BWH’s Fight for Justice After a Child’s Catastrophic Injury
A kitchen accident left a four-year-old boy with life-changing burns. Attorney Jed Hill of Buzzell, Welsh & Hill fought to ensure the child’s medical expenses were covered and that he would be financially supported for the rest of his life.
How Dinner Prep Turned to Tragedy
A mother was preparing the family’s dinner in the kitchen of their rental home. She had a pot of boiling liquid on the stovetop of a standalone range. When she stepped away for a moment, her four-year-old son wandered into the kitchen.
Young and curious, he wanted to see what was cooking, so he opened the oven door and stepped up to get a better look. Immediately, the child’s weight caused the range to tip forward. The pot of scalding hot liquid toppled over and severely burned the boy.
The burns were so bad that he was rushed to the Burn Center in Augusta, GA, for treatment. The child experienced terrible pain and permanent scarring, while the family faced more than $100,000 in medical bills.
Jed Fought So That the Family Could Afford to Heal
When the family reached out to Jed for help, he and his team began investigating the incident. They quickly discovered that the landlord had not properly secured the range to the floor with the supplied safety brackets.
All freestanding ranges must be secured to the floor with anti-tip brackets so that heavy weights – like a filled pot, frozen turkey, or small child – sitting on the open oven door will not cause the entire range to tip forward. All ranges come with these brackets.
During his investigation, Jed saw that the brackets were still in their original packaging and fastened to the back of the range. There were also warning stickers that:
- Showed an image of a child sitting on an open oven door and tipping the range forward
- Explained how bracket installation protects children and adults using the range
The landlord failed to install the brackets, which played a huge role in the young boy’s significant burn injuries.
The Successful Outcome
Jed pursued a personal injury claim against the landlord and won. While the exact amount is confidential, the settlement covered the family’s overwhelming medical bills and provided the child with a lifetime of financial security.
Although he must live with permanent scarring all over his body, the boy has since made a miraculous recovery. The family has also been able to move forward from this incident without financial stress, thanks to the dedication of Jed Hill and his team at Buzzell, Welsh & Hill.
Additional Success Stories
- BWH Got a Nurse the Workers’ Comp Benefits She Deserved
- How BWH Fought on Behalf of a Teen in a Work-Related Accident
- A Dog Bite in Irwin County Turned into a Fight for Justice
- A Negligent Security Case in Macon Led to a $750K Settlement
