Some people think throwing plastics into a fire might be convenient, especially if they have a fireplace at home. However, there are some things you should keep in mind before you try it, including the legal consequences of this practice. Here’s everything you need to know from our toxic chemical burn injury attorney, Michael Ehline!

Many Things Have Changed… Fireplaces Are Not on that List

The domestic fireplace was invented hundreds of years ago, and humans probably never dreamed of technology advancing so much. Although many things have changed due to technological improvements, fireplaces are not on that list.

Nowadays, a domestic fireplace has little to no use. You can regulate your home’s temperature in different ways, and you don’t need to burn coal or wood anymore. Therefore, people primarily have them for aesthetic purposes.

If you have a domestic fireplace at home and your house is also full of unused junk, you might wonder if burning plastic objects is a solution for that. You should know a few things about the topic, so take a look at the next few sections.

Burning Plastic Waste – Can You Do it in a Domestic Fireplace?

The short answer is no, you shouldn’t even try it. Commercial incineration occurs in specific places for exact reasons, primarily because burning plastics means your fireplace releases dangerous chemicals that could harm you, the people around you, and the environment.

Whether you’re getting rid of plastic trash, plastic bags, reusable containers, or other waste plastic, this action makes your fireplace release toxic gases full of dangerous chemicals, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, and more.

Can Plastic Bottles Harm the Environment?

All kinds of plastic objects can harm the environment, especially if they aren’t safely burned. The golden rule is to recycle, not throw away or try to get rid of them by exposing them to the high temperatures of your chimney.

Thus, the perfect solution to avoid heavy metals entering your house’s precious air is to grab that spare bubble wrap you have and throw it in a recycling container. Alternatively, hand it to specialized garbage disposal experts, who can safely burn them without harming anyone.

What Happens if You Burn Plastic

Burning plastics means you’re contributing to releasing massive amounts of harmful chemicals into the air, such as carbon monoxide. Although this doesn’t sound like much, many of these gases are potentially carcinogenic

The chemicals that enter the air after you burn something seemingly harmless, like a plastic bag, can cause respiratory ailments and stress humans’ immune systems.

According to MIT, the only temporary solution to this is to recycle plastic objects instead of burning them. This is the only alternative that guarantees you’re not producing dangerous gasses or harming the environment. Scientists are currently working to develop high-tech options to get rid of plastic, but until that happens, recycling is key.

Is It Illegal to Burn Plastic?

Since producing such massive amounts of dangerous gasses through fire harms human health, this practice is illegal in most of the United States.

Burn barrels and plastic produce many more dangerous chemicals than seasoned wood or other materials, as they need much higher temperatures before they’re entirely burned. Therefore, authorities have decided to make plastic burning illegal to avoid dioxins and monoxide emissions through the smoke.

Can You Get Poisoned from the Gas that Your Fireplace Emits?

Unfortunately, yes. If you burn so much as a plastic bag, your health can suffer catastrophic consequences.

According to the MIT School of Engineering, one option would be to replace your regular old fireplace with a commercial incinerator. In that case, burning different kinds of plastic would theoretically be possible. However, this alternative is so expensive and out of people’s reach that it’s still not viable.

Therefore, as of right now, you must know that grabbing those plastics and throwing them on your fireplace is immensely dangerous. Until you can safely burn things like that, you should avoid trying it out in your chimney, mainly because it’s illegal.

Should You Use Your Fireplace?

You can use your fireplace, but not to safely burn plastic. Instead, enjoy the flames that it can give you, or decorate it to fit your aesthetic.

Just because you can’t burn plastic in your chimney doesn’t mean that it’s illegal to have it. A fireplace symbolizes a warm home, and some people enjoy using it like a stove, even if it’s just to make s’mores.

Maybe experts will come up with a way to use your fireplace to get rid of those old Legos. In the meantime, just make some marshmallows and recycle the plastic you have.

Are There Legal Consequences?

Since burning these objects in a fireplace is illegal, there are consequences, and you might have to face them if you don’t follow the rules.

Remember that these guidelines exist to protect you, your loved ones, and the people around you. Therefore, don’t try burning anything made of plastic in your fireplace.

How Can You Know for Sure?

Overall, plastic burning is illegal in the United States. In some parts of California, you might be able to burn cardboard, but it depends on where you are.

