Jury Awards Buford, Georgia Woman $1.2 Million in Coffee Machine Scalding Accident Lawsuit
A Buford, Georgia jury awarded a woman $1.2 million in damages for serious burns which she suffered when she was scalded by water that was heated to 190 degrees before spewing out of a cappuccino machine in a QuikTrip convenience store. Cynthia Nance was burned on her hand and arm when water flowed out of the machine as she held her cup near the water dispenser. Her burns were so severe that she may need an electronic implant to repair nerve damage resulting from her scalding injuries.
Scald injuries are caused by contact with very hot gasses or liquids. Most people typically envision flame or hot surfaces as the cause of severe burns, but extremely hot water or gas can be just as damaging to a person's skin and body tissue. Scald burns are especially dangerous because they often cover a large area of a victim's bodies. Approximately, 112,000 people are treated for scald injuries in hospital emergency rooms annually. Many household scald injuries are caused by water heaters being set at temperatures above 120 degrees F, but water heated to even 140 degrees F can cause a full-thickness burn in 10 seconds. At Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, we have been representing those who suffer burn and scald injuries throughout Georgia for over 39 years.
The severity of a scalding injury depends on the temperature of the liquid, the time that elapses while the substance is in contact with the body, and the overall health and age of the person suffering the scald injury. A third-degree scalding injury may affect the muscle or bone, resulting in hardened dead tissue that is cast off from the surface of the skin, lack of sensation, and a charred look to the skin. With a serious second or third-degree burn, healing is slower and scar formation is greater. The costs of treating scalding injuries, including pain medication, antibiotics, hospitalization, skin grafts and other re-constructive surgery, can be extremely expensive. Second or third-degree scald injuries frequently entail ongoing medical care. Severe scald injuries always require prompt attention and may necessitate hospitalization. Scald injuries can result in disfiguring and disabling scarring, nerve damage, amputation and even death in severe cases, as well as horrible pain and suffering. The treatment of burns related to severe scalding injuries may include debridement (the removal of dead tissue), applying dressings to the wound, administering large volumes of intravenous fluids, antibiotics, skin grafts and plastic surgery.
Scald injuries are particularly common in young children and people over the age of 65. The most common cause of scalding injuries is excessively heated tap water in the home. Many states have laws that require that water heaters be limited to a maximum of 120 degrees F. However, some hot water heaters are tampered with by prior property owners or landlords allowing for higher water temperatures. In other cases, hot water heaters may lack adequate warnings about the danger of increasing the preset maximum temperature. Despite the common misconceptions about scalding injuries, they are neither rare nor trivial. A serious scalding injury can be a serious life-changing event and have long-term debilitating consequences. If you or a family member has suffered a serious burn from a scalding accident, the burn accident attorneys at Montlick and Associates, Attorneys at Law, will represent you in seeking just compensation for your injuries.
Our experienced Georgia scalding accident attorneys are available to assist clients throughout all of Georgia and the Southeast, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located we are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.