As we begin the month of November, the weather is changing and autumn is in the air. Here in South Florida, we won’t have the variety of fall foliage as in the north, but our weather will soon become the envy of the northern states.
And as the weather takes your thoughts towards Thanksgiving and planning a meal to remember with family and friends, keep safety in mind. The infamous deep-fried turkey is appealing to the palate, but before you commit to serving one, take the time to thoroughly understand the cooking process, associated potential risks, and other, safer options to cook your turkey.
Fryers pose a serious fire risk. Fryers can overheat, topple over, spill hot oil, and catch fire. Turkey fryers cause hundreds of severe burns and other injuries to family members each year. In fact, the risk is so high that in the last few years, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and actor William Shatner have been involved in public service announcements aimed to inform the general public of these risks. To see these informational videos, click here.
If you still are planning to deep fry your turkey even after learning about the cooking process and the potential dangers, carefully follow all fryer instructions, use heavy duty potholders and safety goggles, and never leave the fryer unattended. Keep children far away from the fryer and always have a fire extinguisher nearby.
Even if you follow the directions carefully, products don’t always work as intended. If you or a friend or family member were injured by a fryer while cooking the Thanksgiving turkey, by an electric knife while carving the turkey, or another potentially defective product, contact the attorneys at Goldman & Daszkal, P.A. at (954) 428-9333 to find out what you can do to protect your rights. You may have a potential defective product case or product liability claim.
If you were injured by a potentially defective product, follow these steps:
1. Seek medical attention immediately if you are injured. Do not delay treatment! Call 911 and request emergency medical services and an ambulance. As soon as emergency services arrive, explain the accident to the police and any injuries to EMS/Fire Rescue.
2. Don’t move it. Don’t touch the product, machine or equipment that caused the injury. Don’t throw anything away. Don’t fix anything. The exact location and environment may be critical evidence.
3. Save it. Save the entire defective product, machine, or equipment in the exact state you found and/or used it. Save anything that was around the product and/or affected by it (i.e.: keep anything that was burned or otherwise affected.)
4. Take pictures. Take pictures of the defective product, machine or equipment in the exact location during the incident. Take pictures of any contributing factors. Take pictures of your injuries. This information may be important to the investigative process if there is a dispute about the liability portion of your case.
5. Take notes. Take detailed notes describing where you purchased the product, equipment, or machine as well as step-by-step descriptions of how you used the product and what happened. Be sure to include the results and any side effects that occurred.
6. Take names. Get the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any individuals who witnessed the incident.
7. Call an experienced, reputable personal injury attorney immediately. Once you have left the scene or the Emergency Room, contact Goldman and Daszkal, P.A. at (954) 428-9333 for a free consultation about your rights and obligations.
8. Do not discuss the details of the incident or your injuries. Avoid discussing your feelings or detailed information about the incident and your injuries with anyone other than the police, emergency medical services, and your attorney.
Questions? Goldman & Daszkal, P.A. can answer them. Contact us at (954) 428-9333 or www.goldmandaszkal.com.
Since 1990, Goldman & Daszkal, P.A. has provided reputable legal representation to people throughout Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties. The firm has helped thousands of individuals recover compensation from motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall accidents, product defect and liability cases, pharmacy errors, and negligent security cases to cover medical expenses, pay bills, take care of their families, and return to work. Goldman & Daszkal, P.A. can help you get the relief you need to start living your life again after a serious injury. For a free and confidential consultation, contact Goldman & Daszkal, P.A., at (954) 428-9333.