Hiring a Legal Team Is the Best Alternative

If you’re interested in burning cardboard, wood, etc., you need to know whether or not you’re harming yourself or the atmosphere.

Hiring a legal expert is the best alternative because they can answer whether or not this is illegal, and you can ask any related questions you have on the subject.

Ehline Law Firm Can Help You

No one knows what the future will bring for carbon emissions. Therefore, if you want legal guidance from a top team, contact Ehline Law Firm today.

Our firm is unlike any other because you can get expert assistance regardless of your question. A team is at your service, and it can help you!

How to Find the Ideal Attorney

With so many law firms in the US, how do you pick the ideal one? At Ehline Law Firm, we ensure our clients get the justice they deserve. Here are a few factors to consider when finding the ideal attorney for you:

Consider All Your Alternatives

Firstly, you must make a list of all your options. Write a short description of each lawyer and include the law firm they work with, if applicable, along with their contact information.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Once you pick a few of your favorites, schedule a free case evaluation with each one, including one of our experienced attorneys.

This session is essential because you’ll learn about the lawyer’s personality and whether or not they might be the ideal professional to work with. Make sure you ask as many questions as you can!

Compare Pros and Cons

After having one-on-one sessions with different attorneys, compare the pros and cons of each one to ensure you’re choosing the best professional you can.

Call the Ideal Lawyer for You

Lastly, contact the attorney you choose as soon as possible to start the legal process. If you pick the correct person, they can passionately defend your case, regardless of what you’re going through!

Contact Ehline Law Firm Today

Now that you know that burning plastics is illegal, contact Ehline Law Firm if you have further questions. With a knowledgeable team of experts handling many cases, you no longer have to worry about going through the legal process alone. Call us today at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation, or feel free to use our online contact us form.

Although we don’t sponsor, have a relationship with, or affiliation with the businesses and professional groups mentioned below, we are providing this content to assist Angelinos. 

Burn Injury First Aid:

• Burn Injury Treatment Techniques.
• Burn Injury Pathophysiology.

9-1-1 Emergency Service Centers:

Burn Injury Treatment Centers:

The Grossman Burn Center.

7325 Medical Center Dr
Suite 200
West Hills, CA 91307
(818) 981-2050

(View Website)

LAC, USC Regional Burn Center.

2051 Marengo St
Los Angeles, CA 90033
(323) 409-1000

(View Website)

Shriners for Children Medical Center.

909 S. Fair Oaks Ave
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-389-9300

(View Website)

Burn Injury Foundations and Related Help.

Alisa Anne Ruch Burn Foundation.

50 N. Hill Ave
Suite 305
Pasadena, CA 91106
(818) 848-0223

(View Website)

Children’s Burn Foundation.

5000 Van Nuys Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
(818) 907-2822

(View Website)

Burn and Scalds Lawyers.

Ehline Law Firm Personal Injury Attorneys, APLC 633 W 5th Street #2890 Los Angeles, CA 90071 (View Website) We make no guarantee that these resources will help with your case. However, the above should provide a great foundation and insight into burn injury logistics and care.

Electricity has been a modern blessing but has also become one of the most lethal commodities in our homes if improperly handled.

Have You Experienced Burn Injuries from Electrical Accidents? Contact Ehline Law

In the United States, more than 1,000 Americans die each year due to electrical injuries, and those who get injured suffer from physiological and pathological effects.

Who Is Prone to Suffering Electrical Burn Injuries?

Electric burns result from a person contacting an electric current from a live wire (directly or indirectly) and lightning. Ordinary residents are victims of low-voltage electrical injuries, while those working in specific work environments (utility companies) are prone to high-voltage electrical burns.

For example, fractal wood burning, a process of creating art in wood, can cause high-voltage electrical currents if you’re not careful, leading to burn injuries.

The Severity of the Electrical Burn and Scarring

Not all types of electrical burns leave a scar. Scarring from electrical burns depends on how severe the burn injury is, and you can get three different types of burns from an electrical injury.

First-degree Burns

Also known as superficial burns, a first-degree burn is the most minor yet dangerous type of burn affliction a suffering victim can receive as it causes redness and, in some situations, swelling. The outer layer of skin dies and gets replaced with a new layer during the healing process. There might be some scarring depending on how long the contact with electricity is.

