Washington Injury Attorney Blog

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission along with Sagittarius Sporting Goods has recalled approximately 10,000 Master Forge Five-Burner gas grills due to a defect in the design which could pose a burn risk to consumers.

According to the news release, there have been two reports of a hose melting and rupturing. No burn injuries or property damages has been reported.

If you have a Master Forge Five-Burner Gas Grills, contact the manufacture (Sagittarius) at 1-800-444-6742 to obtain a repair kit.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have serious burn injuries due to defective products or accidents. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages including pain and suffering.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Two victims of a Spokane RV fire were airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of their burn injuries. The 44-year-old female victim is reported to be in critical condition. The 55-year-old male victim is listed in serious condition. Both victims suffered burns to approximately 50 percent of their bodies.

According to a report in the Spokesman Review, the motor home was parked behind a home at 5611 North Perry Street. The fire was reported around 5:10pm and the pair had already made their way out of the burning RV when fire crews arrived.

The blaze occurred to the rear of the motor home and the cause is being investigated.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have suffered burn injuries and their families. See our Burn Victim Resources.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A 17-year-old Longview teenager suffered first and second degree burns over 30 percent of his body when his clothing caught on fire while siphoning gas from a car.

According to a report on Seattle's KOMO News.com, the teenager lit a cigarette while he was siphoning the gas. He was taken to St. John Medical Center in Longview with burn injuries on his hands, feet and pelvis.

First degree burns affect only the outer layer of skin and are quite superficial. Second degree burns are more serious and painful often causing blisters.

Luckily, the teen did not suffer third or fourth degree burns which can cause extensive scarring and require multiple surgeries, skin grafting and rehabilitation.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent victims of burn injuries and their family. See our Burn Victim Resources.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

December 2009 was a deadly month for home fires as there were 15 deaths attributed to fire across Washington state reports the Office of the State Fire Marshal. Already in the New Year, two mobile homes were destroyed by fire in Kent.

Across the nation, there are approximately 3,320 people who lose their lives in fires every year. December and the holiday season can be especially deadly. Colder weather, more indoor activities and the use of candles, holiday decorations and power outages all contribute to fires in December.

The Fire Marshall, Michael Matlick, reminds everyone to think about fire safety. Click here to see the Fire Marshall's fire prevention tips which include tips on smoking safety, home heating safety, cooking safety, electrical equipment and appliances and smoke alarms.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people victims of burn injuries and their families.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

A 76-year-old Monroe man whose clothes caught on fire last week after he backed his wheelchair into a propane heater, has died of his injures at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

According to a report in The Seattle Times, the man had suffered burn injuries to 40% of his body.

A major cause of home fires during the winter is when people use alternative sources of home heating. People often use alternative sources when fuel prices are high, during power outages and when they need extra warmth in certain areas of their home. However, often alternative sources of heat can contribute to a home fire.

Alternative Heat Source Safety Tips

Following are some safety tips when using alternative heat sources in your home:

Kerosene Heaters

• Make sure the heater is cleaned and has an automatic shut off if the heater is knocked over.
• Be sure to vent the room and use the right fuel as recommended by the manufacturer.
• Store fuel in metal containers in stoarge areas outside of the residence.
• Refuel the appliance outside.

Fireplaces & Woodstoves

• Make sure woodstoves are installed by professionals and have proper clearance from combustibule surfaces
• Clean chimneys annually.
• Do not use accellerants to start a fire.
• Use a fireplace screen in front of the fireplace opening.
• Don't use too much paper in a fireplace.
• Extinguish a fire before you go to bed.
• Do not close the damper when hot ashes are in the fireplace.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience representing burn victims and their families.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The Washington State Fire Marshal, Esther Hernandez, reports that last year there were 133 home fires caused by candles in the state. Christmas Day, Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, New Year's Day and New Year's Eve are the top four days for home fires caused by candles. So far in 2009 there have already been 63 candle-caused fires in the state.

State Fire Marshal Mike Matlick provides the following information about the causes of home fires caused by candles and some provides some safety tips:

• Have an adult supervising the flame
  
• Don't fall asleep when using candles as that is a factor in 26% candle fire deaths
  
• Don't use candles in sleeping areas as 40% of home candle fires originate in bedrooms
  
• Place candles in sturdy and fireproof metal, glass or ceramic holders
  
• Do not place candles where they can be easily knocked over
  
• Keep candles out of reach of small children
  
• Do not put candles on Christmas Tree

See the State Fire Marshall web-site for more candle safety information.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have suffered serious burn injuries due to the negligence of another. Burn injuries are the fifth leading cause of accidental or preventable death.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The King County Medical Examiner (ME) released its annual report on deaths in the county in 2008. The leading cause of non-traffic accidental deaths were falls, primarily in the elderly. The second largest cause of accidental deaths in this category was accidental overdoses of drugs and/or poisons. Highlights of the report are below, or click here to read the full report.

