We Go The Extra Distance For Our Clients
Practice Areas
Sandy Springs Fire Accident Lawyer
Tragically, millions of fires occur in the United States every year, resulting in serious burns, respiratory distress, psychological trauma, death, and extensive property damage. Some of these fires are truly unforeseeable and unpreventable accidents. Meanwhile, other fires are the direct result of premises liability violations and negligent behavior. Luckily, there are legal options available that can help victims recover compensation for their suffering and punish the negligent party. A Sandy Springs fire accident lawyer can help each and every burn injury victim obtain justice through a personal injury lawsuit.
If you have suffered a severe burn injury as a result of premises liability violations or negligent behavior, you may have grounds to take legal action. The experienced attorneys at Ashenden & Associates have decades of combined experience in handling all sorts of personal injury claims, including burn injury claims. We will defend your legal rights, help you prove that negligence caused your fire accident, and obtain justice and fair compensation on your behalf. Call a Sandy Springs burn injury attorney at 770-394-8909 to schedule a free consultation today.
How Many Fire-Related Deaths Happen in the U.S. Every Year?
There were 1.5 million fires resulting in 13,250 injuries, nearly 3,800 deaths, and $18 billion of property damage in 2022 alone according to data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Common Types of Fire Accidents
Fires and grave burn injuries can be the result of pure accidents or someone else’s negligence. Common types of fire accidents include:
- House fires;
- Apartment building fires;
- Workplace accidents and/or explosions;
- Truck accidents and tanker explosions;
- Defective fire safety products (such as fire extinguishers or ionization smoke detectors);
- Electrical cord fires;
- Commercial building fires (i.e. hotels, office spaces, stores, restaurants, etc.)
Deadly house fires are often the result of unforeseeable accidents. Maybe there was faulty wiring or malfunctioning appliances, or maybe someone had a cooking accident with hot grease. In the other types of fire accidents, negligence often plays a huge role in the incident.
Negligence is the failure of someone to exercise their duty of care towards someone else. In the case of fires, negligence means that someone (whether it be a landlord, a building owner, or a corporation) failed to take proper care to prevent a fire from occurring and/or failed to provide methods to extinguish fires or escape. As a result, the people involved in the fire suffered serious burns and other injuries.
Common Types of Injuries From Fire Accidents
Obviously, the most common type of fire injuries are severe burns. Burns can range in severity – from minor first degree burns to deadly fourth degree burns. It’s important to note that most fires that cause first degree burns aren’t worth pursuing legal action for, because most likely, you haven’t suffered many damages related to your minor burn, such as medical costs and lost wages.
However, second degree burns, third degree burns, and fourth degree burns are serious injuries that can lead to a variety of damages and financial loss. If you have suffered these types of burn injuries from oil refinery fires, auto accidents, apartment fires, or workplace fires caused by negligence, you have grounds to hire a Sandy Springs burn injury lawyer at Ashenden & Associates.
Aside from burn injuries, fire accident victims can also suffer from a variety of other injuries including:
- Chest pain, breathing problems, and/or lung damage from smoke inhalation;
- Permanent nerve damage from burn injuries;
- Eye injuries and/or blindness;
- Bruising, lacerations, and/or broken bones from attempting to escape a fire;
- Limb or digit amputations;
- Permanent scarring and disfigurement;
- Wrongful death.
Many of these injuries can be life-threatening and can lead to thousands of dollars of combined medical bills and lost wages. The good news is that, if negligence caused the fire, then you can file a personal injury lawsuit to obtain justice and fair compensation.
Our Sandy Springs burn injury lawyers will be discussing the most common fire accidents that are caused by negligence, such as apartment fires, commercial building fires, and workplace fires. After enduring such a traumatic event in one of these locations, a burn injury victim may not know if they have grounds to sue, or who they should sue, for their suffering and financial loss. Below, our legal team explains everything you need to know before pursuing a personal injury case for fire injuries.
Apartment Building Fires
Only 25% of the 1.5 million fires that occurred in 2022 occurred in residential properties, such as family homes or apartment buildings according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). And yet, 72% of all fire deaths and 75% of all fire injuries occur in burning residential buildings. Fires are a very real threat to all homeowners and apartment-dwellers, which is why it’s so important to take proper precautions.
Common Causes of Apartment Fires
Apartment fires can occur for a variety of reasons, including:
- Cooking accidents;
- Inappropriate or unsafe use of portable space heaters;
- Faulty electrical wiring;
- Malfunctioning appliances and/or lighting equipment;
- Forgetting to blow out candles;
- Forgetting to unplug or turn off heated appliances, such as hair straighteners or curlers.
Can You Sue a Property Owner for an Apartment Fire?
Yes, burn injury victims can sue property owners for their injuries and financial losses caused by an apartment fire. Even if the victim accidentally started the fire themselves, they could still sue if their property owner’s negligence prevented them from escaping from or extinguishing the fire in time.