Second-degree Burns

The damage here is much more severe than that of first-degree burns, resulting in dead outer skin. Second-degree burns are also called partial-thickness burns, and victims often have redness and swelling, but some blisters are painful. These burns affect the skin’s protective ability, leading to infection if the burns do not receive immediate medical attention. Scarring is inevitable, but proper medical care can last a few months.

Third-degree Burns

These are referred to as full-thickness burns. They are the most severe burns that a victim can receive and are life-threatening as they reach the fat layer and bones. However, these are less painful than the other two types as they kill all nerve cells. With burned skin, third-degree burns affect the social life of burn injury victims as they have disfigurements and excessive scarring, requiring skin graft surgery and long-term medical burn treatment.

Understanding that the body can convert electricity into heat, leading to thermal burns, is essential. Such injuries are not evident from the outside as the skin is not damaged or affected too much, but there can be internal bodily injuries from an electric shock.

How to Prevent an Electrical Burn

Although many in the United States die from electrical burns, these injuries are preventable by taking proper safety measures.

Here are a few prevention tips that you can implement in your life to reduce the risk of an electric injury:

• Ensure safety coverings for all electrical outlets if you have children at home.
• Electrical Cords are susceptible to wear and tear, exposing live electrical wires. Keep electrical cords away from children or replace them to avoid getting electrocuted.
• When using electrical appliances, read the safety instructions that come with the devices to avoid electrical injuries.
• When at work, ensure that you follow all the safety instructions provided.
• Avoid going out or traveling during rain and lightning, as more than 15% of electrical burn cases in the United States are caused by lightning.

You may be eligible for compensation if you’ve gotten injured by an electric current due to someone else’s negligence. Contact a Los Angeles burn injury attorney today at (213) 596-9642 for a free case evaluation.

Citations

http://ameriburn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/electricalsafetyeducatorsguide.pdf

https://www.winchesterhospital.org/health-library/article?id=163347

Burn injuries are some of the most painful ones you can have in your life, both physically and mentally. They can be from hot liquids at work, defective equipment, or while purchasing a scalding hot Starbucks. In severe cases, these burns could leave significant scarring on your skin and even facial disfigurement, which can affect the injured person emotionally. I am Michael Ehline, a Los Angeles burn injury lawyer.

Understanding Burns Means Getting The Most for Financial Losses?

Yes. In 2023, your goal is to gain as much compensation as possible for all the damages, or even death, caused by your burn injury in your best interest. And this guide to burn injury compensation by Ehline Law will help you understand everything more clearly. For example, a first-degree burn will be valued differently than a laceration. To get proper compensation, the at-fault party has to pay for the uniqueness it afflicted upon you or your family member.

Even a wrongful death caused by burns will be valued differently than one had the decedent lived. Either way, the financial future of the survivors must be handled during insurance negotiations, the litigation process, or a full-blown injury lawsuit jury trial. Either way, you will have hospital bills piling up while your lawyer proves negligence and damages related to your burns.

Proven Track Record

I have over a decade of experience fighting on behalf of burn injury victims and their loved ones as lead counsel at Ehline Law Firm Personal Injury Attorneys, APLC. I specialize in wrongful death claims and have secured landmark settlements on behalf of motorcycle crash victims. I am also a world-famous cruise ship accident lawyer in Los Angeles, CA.

Our firm’s track record of success includes recovering over $150 million on behalf of seriously injured victims and their families in Los Angeles and other major U.S. cities. We can competently negotiate and win any insurance claim with merit. I have also been a CNN guest and helped draft federal traffic safety legislation.

Below, I will share some secrets that insurance companies and medical experts don’t want you to know. Want to recover maximum compensation for your burn injury accident? Let’s go, starting at the accident scene!

Regardless of the type of burn injury you experienced, getting medical treatment for it is hard, as medical bills and other treatment options tend to be more expensive.

Stress for All

As soon as you get burned, your location is the legal location of the injury. This is where your legal team and the investigators will gather evidence. They will need to find video evidence, witness statements, and any insurance policy with coverage, take photos, and prepare for the discovery process against the negligent party. This is all super stressful, even for the best legal professionals. Keep this in mind for later.

A burn injury case often comes with a lot of stress for the victim and their family. Suppose you or a loved one were involved in a burn injury scenario. In that case, you should seek immediate medical attention and start building your personal injury claim with the help of burn injury attorneys. This burn injury guide covers everything needed to recover fully.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Burn Injuries?