Of the 739 non-traffic accidental deaths, 18% of the accidents occurred outside of King County but the injured person was taken to medical facilities, usually Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, for treatment.

Falls

The ME reported that there were 739 non-traffic accidental deaths in 2008 and that 44% of these deaths were attributed to falls. Approximately 81% of people whose deaths were attributed to falls were 70 years old or over and many of these falls were ground-level falls which resulted in fractures and complications including pneumonia.

Overdose

In 2008, 232 of the 739 -- or 31% -- of non-traffic accidental deaths were caused by overdoses of drugs and/or poisons. In this category, 32% of the deaths occurred in people between the ages of 40-49, 31% occurred in adults between the ages of 5-50. It is interesting to note that there were no accidental drug deaths of children or infants under the age of 15.

Burns

There were 13 fire-related deaths in King County in 2008. Many of these deaths (9 of the 13) were from people who were injured outside of King County but were brought to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment at the Burn Intensive Care Unit.

Drowning

There were 23 drowning deaths in King County in 2008. 18 of the 23 drowning victims were male.

Aspiration

Ten people died from choking in 2008. All of these deaths occurred in adults over the age of 50 and 40% were in the 50-59 age group.

Complication of Therapy

In 2008, there were 81 "complication of therapy" deaths. These are deaths of people who die while being treated using a medical therapy and a complication arises which kills the patient. Complications of therapy sometimes involves medical malpractice and it includes hospital falls or injuries in hospitals, wrong-site surgeries, and prescription errors such as overdose or allergic reaction to a medication.

Of complication of therapy deaths, 37% were related to a medical procedure, 25% were drug related and 38% were surgery related.

Other accidental deaths

Other accidental deaths include:

• 14 people who died of asphyxia
  
• 2 people who died after being hit by an object
  
• 3 people who were struck by trains
  
• 4 people who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning
  
• 4 people who died of of hypothermia
  
• 1 person who died after being electrocuted

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in accidents due to the negligence of another. We also represent families who have wrongful death claims when they have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Information for this posting is from:
King County Medical Examiner's Office - 2008 Annual Report prepared by David Fleming, MD and Richard Harruff, MD, PHD.

The Office of the Washington State Fire Marshall just provided a media release warning smokers about the fire danger caused by cigarettes. According to the release, approximately 1,000 people die each year in smoking-related home fires including four people so far this year in our state.

The Fire Marshall recommends purchasing reduced ignition propensity cigarettes, smoking outdoors and never smoking in sleeping areas or homes where medical oxygen is used.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have serious burn injuries due to the negligence of another.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) is warning consumers to be on the lookout for counterfeit electrical products including Christmas lights. Counterfeit electrical products cause fires, cause severe burn injuries and kill.

The counterfeiters have become very skilled in creating knock-off products, products that look authentic but are actually very dangerous. Often counterfeit electrical products don't provide shock or electrical fire protection.

Counterfeiters have been knocking off all different kinds of electrical products including circuit breakers, fuses, extension cords, power strips, toasters, hair dryers, decorate lights, irons, space heaters, and cell phone batteries. These counterfeit products have been known to catch on fire or even explode and they pose an enormous safety hazard.

Consumers need to be very savvy to avoid counterfeit and dangerous products. Here are some tips from the ESFI:

• Only buy electrical appliances from reputable retail stores. Avoid buying electrical products at flea markets, dollar stores or unknown web-sites.
  
• Avoid deeply discounted products.
  
• Buy branded products that you know and avoid brand-less products.
  
• Read the packaging and make sure they list the manufacturer name and address and a UPC code.
  
• Make sure the packaging is professional and doesn't have grammatical errors. Examine warning labels.
  
• Look for certification labels and make sure that it has a UL certification.

Underwriters Laboratories

The Underwriters Laboratories® Inc. (UL) is an independent product safety certification organization. The UL is committed to product safety and evaluates products and their components and allows acceptable products to carry a UL certification mark.

Currently, UL warns of that the following products have counterfeit UL marks and do not comply with UL safety requirements: "Santa's Magic Christmas" decorative lighting string and "100 sphere light" decorative outfit have a counterfeit UL Mark and do not comply with UL safety requirements.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured by dangerous or defective products and the families of those killed. With our help, you may obtain compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission along with Target Corporation has issued a voluntary recall of Halloween Flashlights imported by Target and manufactured by DGI LLC, of Warren N.J. and Tien Hsing of Wanchai, Hong Kong. The flashlights are dangerous and pose a burn hazard as they can overheat and melt.

The recall involves two types of flashlights: the mini flashlights and flashlights with stencils. The mini flashlight sold for $1 and the flashlight with stencil sold for $2.50

Consumers can return the flashlights to any Target store for a full refund.

