Thanksgiving is Georgia’s biggest home-cooking day—and one of the most dangerous. Grease fires, scalds from boiling liquids, and tipping turkey fryers can cause life-changing burns in seconds. Injuries often happen at crowded family homes or short-term rentals where unfamiliar kitchens, extension cords, and outdoor fryers meet rain-slick patios and kids underfoot. If a holiday meal turned into an ER visit, here’s how to protect your health and your right to compensation.
Who may be liable after a holiday cooking injury
Responsibility depends on where and how the incident happened:
- Homeowners/hosts and renters: They must keep the property reasonably safe and warn guests about hidden hazards (unstable decks, slick concrete, overloaded outlets, missing fire extinguishers). Poor fryer placement, inadequate lighting, or unsafe supervision can point to negligence.
- Landlords/HOAs/property managers: Dangerous conditions in common areas (loose railings, non-working exterior lights, inoperable outdoor GFCI outlets) can shift fault to those who control maintenance.
- Manufacturers and sellers: Defective or unreasonably dangerous products—turkey fryers that tip, lids that trap steam, pot handles that shear, extension cords that overheat—raise product liability claims against the maker and, in some cases, the seller.
- Caterers or hired help: Negligent setup or operation (overfilled oil, partially frozen turkeys, unsafe clearances) may place liability on the professional.
What to do right away (health first, proof second)
- Get medical care immediately. Deep burns can worsen fast; early documentation links the injury to the incident.
- Cool, don’t coat. Cool the burn with clean, cool (not icy) water; avoid ointments or butter before a clinician evaluates you.
- Photograph the scene before it changes. Capture fryer position, oil level, propane setup, cords, lighting, ground surface, and warning labels. Take wide shots and close-ups.
- Preserve the equipment. Don’t throw away the fryer, lid, pot, regulator, tank, or extension cords. Store them safely for inspection.
- Identify witnesses and video. Get names and numbers; note any doorbell or exterior cameras and ask that footage be saved.
- Report the incident in writing. For rentals or HOA property, notify the owner/manager/association and request preservation of maintenance logs and video.
- Be careful with statements and social media. Stick to the facts until you’ve spoken with counsel.
Georgia law and timing that can affect your claim
- Two-year statute of limitations: Most personal injury lawsuits must be filed within two years of the injury.
- Product liability and statute of repose: Claims against manufacturers are governed by Georgia’s product liability statutes, and many are subject to a 10-year statute of repose from the product’s first sale—an outside deadline that can bar claims even earlier.
- Comparative negligence: Your recovery may be reduced by your percentage of fault, and you’re barred from recovery if you’re 50% or more at fault. Precise facts (like where the fryer sat, warnings given, and lighting) matter.
Insurance paths that may help with immediate costs
- Homeowner’s or renter’s liability (at the property where you were injured) can cover medical bills, wage loss, and pain and suffering when negligence contributed. Many policies also include medical payments (MedPay) that help with early treatment regardless of fault.
- Product liability coverage from the manufacturer or seller may apply for design or manufacturing defects.
- Your health insurance keeps treatment on track while liability is sorted out.
Common injuries and damages we document
Thermal burns (2nd/3rd-degree), inhalation injuries from smoke, scalds to hands/arms/face, slips and falls during evacuation, and scars requiring grafts or revision. Recoverable damages can include ER care, surgery and rehab, future medical needs, wage loss and diminished earning capacity, scarring/disfigurement, pain and suffering, and damaged personal items (glasses, phone).
Safety notes for the rest of the season
Use UL-listed equipment on level, dry ground at least 10 feet from structures; fully thaw and dry turkeys; keep kids and pets well away; wear heat-resistant gloves and eye protection; maintain a dry-chemical extinguisher within reach; and never fry under carports or on decks. If you’re a host, check lighting, cords, and walkways before guests arrive.
How Gunn Law Group builds these cases
We move fast to preserve what disappears first: video, incident reports, maintenance records, lighting measurements, and the fryer/propane setup. We identify every potentially responsible party—owner, manager, HOA, manufacturer, seller—and every available policy so one minimal limit doesn’t cap your recovery. Then we coordinate with burn specialists to document scarring, future care, and the full impact on your life for a negotiation backed by evidence.
If a Thanksgiving cooking mishap left you injured, don’t let an insurer minimize what happened. Need a home run? Call the Big Gunn at 888-BIG-GUNN for a free case review with an Atlanta personal injury lawyer who knows how to win complex premises and product claims.