Unfortunately, burn injuries can happen at any time and for a wide variety of reasons. However, the most common reasons for a burn injury include the following:

• Firework accidents
• Toasted skin from a laptop computer
• Electrical burns
• Inhalation burns (heat and smoke inhalation)
• Radiation burns
• Car accidents
• Restaurant accidents (hot food, hot liquids, flammable gases at a Korean BBQ, etc.
• Scalding water accidents
• Chemical accidents (vision problems and blindness)
• Workplace fire accidents and more severe burns.

Remember that any damage to your skin caused by contact with heat, sun, fire, electricity, or chemicals will count as a burn injury. The severity of your burn injury will depend on what body part you got burned, what caused it, the person’s age, and the type of burn. When safety standards are ignored, the duty of care owed to potential victims has been breached.

And this is when most burn injuries occur. The case’s value has much to do with how fast the plaintiff acts to secure an attorney-client relationship, how badly the plaintiff was burned, and how long the plaintiff treats. Unsafe working conditions lead to many cases across California. All the information is covered here.

Types of Injuries

Generally speaking, there are three types of burn injuries a person can experience. The higher the number, the more severe the injury.

First-degree Burns

These are also known as “superficial burns.” A burn only damages the skin’s top layer, which can cause redness, pain, or discomfort.

First-degree burns are often treated with topical treatments or antibiotics, and your skin will return to normal within a few days.

Second-degree Burns

This type of burn will affect the dermis of your skin. This burn injury type is much more painful and can last longer.

Depending on the case, your skin can become red and swollen, and you may also experience blistering. Doctors prescribe antibiotics, topical treatments, and ice packs, but you won’t normally need medical intervention.

Remember that second-degree burns can leave some minor scarring once they heal.

Third-degree Burns

Third-degree burns are, by far, the most severe type of injury you can get. Depending on the case, the burn can go through the entire dermis and into your follicles, sweat glands, and other underlying tissues.

These burns leave the victim with extreme pain and discomfort for some time. Moreover, anyone with a third-degree burn injury should seek medical treatment immediately, as it will not heal without intervention.

If the burn injury is severe enough, it may also destroy your nerve endings, causing you to lose feeling in the damaged area.

Are There Any Further Degrees of Burns?

Yes. According to the National Institute of
General Medical Sciences, we have three additional burn types that, while they’re not as common as the first three, may still happen.

• Fourth-degree Burns – They affect fat tissues.
• Fifth-degree Burns – They affect muscle tissues.
• Sixth-degree Burns – They affect your bones.

How Severe Are Burn Injuries?

It should go without saying that any burn injury can profoundly affect a person. Severe burn injuries can also be life-threatening if the person doesn’t get the proper medical treatment in time.

Keep in mind that, aside from all the potential physical repercussions you may deal with, you may also get emotionally devastated, which could potentially reduce your enjoyment of life.

Generally speaking, some of the effects of burn injuries include the following:

• Scarring
• Disfigurement
• Nerve damage
• Loss of limbs
• Inability to grow new skin
• Infections
• Oversensitivity to cold and heat
• Psychological trauma
• PTSD and emotional distress
• Lost wages and hefty medical bills.

Your insurance company could be willing to cover some of the expenses from your burn injury case. Still, if you genuinely want to deal with all the pain and suffering that this incident left you, you should talk to a burn injury attorney right away.

Who Is Liable for Burn Injuries?

Determining liability in your burn injury claim is vital if you want the insurance company involved to pay for your medical bills and lost wages. However, knowing who is liable without the help of a burn injury attorney can be complicated, as it’s not always obvious.

Depending on the case, the following people or companies could be liable for your injury:

Property Owners

Whether the property is commercial or residential, the owner is responsible for maintaining and promoting a safe environment for visitors.

If the property owner fails to provide the building with the standard visitor safety requirements, you could build a personal injury claim for negligence.

Product Manufacturers

Sometimes, a burn injury is caused by a faulty product that either explodes or does something that causes the burn. Here, you can hold the company or manufacturers liable for letting a poor-quality product get sold.

Employees or Employers

Employees could be sued for negligence if they didn’t take enough precautions to avoid an injury. On the other hand, employers can be sued if they don’t train their employees carefully, increasing the chances of an accident. Burned union employees, like an injured harbor and port dockworker, will have different administrative rules to follow than a bystander or someone burned and employed elsewhere when bringing a claim.

