Rochester, New York, Restaurant Scalding Injury Lawyers

Recognized as a Best Lawyer of America, Jed Dietrich, Esq., is Committed to Providing Rochester Accident Victims with the Highest Level of Personal Injury Service. If You, Or A Loved One, Sustained a Restaurant Scalding Injury in or Around Monroe County, The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. Could Help You Get the Justice You Deserve.

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Monroe County has some of the best dining in Upstate New York, from the Rochester Public Market to Zweigle’s famous “Pop Open” hot dogs and the Nick Tahou Hots’ notorious “Garbage Plate.” Famed as Rochester’s food scene might be, eating out comes with its own risks. While nobody expects to be injured in a restaurant, food service businesses are nonetheless the site of tens of thousands of accidents each year. Employees must contend with slippery surfaces, sharp utensils, and boiling liquids in the kitchen, while customers could be endangered by unreasonably hot beverages and meals. Each year, an estimated 500,000 Americans are injured by hot liquids, drinks, and beverages. Commonly referred to as scalds, these burns can be debilitating. In the most severe cases, they could leave accident victims disfigured, disabled, and incapable of living ordinary, independent lives.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has spent years aggressively advocating for the rights of Rochester residents who have been injured by hot liquids in Monroe County restaurants. The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. knows what it takes to prove a restaurant’s negligence, even when the owner refuses to admit fault. Since our founding in 2005, our highly experienced team of attorneys has helped our clients secure more than $175 million in damages. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us at (585) 939-3939 today to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.

Common Causes of Restaurant Scalding Injuries

Restaurants have a legal obligation to ensure that their employees and guests are safe from danger. However, some restaurants have inherently unsafe business practices—practices that could, in some cases, jeopardize visitors’ physical safety and well-being, putting them at risk for:

1. Liquid Burns: Overheated coffees, drinks, and sauces can burn the skin and damage tissue.
2. Steam Burns: Steam burns are another common form of scalding injury. Restaurant patrons could sustain these burns if they attempt to consume a warm dish containing trapped steam, such as a heated pastry, stuffed meat, or pasta.
3. Grease Burns: While back-of-the-house employees are typically at the highest risk for grease burns, visitors could also be injured if the restaurant has an uncontained, flat-surface grill, such as a Hibachi grill.

Liquid burns, steam burns, and grease burns can be just as serious as burns caused by fire, chemicals, and electricity. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, liquid burns can also be classified as:

1. First-Degree Burns: Also known as “superficial burns,” first-degree burns are typically minor and affect only the outermost layer of skin, called the epidermis. The burn site may be red, painful to the touch, and dry.
2. Second-Degree Burns: Also known as “partial-thickness burns,” second-degree burns may damage the epidermis and the inner layer of skin, the dermis. These burns may appear red, blistered, and swollen.
3. Third-Degree Burns: Also known as “full-thickness burns,” third-degree burns destroy the epidermis and the dermis. They may also penetrate into the innermost layer of skin, the subcutaneous tissue. A third-degree burn might look white, blackened, or charred, although charring does not typically occur with liquid burns unless the scalding fluid is accompanied by flame.
4. Fourth-Degree Burns: Fourth-degree burns are the most serious classification of burn injury. These burns penetrate every layer of skin and may affect underlying muscle and bone. People who suffer fourth-degree burns may not feel any pain or sensation at the burn site since the local nerve endings may be destroyed.

Establishing Liability After Suffering a Scalding Burn Injury

If you, or a loved one, have been injured in a scalding burn injury accident that was not your fault, you could take legal action against the restaurant. However, you will be required to prove that the restaurant’s negligence caused or contributed to your accident. In general, personal injury claimants must prove that:

1. The Restaurant Had a Duty of Care: The “duty of care” is a legal concept that refers to the amount of care a reasonable, prudent person should exercise to avoid causing injury to others. Everyone has a “duty of care.”
2. The Restaurant Breached Its Duty of Care: In order for a personal injury claim to succeed, the plaintiff must show that the negligent party—the restaurant—breached their duty of care by acting negligently.
3. The Claimant Suffered an Actual Injury: New York’s courts will demand evidence that the restaurant’s breach of its duty of care resulted in actual injuries.
4. The Restaurant’s Negligence Caused the Injury: A successful personal injury claim must demonstrate that the defendant’s negligence caused or contributed to the accident.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you obtain the evidence you need to prevail in your restaurant scalding burn claim by:

1. Reviewing surveillance camera footage of the accident;
2. Analyzing the business’s history of customer complaints;
3. Subpoenaing the restaurant’s employee training manuals, health inspection results, and disciplinary records;
4. Evaluating your injuries and assessing the amount of compensation needed to restore your pre-accident condition; and
5. Consulting world-class experts on policy, restaurant safety, and burns.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has decades of experience defending the rights of accident victims across Rochester and Western New York. Our highly experienced attorneys are committed to providing the highest level of personal injury service—and we have the results to show for it. Do not lose your chance to get justice: call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. at (585) 939-3939 to schedule an appointment and explore your options for legal relief.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at (585) 939-3939 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Rochester, 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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