New York Personal Injury Lawyer Secures $750,000 Settlement for Burn Victim

 The New York personal injury law firm of Kenneth A. Wilhelm helped a hot water burn victim secure $750,000 in damages from the apartment’s property owner and property manager. Our law firm helped the injured woman file a premises liability lawsuit against the property owner and the company that managed her Brooklyn apartment building. The incident occurred during the early morning hours in February 2012.

The woman was taking a shower in her apartment’s bathroom when she suffered severe burn injuries from the hot water that came out of the shower. She suffered second- and third-degree burn injuries covering her buttocks and second-degree burns to her right shoulder and back. She also suffered scarring on her body as a result of the burn injuries. The plaintiff praised Wilhelm and the law firm for achieving the best possible outcome in her case.
“Mr. Wilhelm is a very, very approachable individual to deal with,” she said. “He is very compassionate in dealing with your case as well as professional and diligent. I’m very happy with my outcome.” The plaintiff also added that she appreciates Wilhelm’s willingness to go the extra mile and never give up.
“He fights for you and he doesn’t stop until gets a result,” she said. “Anybody should go to Mr. Wilhelm if they are seeking justice for an accident that happened to them.”
The Danger Posed by Hot Water
Many people may not realize that hot liquids have the potential to cause burn injuries similar to those that result from fire accidents. According to The Burn Foundation, more than 500,000 scald burns occur annually in the U.S. The two highest risk populations are children under the age of 5 and adults over 65. Hot liquids may even cause life-threatening burn injuries. Scalding accidents are the number one cause of burn injuries to children under 4.
Extremely hot water that comes out of an apartment or home’s faucet, as it occurred in this case, is sufficient to cause a serious burn injury. When tap water reaches 140º F, it can cause a third-degree or full thickness burn in just five seconds. According to The Burn Foundation, hot tap water accounts for 17 percent of all childhood scald hospitalizations.
Types of Burn Injuries
There are three primary types of burns: first-, second-, and third-degree. Each degree is based on the severity and extent of damage to the skin, with first-degree being the most minor and third-degree being the most severe. First-degree burns cause minimal skin damage. They are also known as “superficial burns” because they affect the outermost layer of the skin. Symptoms of a first-degree burn include redness, minor swelling, pain and dry, peeling skin as the burn heals. Since this burn injury only affects, the top layer of the skin, the signs and symptoms disappear once the skin cells shed.
Second-degree burns are more serious because the damage extends beyond the top layer of the skin. This type of burn causes the skin to blister and become extremely red and sore. Some blisters pop open, giving the burn a wet appearance. Some second-degree burns take longer than three weeks to heal.
Third-degree burns are extremely severe and cause the most damage extending through every layer of the skin, even causing damage to nerves. Third-degree burns have a waxy and white appearance. Without surgery, these wounds heal with severe scarring and contracture.
Liability Issues
Who can be held liable if you have been injured and burned by scalding tap water. Often, it is the property owner and/or property manager who are responsible. This is because it is the property owner and/or property manager’s duty to ensure that the property is safe for tenants, visitors and guests. This duty includes properly maintaining the property and making the necessary repairs.
Victims of hot water burn injuries can file what is known as a premises liability claim against the property owner and/or property manager. Injured victims can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, hospitalization, cost of rehabilitation, surgery, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has suffered burn injuries, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com