Avoid a Grilling Burn Injury With These Tips
The peak of the summer grilling season arrives with the Independence Day holiday. Some will no doubt find themselves cooking for a crowd with a full boat of burgers, hot dogs and sausages. Others may enjoy healthier vegetarian fare with grilled vegetables or plant based proteins. Some may indulge with a flame grilled steak dinner. The truly dedicated can spend days at a time smoking prized cuts of meat such as brisket or beef ribs. Grills mean fire and fire means flavor, but when we allow ourselves to become too casual around these cooking surfaces, the risk of injury begins to rise. Today’s Malloy Law Offices blog post will cover the risks of a grilling burn injury, explain how you may be able to pursue compensation, and discuss general safety tips next time you fire up your own grill. Let’s get started.
Barriers to Compensation
In general, you will not be able to pursue compensation if your injury occurs on a privately owned grill in your own backyard. The vast majority of these injuries can be attributed to operator error. Even for those that do enter the gray area of potentially negligent behavior on the part of the grill owner (especially if you are a guest on another person’s property) it’s likely that any potential case will find itself nipped in the bud by Maryland and Virginia’s contributory negligence laws. For the uninitiated: contributory negligence stipulates that an injured person cannot pursue litigation if they are deemed to be even 1% responsible for their injury. If your burn occurred while under the influence of alcohol (even in responsible moderation) or while crowding around a grill, watching someone else cook, then this may fall under contributory negligence and prevent recovery.
However, some of these cases may fall under product liability. If the specific model of grill you were injured on is shown to be defective in some way, you may be entitled to compensation. This will most often come in the form of a class action lawsuit filed on behalf of all victims of the defect.
The Ins and Outs of a Grilling Burn Injury Premises Liability Case
Your best chance of winning compensation for a grilling burn injury is if the grill in question was located:
- In a public park.
- In a common area on a property where you rent living space.
We’ll cover each case separately.
In a Public Park
Improper servicing of public grills can lead to dangerous circumstances for park-goers. If the parks department or other relevant authorities fail to keep their facilities in safe working order or inform guests of any temporary facility closures, you may have a case.
However, there are special provisions which must be observed when suing a government entity for damages. Speaking with a personal injury attorney will give you some idea of what hurdles may stand between you and compensation, and how these challenges may delay receipt of compensation for your injuries, lost wages, and emotional trauma.
On Private Property
Grills, particularly gas grills, have become a popular amenity in apartment communities. The upkeep demands they place on an already stressed staff can see them fall into dangerous conditions. Some of these, such as cleaning grill grates to reduce risk of fires, will fall on the individual user. Others, however, such as gas leaks caused by improper fitment between propane tank and grill or damage to either tank or grill, could be a result of negligence on the part of the building or community staff. In these cases, it’s necessary to prove that the property owners either knew or should have known of these dangers and failed to inform tenants.
General Grill Safety Tips
- Check propane grills for gas leaks before operation
- Clean grill regularly to prevent buildup of soot, grease, and fats
- Keep the grill away from walls, railings, and overhanging branches to minimize risk of fire
- Keep children and pets at least 3 feet clear of grill
- Use proper lighter fluid for ignition of charcoal grills
- Never leave a grill unattended while in use
How Malloy Law Can Help
If you or a loved one has suffered a grilling burn injury, Malloy Law may be able to help. Our experienced and diverse team of personal injury attorneys has encountered all kinds of cases and knows how to win compensation for the injured. Contact Malloy law today for a client first approach to your personal injury case. Let’s win your case!
