An Overview of Fire Injury Claims in Georgia
More than three dozen families lives changed forever when one of the worst fires in modern California history engulfed an Oakland warehouse. Several types of negligence can cause a fire that results in painful and disfiguring injuries or fatalities. This type of fire might be caused by faulty wiring, a gas leak from defective machinery, or improper use of chemicals. Parties who fail to take reasonable care to avoid creating fire hazards and manufacturers of defective products that cause fire accidents can be financially responsible for the harm they cause. However, injury victims and surviving family members can face challenges in proving liability.
Our personal injury attorneys offer fire victims knowledge and diligence based on our experience handling these types of injury claims. Burn injury litigation poses significant challenges that make it important to work with a fire injury attorney with experience handling burn and smoke inhalation claims. Some ways that our fire injury attorneys can assist fire victims include:
- Finding and gathering evidence
- Identifying the party responsible for causing the fire
- Discovering the cause and source of the fire
- Engaging experts to conduct forensic testing of the products and materials involved in the fire
Fire-related injuries can occur under a range of circumstances that include the following:
Defective Products: Products that are defective in their design, manufacturing, or labeling can start fires. Millions of laptop and cell phone lithium-based batteries have been recalled because of the threat of fire. When defective products start fires that cause burn or smoke-related injuries, the manufacturer or seller of the product can be held strictly liable if the defect that caused harm existed at the time the product left the possession of the party. In cases where strict liability is an available theory, the injury victim is relieved of the responsibility for proving how the defect arose or the specific conduct of the defendant that caused the problem.
Faulty Wiring: Sometimes substandard wiring is installed, or maintenance is not performed to repair damage or keep wiring up-to-code. Violations of building and other safety codes can serve as the basis for finding the residential or commercial property owner liable for injuries caused by the fire. Electrical fires also can be caused by excessive use of an air-conditioning HVAC system during the summer when the wiring is not updated. Flickering lights when the air-conditioning system is used can be a sign of an electrical problem that could pose a risk of fire.
Unsupervised Fires: When people fail to properly supervise a portable fire stove, barbecue, or campfire, the party that starts the fire and fails to extinguish it can be liable. The homeowner's insurance of the property owner might cover the loss when the owner’s negligence in building, monitoring, or extinguishing the fire causes personal injury or wrongful death.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years of Experience to Work For You!
If you or someone close to you has been injured in a fire caused by the negligence of another person or company, call attorneys for a free consultation to learn about your legal rights and options. Montlick and Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout Georgia and in the Southeast for over thirty years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state. No matter where you are located, our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you.
Call us 24 hours day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.
Sources:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ghost-ship-20170304-story.html
Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law
17 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 1 (800) LAW-NEED
Telephone: 1 (404) 529-6333
Open: 24 hours, 7 Days a Week