Burn Injury Attorney in Birmingham

A burn is one of the most unfortunate injuries, causing immense pain and often lasting physical damage. If the burns are severe enough, you could be looking at years of medical bills to say nothing of the emotional trauma such a horrific injury can cause. The good news is there is someone available to fight on your behalf if your burns were caused by another’s negligence.

If you or a loved one was victim to burn trauma, on of our experienced burn injury lawyers may be able to help you recover compensation. At Morgan & Morgan, there is no upfront cost for consultation about your case, and you will never pay us unless our attorneys win your case.

To hire an experienced personal injury lawyer in Birmingham, Alabama, today, contact us by filling out a free, no-risk case evaluation.

What Burns Can Do to You

Not all burns are equally severe. Burns are measured on a scale of one to three, with first degree burns being the least severe and third degree burns being the most. Depending on the severity of your burn, you can expect to feel:

• Significant pain
• Pressure and discomfort
• Loss of feeling
• Blistering or charring
• Skin loss or permanent impairment

Where Do Burns Happen?

Burns result from any of the following accidents:

• Apartment building fires
• Workplace injuries
• Truck accidents and tanker explosions
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Electrical cord fires
• Defective products
• Locked fire exits
• Scalding water and pipes
• Electrical accidents
• Recreational fires (hotel, restaurant, retail outlet, nightclub)

This list is by no means exhaustive. You might experience a burn when faced with any of these incidents or a completely different one. The cause of your burn might remain unknown, like a Birmingham tenant who had a fire break out at the home he was renting. An attorney can help wade through the situation and determine responsibility.

Where Are Burns Treated?

Birmingham is home to not one but two of Alabama’s three burn centers, UAB Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Alabama. This means treatment is likely quick and forthcoming, especially for cases that need immediate attention. Still, your treatment is likely to be long and expensive, and you shouldn’t have to suffer because of something that’s not your fault.

Landlord Negligence

Is Your Landlord Following the Law?

Even if an apartment building isn’t a landlord’s property, they still need to follow the law. Along with rules about dangerous conditions such as a broken staircase or slippery floors, there are federal and state laws that determine how a property manager must protect their tenants from a fire. These laws include rules about smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, fire escapes, and more.

However, not all landlords follow these laws. In fact, some apartment buildings even fail to comply with their own company’s policies and procedures for fire safety. In these cases, if a fire breaks out and a tenant is injured, the property owner could be held responsible for not providing fire safety measures for tenants or guests.

Smoke Detectors

A fire could start in the kitchen and go unnoticed because a smoke alarm is not installed in the right place. Smoke alarms are one of the most vital aspects of fire safety. You can encourage your landlord to take steps to make sure your smoke detectors are in a good working condition. The National Fire Protection Association requires a smoke detector outside sleeping areas, plus one inside each bedroom.

So at the very least, there should be two smoke detectors in every apartment, such as one in a hallway and one in a bedroom. A two-bedroom apartment should have three detectors, a four-bedroom should have four, and so on. The type of smoke detector can also make a difference. Many apartment fires are slow-smoldering, and an ionization smoke alarm, which is cheaper and more commonly installed, might not detect any abundance of smoke. A photoelectric smoke alarm detects smoke much more effectively.

Fire Extinguishers

When a fire extinguisher is not immediately available, it can allow a fire to spread unchecked. This can cause undue financial and physical damage to a tenant, all because of a landlord’s negligence.

Your state or local code determines if your landlord is required to provide units with portable fire extinguishers, but it is important that you should know where one is located to be safe. Fire extinguishers may not be in your unit, but the NFPA and other applicable codes likely require an extinguisher to be present on your floor or in an easily accessible area nearby.

Count on a Birmingham Burn Injury Attorney

Our team of Birmingham attorneys at Morgan & Morgan understands the debilitating effects a burn can have on an individual. We handle burn injuries deftly, investigating your claim in the following ways:

• Gather and secure all relevant evidence, including fire department reports, police records, and photographs of the scene of the accident
• Review medical records and reports prepared by your treating physicians
• Work with medical experts to evaluate the extent of your injuries and the costs associated with any necessary future medical procedures or rehabilitation services
• Retain safety inspectors, electricians, or accident investigators to help establish the cause or causes of the accident and determine who may be held liable for your injuries

Dealing with a burn injury, its associated physical and financial costs, and the long process of recovery can be daunting. Our attorneys are ready to fight for you to potentially recover compensation in court. Fill out our free, no-risk case evaluation form today.