What to do if at a wedding in a private home, I fell while carrying hot coffee and recevied 1st and 2nd degree burns?
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What to do if at a wedding in a private home, I fell while carrying hot coffee and recevied 1st and 2nd degree burns?
The reception was buffet style set up inside the house. Guests had to traverse stairs to get into the house and then traverse a high step exiting the house. I was in the kitchen getting my husband and I coffee and pastries. Coffee was so hot I had to “double cup” just to hold them and the cups had lids on. As I exited the kitchen area to the deck, I fell onto the deck, falling on my right side. The coffee erupted burning my arm. My husband took me to the emergency room for treatment. In addition to burn treatment, I had X-rays taken of my arm. I want the homeowners to pay my out-of-pocket expenses. How do I proceed?
Asked on June 3, 2012 under Personal Injury, Pennsylvania
Answers:
Andrew Goldberg
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Solely as to your burns, you can ask the homeowner if they have Homeowners insurance and if thaeir policy has med-pay coverage. The med-pay coverage is not based on any negligence but merely the fact that you suffered an accident on their property.So long as you have a hospital or other medical bills, you'd be entitled to the med-pay coverage. The Homeowner must report the accident and get you a claim number. If you can prove negligence by the Homeowners with respect to the height or other condition of the step, it is possible to get money for your injury and "pain and suffering". You'd need a lawyer for that.
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