In December of 2012, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm was in the process of getting dinner ready. Like many people do, Storm was barbecuing her dinner on the backyard grill. As she cooked, she noticed that the grill had gone out. Storm attempted to relight the grill, but unfortunately disaster struck. Instead of relighting, a powerful gas explosion occurred, blowing the doors right off the grill. Storm’s shirt caught on fire and she suffered first and second degree burns on her head, neck and chest. Storm also lost some of her hair as well as her eyebrows in the explosion. Yahoo Sports had pictures of her burn injuries, released by ABC.

Storm was, fortunately, able to get the medical assistance that she needed and was back at work and on television to host the New Year’s Rose Parade. Still, her serious injuries have brought the dangers of gas grills to public attention. Gas grills are just one of the many common causes of burn injuries that send people to the ER each year and that have a life-changing impact. Our Buffalo burn injury attorneys want to make sure that everyone is aware of some of the burn injury risks and that they take responsible steps to protect themselves.

Burn Injury Dangers

As Hannah Storms’ recent accident shows, there are many household objects that you use on a regular basis that create the risk of causing a burn injury. In fact, every day, people encounter many situations at home, at work or on the road that could result in a fire or burns. Some statistics can illustrate just how many burn risks there are:

• The National Fire Protection Association attributed 6,900 house fires to gas grills between 2005 and 2009.
• The U.S. Fire Administration data reported 258,000 vehicle fires on highways from 2004 to 2006.
• The Electrical Safety Foundation International indicates that around 100,000 people scald themselves so severely each year that they must visit the emergency room.

Gas grills, auto accidents and scalding injuries are some of the most common causes of burn injuries. There are, of course, other causes of burn injuries as well. For example, people may suffer chemical or electrical burns. While it may seem like these types of burns would happen mostly in industrial settings, WebMD makes clear that a number of household cleaners and other products could potentially cause chemical burns to people in their own homes.

Unfortunately, this means that any of these types of burns, from gas grills to scalding injuries, can happen anywhere. They happen at work, where the  Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that three percent of all of the 4,609 fatal workplace injuries that occurred in 2011 were caused by burns.  They can also happen in apartments where the National Fire Protection Association reports that there were 95,500 structural fires in 2011 causing 415 deaths. Finally, they can happen at home where an estimated 8,600 home and outdoor fires prompted homeowners to seek help from the fire department from 2006 to 2010.

Knowing about the dangers of burns, whether from gas grills or from any other cause, is important so you can try to stay safe and avoid becoming one of the thousands each year who are hurt by fire. The makers of products, from gas grills to dangerous chemicals, also need to warn people of the risks and do everything possible to keep people safe or else they could be faced with a lawsuit.

If you’ve been injured in Buffalo or the surrounding area, contact the Law Offices of James Morris today for a free consultation to discuss your rights. Call 800-477-9044.

The bike path in Clarence where joggers, bikers and walkers go to enjoy autumn’s outdoor splendor has recently become the subject of grave safety concerns.

As our Buffalo accident attorneys understand it, earlier this month a 53-year-old motorcyclist drifted off the road next to the path, plowing into a handful of pedestrians and cyclists, killing two of them and critically injuring another.

According to The Buffalo News, the stretch of road where this tragedy occurred is along an area where the path is directly joined to the road, with no separation of grass or even a dividing line. There are other sections of the path where dense woods create a clear divide.

The driver of that motorcycle has been arrested and charged with DUI and criminally negligent homicide.

But that doesn’t change the fact that such an accident is not only possible again – it’s likely, particularly if town officials don’t take some action to implement additional safety precautions for those who use the path where it runs alongside Tonawanda Creek Road.

Town officials have indicated that there is no cause for serious alarm, as this incident isn’t indicative of any pattern of serious accidents along this stretch. However, when you actually see the site of the accident, it’s clear to understand why cyclists, joggers and pedestrians are alarmed.

Officials though have said that creating some sort of buffer might be difficult, as the land that is closest is mostly marshy and parts of the path have already become eroded as a result. Others have questioned whether such measures would be enough to stop a drunk driver.

The town’s Planning Department officials said it would make the issue a top priority of discussion. That’s a start.

And further on the subject of rising bicycle accidents in New York, it appears similar problems have been reported in New York City, where officials had previously held that pedestrians and cyclists were increasingly safer. Now, however, the Mayor’s Management Report indicates that traffic fatalities in the city were actually up a shocking 23 percent between July 2011 and June 2012. It was the first increase since 2007.

Among bicyclists and pedestrians, deaths spiked to 176, from 158 the year before.

Authorities are blaming speed, DUI and ignoring traffic signals as the top causes of fatal accidents.

Bicyclists often wear helmets and are alert, but the responsibility primarily falls on motorists. Here are some ways drivers can avoid hitting those on two wheels:

• Watch for bicyclists when turning left. This scenario accounts for almost half of all vehicle-versus-bicycle crashes.
• Don’t pass a bicyclist and then turn right. Wait for him or her to pass through the intersection before you make your turn.
• When you are parallel parking, make sure to check your mirrors before you open your driver’s side door. This will help you avoid “dooring” a cyclist.
• Look both ways for bicyclists when leaving a parking lot.

If you’ve been injured in Buffalo or the surrounding area, contact the Law Offices of James Morris today for a free consultation to discuss your rights. Call 800-477-9044.