See the CPSC web-site for a full description.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured by dangerous and defective products and those who have suffered burn injuries.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Sunday, November 1st, is the appointed date to change your clocks for daylight savings time. The Washington State Fire Marshal's Office also reminds people that this is the time to change batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Operational smoke alarms allows people to get out their homes safely and cut the risk of dying in a fire by half.

According to the Fire Marshall:

• 67% of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms.
  
• Peak time for home fire fatalities is between 11pm and 7am
  
• Burn injuries are the fifth leading cause of accidental or preventable death.

Most vulnerable to fire-related deaths are young children, adults over the age of 75 and low-income families who do not have smoke alarms or are using portable or area heating equipment for heat.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have suffered burn injuries due to car accidents, construction accidents or due to the negligence of another.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that Blair LLC, of Warren, PA is expanding their recall of chenille bathrobe after nine fire-related deaths have been linked to the product. The CPSC recalled 162,000 robes manufactured by A-One Textile & Towel, of Karachi, Pakistan. They say the robes failed to meet federal flammability standards and people who use the product have a serious risk of burns if the product is exposed to flame.

The recall includes women's full length chenille robes, women's chenille jacket, women's chenille lounge jacket and women's chenille top.

There have been reports of deaths of women who were wearing the chenille products and were cooking or tending a pellet stove. Nine deaths have been linked to the products prior to April 2009.

See the CPSC web-site for more information.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured, including burn injuries, and the families of those who have been killed to defective or dangerous products.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The State Fire Marshal's office released a press release today that said that fire fatalities are up by 35% this year over last year. In the same period last year, there were 31 fire-related deaths; This year, there have been 42 deaths.

According to the Center for Disease Control, fire and burn injuries are the leading cause of preventable and accidental death. Almost 50% of all burn victims are children under the age of four.

The State Fire Marshall, Melissa Gannie, recommends that homeowners install fire sprinklers as a life-saving measure. In addition, it is required that homes and apartments have smoke alarms installed and operational. Twice a year, you should test existing alarms, maintain them with fresh batteries and vacuum and clean them. Smoke alarms should be replaced at least every 10 years.

It is also recommended that everyone have a home escape plan. This includes testing all smoke alarms so that everyone in the household knows what the alarm sounds like. A home escape plan also insures that everyone knows two ways out of each room, that there is an established meeting place outside of the home and that everyone in the home practice the plan.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have suffered serious burn injuries due to car accidents, explosions or fires caused by someone's negligence or a defective product.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Two Richland girls, ages 11 and 12, suffered critical head injuries when the car they were riding in was involved in a car accident on Interstate 182 in Pasco today. The Tri-City Herald identified the girls as two cousins, Alexandria Hatley, age 12, and Taylor Taft, age 11. Both girls were reportedly taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland and then transferred by air ambulance to Children's Hospital in Seattle.

The car accident occurred around 5:30pm today when a Suburban driven by Melinda Mae Ish, age 38, of Richland developed mechanical problems and Ish attempted to maneuver it from the center lane to the shoulder. She was rear-ended by Timothy C. Woodall, age 43 of Richland. Passengers in Woodall's vehicle, were his six year old son, Zach, and the two girls identified as his nieces.

After the collision, the two vehicles caught fire and were later engulfed with flames. Good samaritans passing by the accident scene reacted quickly and pulled some of the accident victims from the vehicles before the vehicles were engulfed with flames.

Ish was taken to Kennewick General Hospital for treatment of her injuries. One of the police officers who was involved in the rescue received burn injuries. Woodall and his son were also taken to area hospitals for treatment of their injuries.

After the accident, many people wrote on the internet blogs praising the Good Samaritans who came to the aid of the accident victims.

Approximately 20,000 Washingtonians receive traumatic brain injuries every year and the leading cause is motor vehicle accidents. For many patients it can take a minimum of six months to a year to recover and sadly, some patients die of the injury or never fully recover.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured in auto accidents and the families of those killed. With our help, you may recover just compensation for yoru injuries.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

The family of Janice McCall of Illinois has retained an attorney after the 65-year-old woman died of injuries she received during a flash fire in the operating room of an Illinois hospital.

According to a report on Fox News, McCall was set ablaze while she was undergoing surgery at the Heartland Regional Medical Center in Marion. She was later transferred to a Nashville, Tennessee hospital where she died six days later.

While patient privacy laws prohibits release of the details of McCall's case, the Tennessee state medical examiner's office ruled her death as accidental and as a result of complications from a burn injury.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured due to medical malpractice and the family of those who have been killed. With our help, you may recover compensation for your damages.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

Seattle's KOMO News reports that a fishing boat caught fire and three fisherman were rescued, but not without escaping injury, by a passing boat. All three men were treated by East Jefferson Fire-Rescue after the boating accident. One man's burn injuries were so severe that he was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment.

