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Charleston, West Virginia, Lawyers for Injured Children

A serious injury can rob a child or teen of a bright future. Instead of a tomorrow filled with hope and promise, an injured child may face a lifetime of disability and pain.

At Freeman & Chiartas, we understand that when a child is injured, the entire family faces emotional and financial hardship through loss of work, medical bills and stress placed upon parents, siblings and other loved ones.

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Thanksgiving  Safety Tips for Your Family, Friends and Pets

Thanksgiving is a fun time of year.  We get together with family and friends and celebrate life's abundant blessings.  As Thanksgiving approaches, cooking the traditional turkey dinner gives rise not only to anxieties and questions but safety concerns.  Nothing can ruin the holiday more than a trip to the hospital.  To prevent having hospital food instead of turkey with your family the following these simple safety tips will help prevent injuries and make Thanksgiving a holiday to remember for your family, friends and pets.

GENERAL SAFETY TIPS:

• Thaw the frozen turkey in the refrigerator.  Allow one day for each five pounds of turkey.   A twenty-pound turkey will take about four days to thaw.  Hint:  Remove neck & giblets  from inside the bird as soon as possible to hasten thawing.
• Do not thaw the turkey on the kitchen counter.  If you do not have time to thaw in the refrigerator, you may thaw it in cold water, provided that the turkey is in leak-proof packaging, it is  submerged, and the water is changed every half-hour.  Allow 30 minutes per pound of turkey to thaw in cold water.  Cook fresh turkeys within two days, thawed turkeys within four days.
• Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before and after handling raw poultry.  Wash all   knives, cutting boards and utensils also after using for raw poultry.
• Read and follow the cooking directions on the label.  Cook turkey until it is done (165F).
• Do not slow cook overnight at low temperatures or partially cook.  Some turkeys comewith pop-up thermometers.  They are to be used only as a guide to doneness.  Take the temperature with a meat thermometer to be sure the temperature is over 165F.
• Stuffing should not be prepared a day ahead and the turkey should not be stuffed until ready to cook.  A quicker, safer method is to cook the stuffing separately in a casserole, using some of the pan juices to flavor and moisten the stuffing.
• Eat the meal as soon as it is prepared.  Do not leave leftovers out on the counter or table after dinner.  Cut the meat off the bones and put it in shallow containers in the refrigerator.Reheat all leftovers to 165F (use your meat thermometer).  Gravy should be brought to a rolling boil.
• Be careful not to cut yourself instead of the turkey.  Bacteria from food abounds and you can wind up with a nasty infection.  Obviously, if this happens at home you should have everything you need nearby to clean your wound.  Deep or large wounds may require professional care.
• Be careful of grease fires as they are notoriously dangerous.  It's easy to extinguish the typical grease fire by smothering it or using an all purpose fire extinguisher, but make sure everyone is heading out of the house first.  Never put water on a grease fire!
• Burns are some of the most common injuries around the house.  Make sure you know  what to do in case you receive a minor burn.  Run the affected area under cold water.  Do not apply butter or grease.
• Keep the kitchen off-limits to young children and adults who are not helping with food preparation to lessen the possibility of kitchen mishaps.
• When cooking, do not wear clothing with loose sleeves or dangling jewelry.  The clothing  can catch on fire and the jewelry can catch on pot handles, causing spills and burns.
• Cook on the back burners when possible and turn pot handles in so they don’t extend over the edge of the stove.
• Never leave cooking unattended.  If you must leave the kitchen while cooking, turn off the stove or have someone else watch what is being cooked.

DEEP FRYING SAFETY TIPS:

One of the best ways to cook a turkey is to deep fry it.  Most people who have had a deep fried turkey believe it's the best way to prepare the main entre.  Unfortunately it can also be one of the most dangerous.  Again, a few safety measures can help reduce the associated dangers.

• Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors a safe distance from buildings and any other material that can burn.
• Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages.
• Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
• Never leave the fryer unattended.  Most units do not have thermostat controls.  If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
• Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use.  Even after use, never allow children or pets near the turkey fryer. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot, hours after use.
• To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
• Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles.  If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades.  Never fry a frozen or partially frozen turkey!  Oil and water don't mix, and water causes oil to spill over causing a fire, or even an explosion hazard.
• Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby.  Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. Remember to use your best judgment when attempting to fight a fire.  If the fire is manageable, use an all-purpose fire extinguisher.  If the fire increases, immediately call 9-1-1 for help.

THANKSGIVING TIPS FOR YOUR PETS:

The wonderful aromas of Thanksgiving dinner throughout your home are likely to keep your four-legged friend salivating and around the kitchen all day.  Unfortunately, the holiday meal can be lethal for your pet but by following a few simple precautions, you will ensure that the Thanksgiving holiday will be happy and healthy for the entire family, including your dog or cat.

• Don’t give your animal different food than they would normal get.  Feeding turkey to your dog or cat can cause him or her unwanted abdominal pain, vomiting or diarrhea.
• Discourage your family members and guests from indulging your pet with inappropriate snacks.  Food high in sodium (especially peanuts and chips) and other fatty foods like poultry skin, beef or pork fat can cause an inflammation of pancreas.  Pancreatitis is a potentially life-threatening condition.
• Dispose of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and wax paper from holiday foods.  If your pet can get to it, he or she will lick the food off foils or wraps.  The swallowing of such coverings can cause an intestinal obstruction.
• Secure your garbage.  It only takes a minute for your little scavenger to get into the garbage and wolf down whatever smells good, including the string used to tie the turkey.
• Keep chocolate away from your dog.  Chocolate, which contains theobromine and caffeine, can be harmful to your pet.  Rapid breathing and hyperactivity are signs of a bad reaction to chocolate.
• Turkey bones are also dangerous for your pet.  Any brittle, spiky bone could lodge in the esophagus or cause an irritation of his or her stomach or intestines.
• Maintain his regular schedule for feeding and exercise.  Minimizing the stress of your pet means being aware of his daily routine and expectations.  Pay as much attention to your pet as usual so that he will not feel neglected or insecure.
• Provide a quiet refuge for your animal.  With all the holidays fanfare, your pet will need a “time out” from visiting friends and family.  A comfortable crate is one solution; a room with a “Do Not Disturb” sign is another.  Give your dog or cat time and space to settle down or take a nap.
• Keep current registration and identification tags on your pet.  With guests coming in and out of your home, it is very easy for a door to be left ajar and for your animal to wander off.

The Thanksgiving holiday is a wonderful time of year to celebrate our abundance with our
families, friends and pets.  Following the above safety tips can help make sure that the memories you create are happy ones for the entire family.

We know that when an accident happens, lives are forever changed; daily routines are disrupted and simple pleasures become chores. That is why we have dedicated our careers to helping families with injured children obtain the financial compensation they deserve.

Our attorneys, Bruce Freeman and Gregory Chiartas, have more than 50 years of combined experience helping people recover just compensation for their injuries or losses. We are experienced trial attorneys and have recovered millions of dollars in jury awards and settlements on behalf of victims and their families.

If your child has been injured through the fault of another, please contact us. Affordability is not an issue for our clients as our fees and expenses are paid from money we obtain for you. In the unlikely event that there is no recovery, you pay nothing. We would be glad to explain in detail how this works ... just give us a call. There is no charge for an initial consultation. Get more information about keeping your child safe from accidents by visiting our accident prevention page.