Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Every holiday season, Florida burn injuries spike. Ranging from mild burns to life-altering severe burns that affect mobility as well as appearance, burn injuries are a devastating injury. These burns can lead to severe pain as well as disfigurement. Worse, many insurance companies refuse to compensate Florida burn injury patients for skin grafts and other treatments, since such procedures are considered “cosmetic.” In order to prevent these types of injuries, it is important to know the risks of burn injuries:
1) Candles. Many people choose to decorate with holiday candles during this time of year, but candles are a fire hazard. They also cause many Florida injuries to minors and children each year, as children are often curious about candles and draw too near the flame. A better option is to light electric ornaments in the shape of candles. If you do decide to use candles, select quality candles that contain no lead and only burn them for short periods of time, when you can supervise the candles closely. Take extra care to extinguish the candles before leaving the room and the house.
2) Holiday lights and displays. While holiday lights and electric displays may be safer than candles, they still do pose a serious risk of Florida personal injuries. Always read the instructions that come with your holiday decorations carefully. If an electric display is intended for indoor use, for example, it is important to never use it outdoors – moisture and rain can pose an electric hazard. As well, check periodically to make sure that your holiday lights do not burn too hot. Older holiday lights, especially, sometimes do burn hot enough to pose a fire hazard. Periodically check for any damage to your lights and displays. Any frayed or worn cords should be replaced at once.
3) Cooking. During the holidays, many of us cook more and often cook in unusual ways. For example, we may cook outdoors as well as indoors to accommodate a large crowd or we may add hotplates to our kitchen to cook more dishes. When cooking that special holiday meal, make sure that the kitchen is well supervised. As well, if you are using several cooking surfaces – such as outdoor surfaces, for example – check all the cooking areas regularly to make sure no fire starts. Set up good detectors in your home and ensure that they work well.
4) Absences from home. When you drive out to visit friends and family, you need to ensure that stoves, fireplaces, candles, and other hazards are not in use. Walk through your home, ensuring that you have not left anything on which might be a hazard. Consider turning off your holiday light displays, too, since these can burn hot if you leave them in for days at a time.
If you have sustained a Florida burn injury, contact the compassionate and experienced legal team at the Flaxman Law Group. The Flaxman Law Group is proud to have helped thousands of victims in Miami, Hollywood, Homestead, and surrounding South Florida areas. Don’t sign anything until you get the facts – call the Flaxman Law Group today to set up a free, no-obligation consultation.