Reckless Drivers

A car crash can sometimes cause a burn injury, depending on the type of incident. If this is your case, and you believe the accident was someone else’s fault, you can file a personal injury claim with our burn injury attorneys.

How Can You Prove Damages?

The key to a successful personal injury claim is to have as much evidence as possible surrounding the adverse effects that the burn injury caused you.

Some of the best items you can get to support your burn injury claims include the following:

• Copies of receipts for the faulty product
• Testimonies from mental health professionals and physical medical supervisors
• Police reports
• Tax records and financial testimonies surrounding how the burn injury affected the victim’s capacity to earn money.

What Can You Get in Compensation for Burn Injuries?

To follow up on the previous section, your goal is to get a good deal on your burn injury settlement.

Depending on the type of injury and its circumstances, you may recover the following damage types:

Economic Damages

Economic damages are the easiest for most burn injury lawyers to prove, as you can use physical evidence. You can prove direct monetary loss due to the accident through lost income or medical expenses.

If you experienced permanent injuries, you could also recover damages based on loss of earning potential. Finally, depending on the accident, you could recover compensation to cover property damage, which is common after car crashes.

Non-economic Damages

Considering that non-economic damages aren’t directly related to loss of money, they’re more challenging for a burn injury attorney to prove.

Non-economic damages include “Pain and Suffering,” which also consists of any emotional or psychological trauma that came because of the injury. Other types of damages include loss of consortium, loss of enjoyment of life, PTSD, and more.

Talk to an experienced burn injury lawyer to determine if you’re eligible for compensation for non-economic damages.

How Can You Start Building Your Burn Injury Claim?

Knowing what to do right after a car accident can be challenging. Whether the accident happened due to chemical burns or contact with scalding water, burns can leave permanent scarring and damage in a person, so you must act as fast as possible.

First, remember that you should file your burn injury lawsuit within your state’s statute of limitations if you want compensation. In California, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the injury.

Now, let’s cover what you should do to start building a personal injury case and ensure you get the burn injury settlements you deserve:

Keeping Calm

Even though it can be challenging, try your best to stay calm once the accident happens. In most cases, anything you say will be used against you when claiming with your insurance company.

Don’t try to apologize or claim fault for the accident. Wait until you talk to a leading attorney with exceptional knowledge and decades of experience. Schedule a call today and consult over the critical instances of your claim from start to finish—there is no obligation, and it is free to discuss with us. There is no win, no fee unless there is a positive outcome like a settlement awarded on your or a loved one’s behalf.

Collecting Information

Gather the information of the at-fault person. If there were any witnesses to the accident, gathering testimonies will also help your claim.

Seeking Medical Attention

If you sustained a severe burn, you must seek treatment right away to prevent yourself from getting permanent damage. Remember that your medical records can be used as evidence in burn injury claims.

Gathering Evidence

Gather as much evidence as possible about your burn injury damages, including photos and videos. If there were any security cameras on the incident scene, try to ask to get the footage. That will help you a lot in getting a fair settlement.

Talking to a Personal Injury Lawyer

Talk to a legal professional to evaluate all your available options for the lawsuit. These lawyers will help you negotiate with insurance companies, talk to the responsible party, and get the best settlement possible for your damages.

Several lawyers, including those working at Ehline Law, offer a free consultation to potential clients seeking compensation, so feel free to clear up any doubts you may have with them.

Start Your Burn-Related Personal Injury Claim with the Experts at Ehline Law

Did you suffer thermal burns in a workplace accident? Are you experiencing complications and need top-notch burn injury lawyers? Do you have deep tissue damage or need skin grafts? Filing personal injury claims yourself is hard enough if you don’t have experience with the claims process.

The insurance companies could try to give you lowball offers that won’t help you get the treatment you deserve for severe burns. For this reason, our prompt, trustworthy lawyers provide free legal advice to see how much compensation you can secure for your burn injury claim.

Contact our team at Ehline Law at (833) LETS-SUE if you’re ready to seek compensation for a catastrophic injury and get started with your insurance or take over your court claim. Burn injury cases are our specialty. When someone else’s negligence caused your severe or workplace injuries, we can help you make a burning claim, help your medical provider, and seek compensation for future treatment.