Beware of Pressure Washing Injuries
Pressure washers are extremely handy tools. A pressure washer is a power tool that sprays water at high pressures. Countless homeowners and property managers use them every spring and summer to clean grime, loose paint, algae, and mold off of siding, roofing, farm equipment, patios, fences, driveways and sidewalks. But the very reason that this tool is so effective at cleaning sturdy, outdoor spaces, is the reason it can be so dangerous. To illustrate the power of pressure washers, we can compare them to the output of the standard garden hose. According to consumerrports.org, a garden hose produces water with water pressure at about 50 pounds per square inch (psi). By comparison, pressure washers can produce 1,500 to 4,000 psi. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, it is estimated that 6,057 people went to an emergency room with pressure washing injuries in 2014 alone. Out of those visitors, 14 percent required additional hospitalization.
If you or a loved one was injured by a pressure washer because of the reckless or negligent behavior of another or because of a defective pressure washer, you may be able to recover damages through a personal injury settlement. Contact a personal injury attorney as soon as you are able; there is a statute of limitations on personal injury claims.
Beware of Pressure Washing Injuries
If you are going to use a pressure washer or hire someone to clean for you using a pressure washer, it’s important to be aware of the safety issues that can cause serious injury. The spray coming out of a pressure washer can be very dangerous if it gets misdirected. In a split second, the water can cut the skin open and cause a deep laceration or High Pressure Injection Wound. A High Pressure Injection Wound from a pressure washer is when water is injected into the surrounding and underlying soft tissues. The main risk from this injury is that it may not appear to be serious, which can cause people to delay treatment. This delay increases the risk for bacterial infection. In worst case scenarios, an untreated High Pressure Injection Wound can lead to disability or amputation.
According to cdc.gov, while lacerations are the most common pressure washer injury, other common injuries include damaged skin, infections, eye injuries, bruises and punctures. Broken fingers and toes are also a possibility.
Other less common pressure washer injuries include:
- Electric shock
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Slip, trip and fall accidents
Stay safe while using a pressure washer
There are a few things that can help keep you safe while using a pressure washer including wearing eye protection and never pointing the nozzle toward any part of your body (or another person). Read our blog post for more safety tips: https://www.tariolaw.com/top-pressure-washer-safety-tips/
If you are hurt by a pressure washer, call 911 if emergency help is needed. Make sure to take care of any wounds to reduce your risk of infection. Visit cdc.gov for tips on cleaning pressure washer wounds: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/pressurewashersafety.html
Seek the help of a personal injury attorney
If you or a loved one was injured because of the negligence of another, contact a personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times larger with the help of a lawyer. Call the personal injury lawyers at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you!
