84-Year-Old California Man Claims He Sustained Burn Injuries from Firemen
An 84-year-old man has filed a lawsuit against Los Angeles and the Fire Department after they forcibly removed him from his car. According to the lawsuit, the man alleges that the firefighters believed that he had overdosed on opioids and administered the drug Narcan, an opioid blocker, to revive him. The man claims that he was just taking a nap in his car while his family members were shopping at a nearby TJ Maxx. The man became agitated as firefighters tried to remove him from his car. At some point, the man sustained second-degree injuries to his leg.
When family members emerged from the store, they found the man being pulled out of the car by two firefighters. They claim the firefighters were using excessive force on the elderly man. They placed the man on a gurney while he was screaming in pain, according to the family. It’s unclear from the allegations how the man sustained burn injuries to his leg. However, he claims the burn injuries were “deep” and required months of medical care before the wounds began to heal.
Burn injury lawsuits in California
There are numerous reasons why burn injuries occur. Some of the most popular causes of burns are defective products. Every day, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issues recalls on products that can cause burn injuries. When a product causes a burn injury, the individual who sustained the injuries can sue the company that produced the product and the retailer who made the product available to the public. Pressure cookers and similar kitchen appliances can cause burn injuries.
In the case mentioned above, the plaintiff is alleging that the firefighters who removed him from his car were negligent for administering the Narcan and causing his burn injuries. It isn’t every day that you hear about firefighters actually burning someone. They tend to do the opposite. The plaintiff will have to prove that the firefighters actually caused his injury. It seems unclear, specifically, how they did so.
If the plaintiff can prove that the firefighters were responsible for his injury, he would be entitled to recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages, permanent scarring, and pain and suffering.
Negligence in burn injury lawsuits
To win a burn injury lawsuit, you have to prove that the defendant was negligent. In many cases, this means proving that the defendant was the cause of the burn injury. This means that the defendant owed the plaintiff a duty of care and failed in that duty of care, resulting in injury to the plaintiff. At present, this plaintiff has provided no evidence that the firefighters were the direct cause of his injuries.
Talk to a Burn Injury Lawyer in Oakland, CA
Venardi Zurada represents the interests of those who sustained burn injuries due to negligence. Call our Oakland personal injury lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and we can begin the process of recovering damages related to your medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced quality of life.
Source:
abajournal.com/news/article/first-responders-used-narcan-on-napping-lawyer-and-restrained-him-as-he-struggled-suit-says