According to a report in the Peninsula Daily News, the boat caught on fire after a propane tank exploded. The boat, the Kemo Sabay, is owned by Scott Kimmel who runs New Day Fisheries Inc. of Port Townsend.

After the fire broke out, the fisherman ran to the bow of the vessel and waved down a passing boat.

After the rescue, the Coast Guard attempted to extinguish the blaze on the boat and save the vessel but it sank.

This information is provided by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. We represent people who have been seriously injured.

Contact The Farber Law Group at 1-800-244-9087 or attorney@hgfarber.com to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation. We have offices in Seattle and Bellevue to assist you.

If you or a loved one has serious burns, see our Burn Victim Resources.

One man suffered burn injuries when the bucket lift he and a co-worker were in touched a power line as they prepared to paint the Comfort Inn Hotel in Tukwila. The two men were stuck in the lift several stories high after it hit the power lines and the power to the unit was knocked out.

The men waited crouched in the bucket under the power line for approximately 30 minutes until Puget Sound Energy disabled the power lines and fire fighters could lower the two men to safety.

According to Seattle's KOMO News, one man suffered burns to his back and hands but they were not considered serious. The other painter did not appear to have any injuries.

The Department of Labor and Industries is investigating the cause of the accident.

Burn injuries can be a very serious injury depending on the depth of the burn. A 1st degree burn affects only the outer layer of skin. 2nd degree burns are usually quite painful and are usually accompanied by blisters. 3rd or 4th degree burns are the most severe and can cause scarring and require lengthy hospitalizations, requiring surgery and therapies.

Burn victims should seek legal representation from a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney. The Farber Law Group has more than 30 years experience representing victims with serious personal injuries and their families. If you are in need of a compassionate and knowledgeable personal injury attorney with experience with construction and industrial accidents, you should contact us today.

KiroTV.com reports that one worker sustained burn injuries over the upper portion of his body and one worker received minor injuries after their equipment hit a 115,000 high voltage line in a construction accident in Renton.

The report said the two men were painting a building on Oaksdale Avenue on Monday afternoon when the accident occurred. The two painters were in a lift bucket and equipment hanging from the bucket struck the line.

The construction worker who was the most seriously injured was rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Puget Sound Energy spokesman, Andy Wappler, said that the accident caused a power outage in areas of Renton and Tukwila, including the Southcenter Mall but power was restored not long after the accident.

This information was brought to you by Washington Injury Attorney blog, a service of The Farber Law Group. Construction accident specialists for more than 30 years, we insure that the rights of construction workers injured on the job are protected. We will help you recover compensation for lost wages, rehabilitation costs and for pain and suffering.

Contact us today for a free case consultation.

Fireworks go on sale in Washington State as we approach the 4th of July. Fireworks can be extremely dangerous explosives and should be left to professionals. Even your common place fireworks sold at local stands can be extremely dangerous and result in serious burns. Bottle rockets and sparklers are the most dangerous explosives with M80s and M100s "cherry bombs" as some of the most dangerous types.

Fireworks can cause permanent damage, can cause severe burns, loss of finger, hand or an eye and can even result in death.

According to the State Fire Marshal Michael Matlick, last year in Washington State there were 1,059 injuries due to the use of fireworks and 42% of these injuries were to children with no adult supervision. 49 of these were children under the age of 14.

Fire work safety tips:

• Do not purchase any illegal fireworks such as M80s or M100s.

• Only use fireworks where they are legally allowed

• Supervise children at all times

• Only adults should light fireworks
  
  
• Store your fireworks in a secure location.

• Use fireworks away from dry vegetation and grass that may be vulnerable to fire.

Do not allow yourself, your child or a neighbor's child become a firework accident victim. Every year, our firm receives a call from someone who suffered a burn injury or serious injury like an eye injury due to fireworks.

This information was brought to you by Washington Injury Attorney, a service of The Farber Law Group. If you of a loved one has suffered a serious injury, do not hesitate to contact us.

Washington D.C. -- Two senators have introduced a bill to congress which would require that all stoves sold in the United States be sold with brackets which would prevent them from tipping over. In addition the bill requires that the devices be installed. Over the past twenty years, a hundred people have been seriously injured or killed because a stove tipped over on them. Some stove tipping victims were severely burned due to hot foods and liquids spilling onto them and a few people have been crushed to death by a stove.

U.S. Congressmen Bart Stupak (D-MI) and Vito Fossella (R-NY) presented H.R. 5753 to Congress in April.

In a $546 million class action settlement agreement, Sears has agreed to provide anti-tip devices for free for 4 million stoves that they sold.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured because of a stove tipping, contact The Farber Law Group. We have more than 30 years experience in representing the victims of a serious personal injuries due to defective products. Contact us today for a free case consultation.