Firm obtains $4.25M settlement in infant burn case
The firm obtained a $4.25 million settlement in a case involving an infant who suffered severe burns after rolling against an exposed baseboard heater in a Massachusetts apartment.
In May 2019, an 8-month-old girl fell onto the unprotected heating unit, suffering third-degree burns on her left leg, arm, and face. Her parents previously provided notice to the landlord/property manager of the faulty baseboard heater, noting the condition in the initial lease agreement in 2017 so that it could be repaired.
However, the landlord never properly fixed the heater despite numerous calls from the infant’s parents complaining about ongoing problems with the heat in the bedroom. As a result, a pipe carrying extremely hot water remained exposed due to an ill-fitting metal cover.
The landlord claimed the heater was repaired shortly after receiving the initial notice of its condition.
On the day of the accident, the infant had difficulty breathing due to a viral infection. To help her breathe, her parents propped her up on a bed instead of placing her in a crib. The bed was positioned right next to the heating unit.
While her father was napping in another room and her mother was at work, the infant rolled off the bed and became wedged between the wall and bed directly on top of the exposed hot water pipe. The defendants intended to blame the parents for leaving the infant unattended on a bed directly next to the heater they claimed was unprotected and unsafe.
The girl has undergone numerous surgeries to repair severe scarring and will continue to have skin grafts as she grows and matures.
Todd & Weld’s personal injury practice represents victims of negligence and who suffer catastrophic injuries as a result. The goal of the practice is to improve the lives of individuals and families affected by others' negligent conduct and to help alleviate the devastating physical, emotional, and financial burdens they suffer.