Many apartment fires are the direct result of premises liability violations. This means that property owners breached the duty of care they owed to residents by creating an unsafe environment which led to injuries or financial loss. By law, property owners have to follow specific guidelines to keep their residents safe from fires, mold exposure, chemical exposure, and other dangers within the apartment complex. Listed below are the fire safety rules that property owners should follow:
- Scheduling regular electrical safety inspections to identify and repair dangerous electrical issues.
- Ensuring that there is a smoke detector found on every floor or in every apartment.
- Having regularly serviced fire extinguishers on every floor or in every apartment.
- Ensuring that each floor has a safe, sturdy fire escape.
- Installing fireproof doors.
- Ensuring that fire exits can be easily navigated and unlocked in the event of an emergency.
- Keeping escape routes clear in all shared areas of the apartment complex in the event of an emergency.
Just because city or state laws say that property owners should follow these rules doesn’t mean they actually do. There are plenty of residents who suffer smoke inhalation damage and other burn injuries due to a defective smoke detector or a property’s electrical wiring not being safely installed. If this is the case for you, it’s important to hire a burn injury attorney immediately. At Ashenden & Associates, we can investigate your fire accident and help you gather evidence that your property owner is responsible for your serious burn injuries.
Commercial Building Fires
Commercial buildings can include retail stores, restaurants, office spaces, churches, hotels, and other buildings where commercial activities occur. Fire accidents can happen in commercial buildings as well, especially if there are numerous premises liability violations.
Can You Sue a Commercial Building Owner for a Fire?
Yes, burn injury victims can sue commercial property owners if their negligence caused a fire or prevented residents from escaping and/or extinguishing a fire. Commercial property owners have the same duty of care as apartment building owners to have safe and updated electrical wiring, have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, keep escape routes clear, and more.
If residents suffer second or third degree burn injuries and other damages as a result of an unsafe commercial premises, then they can pursue legal action. A Sandy Springs fire accident lawyer at Ashenden & Associates can investigate your claim, help you navigate the complex legal process, and help you obtain a fair settlement for your pain and suffering.
Workplace Fires
Some of the most common work-related injuries are burn injuries, especially within blue-collar occupations. In fact, data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) show that approximately 5,000 burn injuries occur from fire accidents and explosions every year in the United States.
Common Causes of Workplace Fires and Burn Injuries
Common causes of workplace fires and burn injuries include:
- Chemical plant explosions;
- Truck accidents and tanker explosions;
- Construction site accidents;
- Presence of flammable or combustible materials;
- Chemical exposure (which can result in chemical burns);
- Human error or carelessness;
- Malfunctioning electrical equipment or appliances;
- Cooking or reheating food.
Legal Options for Workplace Fires and Burn Injuries
If you have suffered any kind of injury while on the job, you likely qualify for workers’ compensation benefits from your employer’s insurance company. In Georgia, all businesses with more than three employees are required by law to have workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. Workers’ comp will generally cover all medical bills and some lost wages associated with your injury, but that is all.
Second and third degree burns from fire accidents are often physically and emotionally traumatic for victims. Therefore, these victims deserve more than just compensation for medical costs and lost wages. They deserve financial compensation for damages such as permanent scarring and disfigurement, physical pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and emotional distress as well. So victims can file third-party claims against product manufacturers or subcontractors, for example, on top of their workers’ compensation benefits to receive the settlement amount they deserve for their suffering. A Sandy Springs burn injury lawyer at Ashenden & Associates can analyze the details of your situation and help you determine if you have grounds to file third-party claims stemming from your fire accident.
It’s important to note that if you choose to receive workers’ comp benefits from your employer’s insurance company, you may forfeit the right to sue your employer for negligence. So if there is apparent evidence to suggest that your employer directly caused the fire accident that resulted in your severe injury, you may not be able to sue them for their negligence if you file for workers’ comp benefits. Although, individual cases do vary greatly in the state of Georgia, as some injured workers only have the option of filing a workers’ comp claim. Be sure to speak with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney at Ashenden & Associates before you make any rash decisions. We can help you determine the best course of legal action before you agree to anything.
Fire Accident Damages
A Sandy Springs fire accident lawyer at Ashenden & Associates can help you recover compensation for the following types of damages:
- Past and future medical bills;
- Past and future rehabilitative bills;
- Expenses for necessary medical equipment, such as breathing machines, prosthetic limbs, etc;
- Lost wages;
- Loss of earning capacity;
- Permanent scarring, disfigurement, and/or disability;
- Physical pain and suffering;
- Emotional distress
- Mental health counseling costs;
- Loss of consortium;
- Loss of enjoyment of life;
- Funeral and burial expenses if the fire resulted in wrongful death.
Call a Sandy Springs Fire Accident Lawyer at Ashenden & Associates Today
At Ashenden & Associates, our experienced legal team has decades of combined experience in handling all sorts of personal injury cases, including fire and burn injury lawsuits. As one of the top personal injury law firms in the Atlanta metropolitan area, you can trust the burn injury lawyers at Ashenden & Associates to investigate your fire accident, prove that negligence occurred, negotiate with insurance adjusters, protect your legal rights, and help you obtain a fair settlement. Call 770-394-8909 to schedule a free consultation at our law firm today.
