New York Injury Talk Blog

The winter holidays mean friends, fun, gifts, and decorations. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), however, decorations and wrapping paper can increase a household's risk of fire. To keep your family safer over the holidays, consider the following fire safety tips.

Inspect your lights. Many people put up lights indoors and outdoors at this time of year. Before hanging any lights, look them over carefully for frayed or exposed wires, broken bulb sockets, damaged or dead bulbs, and any other wear. If you see any damage to the lights, dispose of them instead of hanging them up.

Use flame-retardant decorations. Check holiday decorations and their packaging to see whether the decorations are fire-resistant. Avoid using decorations that are not specifically marked “flame-retardant” or “fire-resistant.” Artificial Christmas trees should also be marked if they are flame-resistant.

Dispose of wrapping paper safely. Wrapping paper, bows, and boxes should never go in a fireplace or wood stove. Throw out used gift wrappings in the trash instead.

Supervise open flames and other heat sources at all times. Fireplaces, candles, space heaters, and ovens fired up for holiday cooking can all cause a fire if something flammable gets too close to the flame or heat source. Never leave a burning fireplace, candle, operating space heater, or oven unattended. Do not allow children to play with open flames or heat sources.

The holidays are a great time to relax and enjoy the company of family and friends. At Wingate, Russotti, & Shapiro, our experienced New York burn injury attorneys are dedicated to helping injured people and their families get the compensation they need to pay medical bills and other expenses on the road to recovery. To discuss your case with us, call (212) 222-4336 for a free consultation.

As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, many people begin to plan their family celebrations. For most, that includes enjoying a fireworks display. In the state of New York, revelers who wish to see fireworks should go to a professional show as all consumer fireworks are banned.

Fireworks are dangerous, even in the best of circumstances, and are classified as a hazardous substance under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act. In 2008, seven people died and approximately 7,000 people were treated in emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries across the U.S. Here are just a few examples of the dangers of fireworks:

• A 34 year old man lit an M-80 while holding it. It exploded in his hand, blowing off his index finger. He is not expected to regain full use of his hand.
• A 26 year old male lit a firework designed to shoot into the air. The device tipped over and shot out the back of the tube, hitting the man in the groin. He suffered cuts to the area.
• A 3 year old girl was standing nearby a group that was lighting fireworks when one of the devices unexpectedly flew toward her and set her clothes on fire. She sustained first degree burns to her legs.

As these examples demonstrate, using consumer fireworks can cause serious accidents and burn injuries. Although fireworks are prohibited in New York, some people may purchase them illegally and set them off. If you or someone you love is injured by the illegal and negligent use of fireworks, the experienced New York burn injury attorneys at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro can help you hold negligent parties responsible. Call us at 212-222-4336 for a free case evaluation.

The American Burn Association conducts yearly reviews to monitor burn injuries and burn fatalities in America. They report that on an average about 500,000 people require medical treatment for burns each year. About 40,000 of those burn injury victims require hospitalization and 4,000 burn victims die each year from their injuries. Burn injuries are among some of the most painful injuries you can suffer and the treatment is often difficult and costly.

There are many different causes for fires. Burn injuries can be a result of explosions, hot liquid burns, car accidents, industrial accidents, flammable materials and household fires. Another common reason for such serious personal injuries is when a defective product causes a fire. Defective toasters, microwaves, water heaters, washers, dryers or dishwashers are common fire hazards. Any electrical device, which is designed or manufactured poorly with substandard parts, can start a fire. Defective industrial equipment can also cause a fire in a relatively short amount of time.

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Fiesta is issuing a product safety recall for its Blue Ember gas grills after getting reports of burn injuries and other incidents. According to this consumer safety report, Fiesta has received 192 reports of grill fires resulting in nine injuries. Two of these incidents involved major burns on different parts of the body, six incidents of relatively minor burns and one incident involving temporary hearing loss. Apparently, the hose of the gas tank can get too close to the firebox and cause a burn hazard. This defective product recall involved 88,000 units in the United States and about 25,000 in Canada.

Each year in the United States, thousands are injured as a result of defective products. These faulty products range from toys to cars, to household appliances. Design defects, misleading or deceptive marketing, and manufacturing defects can pose threats of serious injury to unsuspecting consumers. Improper warnings or instructions on a product's packaging may also cause injuries to a person using a defective product in New York.

Continue reading "Defective Gas Grills Could Cause Burn Injuries" »

Former Blink-182 drummer who suffered severe burn injuries in an aviation accident has filed a product liability lawsuit against the aircraft and tire manufacturer seeking compensation for damages and personal injury. According to this news report, Barker alleges in his lawsuit that the Learjet crash caused him “great physical, mental and nervous pain and suffering.” Court papers also state that Barker’s injuries from the plane crash will result in permanent disability.

Barker has filed the lawsuit along with Thelma Martin Still, the mother of Barker’s associate Charles Still, who died in the Learjet crash along with three other passengers. Barker and DJ AM were the only survivors. Still has sued four companies for wrongful death, pain, suffering, mental anguish and loss of earnings. The companies that have been named in the lawsuit include Clay Lacy Aviation, Inter Travel and Services Inc., Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Bombadier Inc.

Product liability lawsuits may be filed when victims suffer personal injuries or lose a loved one as a result of a dangerous or a defective product. In this case, experts believe that a tire blowout may have caused this fatal aviation accident. The lawsuit also alleges that the companies involved knew about the defects in the aircraft, but still allowed it to operate.

The purpose of product liability lawsuits and goal of product liability lawyers is not only to secure fair compensation for injured victims or families that have suffered the loss of a loved one, but also to punish product manufacturers who knowingly put such dangerous and defective products in the market.

New York Fire Department investigators have said candles are to blame for a fatal Harlem fire that led a man and a boy to jump off the burning building to their deaths to escape getting burned. According to an NBC news report, the fire broke out in a six-story building at West 148th Street and Broadway. Eight people, who suffered burn injuries, were transported to area hospitals, including two firefighters.

According to fire officials, the boy was about 5 years old and the man, 45. The boy’s mother was not able to get out because of a child safety bar on the window, which ended up saving her life.

This is obviously a huge tragedy for the family and a traumatic experience for everyone living in that apartment building. Although it has been ruled an accident caused by burning candles, it is important to find out whether the sprinklers and fire alarms in the building were working at the time of the fire. Under New York law, it is the responsibility of the building owner to prevent defective building safety systems in their building.

Burn injuries can be severe, leaving permanent marks, scars and in some severe cases leading to disfigurement. Victims of burn injuries often face steep medical bills. If you have been injured in a fire, you may be entitled to compensation to cover medical expenses and loss of wages. If you or a loved one has been injured in New York, please call an experienced and knowledgeable New York personal injury attorney at Wingate, Russotti & Shapiro for a free and comprehensive consultation.