Barbeque Your Food, Not Yourself: Understanding Burn Risks
No matter the time of year, the risk of a burn can happen whenever and wherever. For example, when it’s nice outside, people love to start up the grill or barbeque and get cooking. If it’s a colder month, heaters and insulators can reach incredibly high temperatures. All it takes is one errant touch or malfunction and a severe burn injury can happen. Whether the sufferer is a family member, friend, or someone else, it’s important that you remember there is always a risk of serious injury if a burn occurs. Today, let’s review how to avoid a burn injury from a BBQ, grill, or anything else for that matter, regardless of the season.
The Danger of a Burn Injury
The danger of a burn injury while using a BBQ, for example, is very real. No matter how experienced you might be using the grill, one of the worst things you can do when grilling is to become complacent. Being too confident about your own safety during activities that involve such high levels of heat can increase the chance of carelessness. In many cases, you or others around you may also be drinking. Combine these two factors, and it becomes easy to see an opportunity for someone to get burned. The same risks apply if you’re near heaters, ovens, flames or other sources of extreme heat.
Have one person in charge of the heat source at a time, and make sure to communicate who that person is. Furthermore, keep a safe “buffer zone” around the heat source, ensuring everyone is aware of the heat source and a safe distance to mitigate burn risks as much as possible. The fewer people who travel near the source of flame or heat, the less risk of injury. In other activities where you know you’re going to be in proximity of very high temperatures, similar protocols should be adhered to ensure the safety of all those present.
Degree of Burn Injury
In the event of a burn injury, it’s important to assess the degree of burn injury quickly. If possible, put out any fire that might start and move away from the heat immediately. Further, when the injury occurs, make sure to quickly apply aloe and contact emergency services. As with any personal injury, you should make sure to document exactly what happened. This way, you not only work to mitigate the severity, but also help ensure you can get proper compensation later on.
Phases of Burn Injury
Regardless of how severely you are burned, it’s important to remember that you have legal options. In most cases, a homeowner’s insurance policy will provide liability for injuries sustained on your property, especially those related to an accident. However, your insurance may want to make you aware of your options. Instead, hiring a personal injury attorney to help you through the phases of burn injury and guide you to compensation can be a smart move.
Your Burn Injury Lawyer
No matter when or how, burns can be very serious, and if another party may be liable, it’s important after seeking medical attention that you consider legal recourse. At Thomas J. Henry, the largest personal injury law firm in Texas, our lawyers understand the complexities of burn injuries, no matter the kind. We work with you from start to finish, getting you full compensation for your injuries, including all medical bills, all lost wages, and compensation for your pain and suffering. Remember, even if it’s a family or friend where you were injured, homeowner’s insurance was designed to help provide compensation for situations like this, so you can move forward without suing them directly. Call the Thomas J. Henry Law firm today at 361-221-5053.
