any buildings or other objects that may ignite. Other safety measures include ensuring that a deep fryer is not left unattended and keeping a functioning fire extinguisher that is rated for grease nearby. The Illinois Fire Marshall also cautioned against using water to put out a grease fire.

The potential for cooking-related injuries has allegedly caused physicians at Loyola University Medical Center to discourage the use of turkey fryers. The hospital is reportedly still treating an 87-year-old Mount Prospect man for burn injuries he sustained after he fell into a turkey fryer on Thanksgiving Day in 2011. According to a representative for the medical center’s Burn and Trauma Unit, Dr. Tom Esposito, drinking or becoming distracted by guests or cellular phones while cooking also increases an individual’s burn risk. He warned that children should always be kept away from a fryer or oven and ideally they should be kept out of any area where hot food is prepared.

According to the American Burn Association, an estimated 450,000 Americans required medical treatment for a burn injury in 2011 and about 55 percent of them were hospitalized. In addition, approximately 3,500 people died as result of their burns. Of those individuals who were admitted to a specialized burn center, an estimated 68 percent of burns occurred at home, 10 percent happened at a place of work, and seven percent resulted from an accident that occurred on a roadway.

Burn accidents can result from any number of causes including cooking or building fires, car wrecks, electrical accidents, scalding, and industrial or other workplace accidents. Serious burns often cause excruciating pain and disfiguring injuries that can require long-term medical care. If you were severely burned as a result of someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to recover financial compensation for your pain, suffering, medical expenses, loss of income and benefits, and other damages. A skilled personal injury lawyer can discuss your options for recovery with you in more detail.
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