How to Include Skin Grafting in a Burn Injury Claim
Following a catastrophic burn injury, your doctor may suggest a skin graft to replace scarred tissue or help an open wound heal properly. However, few understand how this process works, much less the added cost that comes with it. When you’re in the middle of recovery and working through a personal injury, you may wonder if you can include skin grafting in your list of damages.
Fire Safety Tips: How to Avoid Burn Injuries
Over the last 20 years, burn injuries and deaths from fires have gone way down. There are many reasons for this, but the top one is probably that people are now more aware of how to avoid a fire in their home or business. Decades of TV commercials telling us how to be safe around a flame have worked! But, Smokey the Bear’s job is never done.
Every day people still suffer burn injuries in fires. While the problem of fire danger is never going to go away, you can take steps to lower the chances that you, your family, your home, or your business will be in a fire.
January is New York’s Most Dangerous Month for Home Fires
Home fires caused by heating equipment escalate considerably in January, making the first month of the year the most dangerous in terms of house fires and serious burn injuries caused by home heating elements, according to the United States Fire Administration (USFA).
While hidden defects in home heating equipment can cause harm, so can using equipment that is not installed or maintained properly. The USFA recommends that New York families take several steps to reduce the risk of fire and burn injuries during the chilly winter months.
Protect Yourself from Burn Injuries in Tanning Beds: Know the Risks
Indoor tanning often comes with warnings about its risks. Just like tanning under natural sunlight, indoor tanning exposes the skin to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is known to increases the chances of skin cancer and other disorders. However, fewer tanning salons warn customers of the risk of an equally serious problem: severe burns and eye damage caused by overexposure to tanning beds.
According to a recent study cited by WebMD, about 3,200 people seek emergency room treatment each year after being injured in a tanning bed. Eighty percent of the injuries suffered are first- or second-degree burns to the skin or eyes. People with light skin tones were more likely to suffer burns than those with darker skin, and young adults ages 18 to 24 were more likely to be injured than older adults, the study found.
Four Ways to Keep Elderly Loved Ones Safe from Burn Injuries
Fire, burn, and scald injuries can harm all Americans, regardless of age – but statistics show that elderly people are more likely to die in a fire than their younger family members. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), in 2010, adults age 65 and older made up 35 percent of all deaths in fires, even though they represent only 13 percent of the population as a whole.
This holiday season, give your elderly loved ones the gift of greater safety and peace of mind by helping them reduce their risk of fire and burn injuries. Here’s how:
Safer Holiday Decorating Can Reduce Burn Injury Risks
Families throughout New York decorate their homes and offices for the winter holidays. Whether you’re preparing for Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa or any other holiday event, paying attention to the details as you decorate can help you prevent serious burn injuries.
Here are some tips for safer holiday decorating, courtesy of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):
- Check for “credentials.” Many holiday decorations meant to support electric lights or candles, like artificial trees, wreaths and candleholders, will be labeled if they are made of fire-retardant or fire-resistant materials. Avoid items that are not labeled flame-resistant or flame-retardant, as these can catch on fire more quickly and may cause burns.
Three Ways to Prevent Burn Injuries during Holiday Cooking
The winter holidays will soon be here, and families throughout New York will be enjoying the season by gathering with family and friends to enjoy tasty holiday treats. Cooking on a hot stovetop always increases the risks of burn or scald injuries, but you can take several steps to help reduce this risk for yourself and those you love.
Here are three ways that experienced New York burn injury lawyers help their families and friends avoid burn and scald injuries while cooking: