How Much Does It Cost for a Fire Injury Lawyer?

According to the American Burn Association (ABA), a staggering 486,000 individuals are treated for burn injuries in emergency departments and hospitals every year in the US. Burn injuries do not only affect the skin but can also severely damage the respiratory system, bones, nerves, muscles, and blood vessels. Moreover, serious burn injuries can be detrimental to the mental health of victims and cause long term psychological disorders. 

Smoke Inhalation

Fire does not have to burn a person to severely injure or kill them. Smoke inhalation alone kills more than 3,000 Americans each year, according to the ABA. Most of those affected perish in residential fires, followed by motor vehicle crash fires and other causes. 

Types of Burns 

Burn injuries are classified by degrees. First-degree burns are minor fire injuries that typically do not require any medical treatments. A second degree burn usually damages the upper two layers of skin and will need medical treatment. Blisters, swelling, and infections can be common with second-degree burns. Third-degree burns do not only affect several layers of skin but can also damage nerves and potentially result in loss of movement and numbness in the affected limbs.

Fire injuries can be extremely painful and life-limiting and potentially cause a variety of other health issues, including but not limited to: 

• Sepsis and other bacterial infections 
• Permanent scarring and disfigurement
• Low blood volume
• Breathing difficulties
• Skin tightening
• Depression and anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Getting hurt in a fire can turn your entire life upside down due to horrific physical injuries and having to deal with a stack of medical bills. While a fire injury lawyer at Morgan & Morgan cannot turn back the time and restore your health, they can potentially help you get justice and fight for the compensation you need to rebuild your life. 

Whether you have a case or not will mainly hinge on who is responsible for the fire that harmed you. If you caused the fire, it is unlikely that you could sue and recover compensation. However, if a person, business, or other entity, irresponsibly caused the fire that led to your injury and damages, you could have a case.

Speaking to a fire injury lawyer can provide clarity. One of our experienced attorneys can determine whether you have a case and could recover damages from the responsible party or their insurance company.

If the fire that caused your injuries happened due to neglect of your rental property, you could potentially sue for damages. Landlords are generally responsible for maintaining rental properties and keeping them in reasonably good condition. Unfortunately, in some cases, landlords put profits before the safety of their tenants. 

However, if your landlord breached their duty to maintain the building you live in, and their carelessness led to a fire, you could potentially sue for damages. You may have an even better case if you can provide proof of contacting your landlord about the hazardous condition on the property. If the landlord did nothing to fix the problem despite being alerted to it, they could be negligent. 

If you work with the right law firm, the cost of a fire injury lawyer should not come into play when you are looking to get justice and compensation. Morgan & Morgan’s attorneys do not charge any upfront fees in fire injury cases. Instead, they recover their fee from your final settlement if—and only if—they win your case. When we agree to handle your case, we take the financial risk, so you don’t have to.

There is no one-fits-all when it comes to how long a personal injury claim or lawsuit can take. The amount of time it could take until you can hold a settlement check in your hands can depend on several factors, including:

• The scope of your damages and injuries
• The complexity of the case
• The defendant or their insurance’s willingness to settle

Generally, if you only have minor or moderate injuries and the other side is willing to offer a fair out-of-court settlement, your case could be resolved in just a few short weeks. 

However, if you have suffered catastrophic or life-changing injuries and a lot of money is at stake, your case could potentially drag on in the courts for years. Having an experienced fire injury lawyer by your side can help with a timely resolution of your case.

Injured individuals are able to file a lawsuit on their own and even represent themselves in court if they wish. However, consider that fire injury lawsuits can be complex, and the defendant’s lawyer could take advantage of a plaintiff without professional legal counsel. 

A fire injury lawyer can do much more than represent you in court and coordinate your lawsuit. They can help with filing and tracking your injury claim and negotiate a fair out-of-court settlement with an insurance company and defendant. Moreover, a fire injury lawyer from our firm can call on a team of experienced investigators and expert witnesses, helping to build your case. 

In addition, a fire injury attorney can be by your side and help with a number of tasks, such as:

• Thoroughly investigating the fire accident
• Identifying all liable parties in your case
• Filing the relevant documents on time
• Collecting evidence to prove negligence
• Calculating and proving your damages 

Working with a seasoned fire injury attorney can be vital for protecting your legal rights and best interests.

Fires and burns injuries can happen almost anywhere, including in your own home. Some examples of fire injury lawsuits include:

• Apartment building fires
• Motor vehicle crash fires
• Electric cord fires
• Fires due to lighting or appliance malfunctions
• Entertainment venue fires
• Cruise ship fires
• Hotel fires
• Workplace fires
• Fires caused by defective products

Individuals injured in fires could have legal recourse against an employer, landlord, or another responsible party. 

