Syracuse, New York, Backyard Bonfire Injury Lawyers

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and an American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys 10 Best Attorneys, Has Spent Decades Helping Backyard Bonfire Accident Victims Assert Their Rights to Recovery. If You Have Been Injured in a Bonfire-Related Accident That Was Not Your Fault, Our Experienced Team of Attorneys Could Help You Obtain the Compensation You Need and the Justice You Deserve.

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For many families, the end of winter signals an exciting opportunity: one to get outside and enjoy temperatures that do not require heavy jackets and high boots. Backyard bonfires are a fixture of Central New York’s warmer months, whether used to cook food or entertain a large gathering of friends and relatives.

However, backyard bonfires do not always go as planned.

If the person, or people, in charge of setting up and maintaining the bonfire do not take proper precautions, they expose their guests to significant risks. These risks range in severity from smoke inhalation to severe burn injuries. The costs of recovery can and often are immense.

You should not have to pay the price for a bonfire accident that was not your fault. A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. knows what it takes to build a compelling, evidence-based case for compensation, and we have the results to prove it. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 today to speak to a backyard bonfire lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation.

Backyard Bonfires: Accidents, Burns, And Injuries

A “bonfire” is a generic term that can be used to describe almost any large, open-air fire.

Historically, bonfires were often erected to serve a particular purpose: marking the day of a feast or celebration, or used to burn agricultural waste and other refuse. Today, however, bonfires have a much broader appeal. In fact, the American Society of Landscape Architects has found that fire-related structures, such as outdoor fire pits, are the single most-requested feature for modern homes.

The growing popularity of these types of features is, unfortunately, associated with a noticeable increase in fire-related injuries. According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission:

1. Burns are becoming more common. Emergency rooms nationwide have reported a sudden surge in burn-related admissions. Over the course of a single recent year, hospitals treated an estimated 5,300 injuries related to fires and fire pits.
2. Anyone can be injured, but children have the highest risk. Adult fire injuries typically involve some form of alcohol consumption or abuse. However, children, especially those under the age of five, are the most likely to require emergency medical care for bonfire-related injuries.
3. Fires cause injuries even after they have been extinguished. Bonfires can pose risks even after they have been extinguished, as coal and charred debris can remain hot enough to inflict burns for hours after a fire has dissipated.

Burn injuries can vary significantly in their severity: some require little to no medical care, whereas others may necessitate an immediate trip to the emergency room and years of physical rehabilitation. Here is what you need to know about:

Backyard Bonfire Burn Injuries

The most common types of injuries associated with fire involve burns.

Burns are typically graded in terms of both their physical appearance and the extent of damage to the skin and underlying muscle, nerves, and other tissues. Most doctors use the same scale to determine a burn’s relative severity. This scale contains the following classifications:

1. First-degree burns. A first-degree burn is a superficial burn that damages the skin’s outermost layer, the epidermis. First-degree burns can hurt, but they rarely cause any long-term damage. Most first-degree burns will have a red and irritated appearance; they may also be dry or smooth to the touch.
2. Second-degree burns. A second-degree burn damages the epidermis as well as the second layer of skin, the dermis. The burn site may appear red and blistered; in some cases, it could swell noticeably. Second-degree burns are usually painful.
3. Third-degree burns. Third-degree burns are serious injuries that involve the destruction of your outermost layers of skin tissue. These injuries can sometimes penetrate even deeper, damaging the fat cells and connective tissues that provide your body with its structure. Third-degree burns can appear blackened or charred, but they can also appear white in color.
4. Fourth-degree burns. Fourth-degree burns are the most severe category of burn injuries. If somebody sustains a fourth-degree burn, it means that the burn has caused extensive and profound damage to affected nerves and tissue. Some fourth-degree burns can injure muscle and deform bone features.

A severe burn injury can be painful in its own right. Unfortunately, burns, more than most other types of injuries, often have the potential to trigger unexpected complications, some of which may pose a greater risk than the initial injury itself.

Backyard Bonfire Accident Complications

Backyard bonfire accidents can cause injuries other than burns.

Depending on the circumstances of the accident and injury, a backyard bonfire accident victim could sustain complicating injuries, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Oxygen deprivation. Fires sustain themselves by consuming oxygen, causing smoke. If you inhale smoke, it makes it difficult for your body to circulate healthy blood to and from organs and tissue. Prolonged exposure to smoke can cause oxygen deprivation as well as extensive irritation to the respiratory system.
2. Internal organ damage. A large bonfire will consume and destroy almost anything thrown into it. Besides wood, other potential sources of combustion, like plastic, can emit toxic fumes. These fumes can cause subtle but long-term damage to the heart and lungs. Serious burn-type injuries can, similarly, make it difficult to regain lost function.
3. Acute respiratory distress. Inhaling smoke and other particulates can cause permanent and irreversible damage to the lungs.

The most potent risk associated with burn injuries is that of infection.

Burns, by definition, weaken your body by damaging or destroying tissue. If too much skin tissue is damaged, a burn could provide an easy opportunity for bacteria and other pathogens to enter the body. No matter how healthy you are, this can cause your immune system to buckle under pressure, making it more difficult to fight off infections and repair damaged cells.

How The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You Assert Your Legal Rights After A Bonfire Burn Accident

Burns are complex injuries that sometimes inflict a life-altering combination of physical, psychological, and financial damage. If you have been injured in a bonfire accident that was not your fault, you should not have to bear the burden of recovery by yourself. In some instances, you may be able to file a claim for compensation against the person or party responsible for your injuries.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you investigate the causes of your accident and take action against a homeowner, event organizer, or guest who negligently:

1. Failed to take reasonable precautions to keep guests safe;
2. Failed to ensure that the bonfire was hosted at a safe location;
3. Allowed children, intoxicated adults, or other vulnerable visitors to approach the fire without adequate supervision;
4. Violated local Syracuse and Onondaga County ordinances on the size and location of bonfires; or
5. Violated New York state law by leaving the fire unattended.

Unlike many states, New York does not cap damages in most personal injury and premises liability claims. This means that you could receive as much money as you need to rebuild your life or reclaim your financial stability. However, you can only exercise your rights if you act promptly. If you wait too long, the statute of limitations on your claim may expire, making it nearly impossible to recover any compensation whatsoever.

You do not have to take chances with your rights. Since our founding in 2005, the Dietrich Law Firm, P.C., has helped our clients secure over $250 million in damages. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a burn injury lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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