Child Injury Lawyer Serving Los Angeles, Claremont & Pasadena
Burns can be extremely painful and debilitating for people of any age. For children, the effects can be even greater. Children are smaller, their skin is more sensitive and their bodies are still developing. These factors often aggravate a child’s burn injury and recovery. It is important that children recovering from a burn injury have the resources needed to navigate the recovery process.
Child Burn Statistics
- Fires and burns are the fifth leading cause of injury related death to children
- More than 136,310 children ages 19 and under visited emergency rooms for burns in 2011
- Roughly 47% of children who died from fires or burns were aged 4 and under
Your Child’s Rights as a Burn Victim
The physical and emotional trauma that accompanies a burn injury can last for years. The pain and anguish that this causes a child and a child’s family can be devastating. But if your child’s burns are caused by the negligent acts of another then your child, and possibly you, have a right to recover monetary damages for these harms.
Common Causes of Child Burn Accidents
Children are naturally curious about the world around them and always seem to be exploring their environment. However, this inquisitiveness can be dangerous. Children often get too close to hot objects and touch things that may be harmful. Common causes of children’s burns include:
• Kitchen appliances (stoves, ovens, etc.)
• Electrical appliances outside the kitchen
• Water-related (bath, etc.)
• Chemicals and cleaners
• Linens and clothing
• Fuels and fuel-burning equipment
• Heating appliances and furnaces
• Fireworks
• Toys and sports-related equipment
Sometimes, the burn may be an accident. Other times it is not. If a child is burned from touching a space heater then it may be an accident if the product was properly labeled and manufactured. It may not be an accident if the product manufacturer did not properly label the product or if the product was defective. If your child was under the supervision of a responsible party that asked your child to pick up the space heater then that person and the organization they work for may be responsible for your child’s injury. If your child is not responsible for the cause of his or her accident then your child may have a right to be compensated for damages. Call us at (626) 604-6973 to discuss your case.
The child burn lawyers at The Law Offices of Scott Glovsky want to understand everything about your child’s case. We work with a variety of experts to assist in demonstrating the extent of your child’s injures and their cause. From medical specialists to fire accident reconstruction engineers we bring the right resources to bear on your case.
What Damages and Costs Are Recoverable In Burn Cases?
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Why a Consulting with a Los Angeles Child Burn Injury Attorney is Critical
We understand how devastating a child burn injury can be to your child and your family. Your child may face lifelong issues relating to medical treatments, pain, and disfigurement. Communicating what happened and how the injury has changed a victim’s life is a critical component of seeking justice. Scott Glovsky is a skilled and experienced trial attorney trained to tell your story. Mr. Glovsky’s trial work relies on principles from storytelling, psychology, and neuropsychology.
He has trained in the use of psychodrama, re-enactments, and working with focus groups. Each case involves many or all of these techniques to ensure that your story has the maximum impact on a jury. Since 1999 the Law Offices of Scott Glovsky have been serving seriously injured and harmed clients. If your child has been burned tell us about your case. Call us at (626) 243-5598 or complete and send an inquiry form by following this link.
Details & Prevention Tips For Common Causes of Child Burns
Toys & Sports-Related Equipment
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that there were over 180,000 toy-related injuries for children under the age of fifteen. Toys that are commonly reported as being involved with an injury include scooters, balls, and toy vehicles.
Safety tips:
- Choose age-appropriate toys
- Maintain toys
- Store toys properly (put them away)
- Supervise children
Exercise Equipment
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, exercise equipment like treadmills and exercise bikes injure over 8,700 children annually.
Treadmill Safety tips:
- Ensure that children never play on or near exercise or weight training equipment.
- Install barriers that prevent children from wandering into a room with exercise equipment.
- Teach children that treadmills are fast-moving and are not toys.
- Locate and use any auto-shutoff features that may exist.
Kitchen Appliances
The most common childhood burns that hospitals treat are burns related to kitchen appliances. Stoves, ovens, toasters, coffee makers, and other kitchen appliances get hot. Burns result from children touching the heat source, doors, or an object on the hearting surface (pots, pans, etc.).
Kitchen Safety Tips
- Create a no play zone around stoves and ovens
- Don’t use child walkers in the kitchen
- Don’t hold children while cooking
- Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove every time you cook.
- Unplug all kitchen appliances when not in use and keep cords far from reach.
Fuels & Fuel Burning Equipment
Spending time outdoors with family is a national pastime but there are numerous hazards related to fuels and fuel-burning equipment used outdoors. Camping stoves, grills, lanterns are part of the outdoor experience. This equipment requires fuel to operate. Whether it’s gasoline, propane, butane, ethanol, or kerosene all of these fuels pose potential harm to children. From a burn perspective, these fuels are combustible. Any defect in the product or improper operation can cause fires or explosions.
The containers that these fuels come in are often subject to specifics federal and state laws designed to protect children. The Children’s Gasoline and Burn Protection Act (H.R. 814; 110 Enacted H.R. 814) is one such law that requires fuel containers to have specialized child-resistant closures.
Fuels & Fuel Burning Equipment Safety Tips
- Supervise your children closely around fuels and fuel-burning equipment
- Create a no play zone around fuel-burning equipment
- Never use fuels or fuel-burning equipment to dry flammable items like clothes, towels or blankets
Child Burn Injury Resources
Fire Safety For Children – U.S. Fire Administration
How To Make A Fire Safety Plan With Children