House and Apartment Building Fires

Apartment and house fires cause many fire injuries every year. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), those most at risk from suffering fire injuries are the elderly and the disabled, with the top causes for fires including:

• Candles
• Cooking
• Electrical faults
• Heating equipment
• Smoking

While fires can be caused by tenants, a landlord could be responsible, for example, when a faulty appliance, defective heating, or outdated electrical wiring caused the fire. If you notice anything untoward in your rented home, such as flickering lights, burning smells, defective appliances, or another maintenance issue, contact your landlord immediately. 

Landlords Could Be Responsible

If your landlord’s carelessness or recklessness is responsible for your fire injury, you could hold them responsible for your damages and expenses. However, to prove your case, the following four elements of a personal injury lawsuit have to be established:

1. Duty of Care

The landlord or manager of the rental property has the duty to keep a property safe, reasonably well-maintained, and free of hazardous conditions. 

2. Breach of Duty

The landlord might have breached their duty if they did not maintain the property to a good standard, such as neglecting to fix outdated wiring or failing to replace defective appliances. 

3. Causation 

The breach of duty by the landlord or property manager caused the fire and your injuries. 

4. Damages

You have tangible damages such as injuries, medical bills, property loss, and others.

Causes for Apartment and House Fires

A landlord could be responsible for tenants’ damages if the following problems, as well as others, lead to a fire: 

• Building code violations
• Defective or outdated wiring
• Lack of fire alarms or defective alarms
• Blocked fire exits
• Pest infestations
• Lack of fire extinguishers or defective fire extinguishers
• Defective sprinkler system

Moreover, if a landlord failed to adhere to federal and state laws or safety regulations such as installing fireproof doors or providing adequate fire escapes, they could also be responsible for tenants’ damages. 

Workplace Fire Accidents 

Workplaces can be hazardous. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), workplace fires account for approximately 5,000 burn injuries each year in the US. However, injuries can be caused by a variety of substances other than an open flame at work, such as thermal, electrical, and chemical burns.

Workers’ Compensation

The first place where an injured worker typically turns when they suffer a significant burn injury is workers’ compensation insurance. If you were injured at work, you are entitled to medical and income loss benefits with the program. However, workers’ comp, while offering reimbursement for a worker’s financial expenses, does not offer compensation for any non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, disfigurement, or loss of life quality.

It is important to note that if you got injured at work due to the fault of another, such as a subcontractor, property owner, or another party, you could potentially recover non-economic damages in a lawsuit. If you suffered significant injuries, you could have several options for recovering compensation. Consult with an attorney to learn about your rights. You can rest assured: there is no upfront cost when hiring one of our fire injury lawyers. 

Motor Vehicle Fire Injuries

Car fires can happen for various reasons, such as a vehicle manufacturing defect or a fuel tank catching fire during an accident. If you suffered severe burn injuries or a loved one died in a car fire, you could potentially hold the negligent party to account. There could be various liable parties, such as a car manufacturer or another driver causing the crash.  

Most car crashes are caused by driver error and negligence, including but not limited to: 

• Driver intoxication
• Tailgating
• Speeding
• Ignoring traffic signs and signals
• Violating traffic laws
• Distracted driving

If someone else is responsible for causing your car fire and injuries, a burns injury lawyer can help you hold them to account.

Compensation for Fire Injuries

It can be tricky to accurately predict the settlement or compensation you could recover with a fire injury lawsuit. The factors determining the worth of your case can include the scope of your injuries, the degree of fault of the defendant, and other circumstances. 

However, since burn injuries can be excruciatingly painful and often have long-term consequences, such as permanent scarring, victims could be entitled to a considerable settlement. Damages could include:

• Loss of income and future income
• Present and future medical expenses
• Physical and emotional suffering
• Transportation costs
• Permanent scarring and disfigurement
• Reduced life quality

If the defendant maliciously caused your injuries, for example, by arson or another egregious act, you could potentially receive punitive damages in addition to compensatory awards.

Fire injuries can have physical, emotional, and financial consequences impacting the rest of your life. Before trying to recover your due on your own and potentially settling for less than you deserve and need to go on with your life, let us help clarify your options and next best steps. 

You do not have to worry about incurring any financial risks or having to pay any out-of-pocket costs for a fire injury attorney at Morgan & Morgan. We work on a “no-win-no-fee” basis, and you don’t pay unless we win. Find out if you have a case today by contacting us for a free and confidential case review.