Do you know how long it takes to suffer third degree burns in 120° water? Around ten minutes. As water temperature increases, that time length decreases exponentially. In 130° water it takes just 30 seconds to sustain third degree burns.
Nursing home and assisted living patients tend to be the victims of scald burns because they are unable to bath themselves. The burns happen when nursing homes are understaffed, the staff is not competent, or the facility has been negligently maintained.
Nursing homes don’t always monitor and log water temperatures as regularly as they should and miss routine maintenance procedures. When facilities are poorly maintained, the water temperatures can rise to dangerous levels.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, scalding water causes 3,800 injuries and 34 deaths every year. A significant portion of these victims are elderly people. Some common causes of scald burns to the elderly include failing to check the water before exposing the person’s body to it, slipping and falling in the bathtub and not being able to get up, temperature changes that occur when water is being used in other areas, and plumbing malfunctions.
If you or a loved one have been burned by scalding water, take action now and contact the Kosieradzki Smith Law Firm online or call us toll free at (877) 552 2873 to set up a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
