Fire Accidents and the Law
From apartment buildings to business offices, over 1.3 million fires broke out in 2018. From these fires, close to 3,700 people died. Fires could sweep across vast stretches of land, leaving behind nothing but smoke and ashes. From a legal perspective, fire damage is among the highest-ranking reasons for victims seeking compensation in court.
From apartment buildings to business offices, over 1.3 million fires broke out in 2018.
Types of Fire Accidents
There are several different types of fires, each one with its own dangers and legal ramifications.
- Electrical fires: These often start because of faulty electrical cables used in wiring.
- Chemical fires: These occur when flammable chemicals are poorly stored or wrongly used.
- Gas fires: These are due to improper installation and maintenance of gas lines, causing leaks.
- Defective products: Appliances such as microwaves and toasters might be faulty, broken, or misused, causing a fire to ensure.
Who is liable for fire injuries?
In most cases, fires happen accidentally. For example, if lightning struck and caused a fire, there would probably be no specific party to blame. Nonetheless, other cases are more complicated, and understanding the legal dynamics might shed light on who may be responsible. Common defendants include manufacturers and distributors of inoperative goods, landlords and contractors.
Examples of negligent parties
If an electrician did poor work while wiring an apartment, an electrical fire might occur. The electricity in the cables is dangerous, and lack of care can put residents at risk. Such an incident would fall into the category of negligence.
Suing negligent parties
If a fire started in the apartment, the tenants could sue the owner, the electrician or the manufacturer of the equipment used. Additionally, if the fire damaged the tenant or the property because there were no fire alarms, the building management, the owner can be charged with negligence since they are responsible for installing fire alarms to ensure the tenants’ safety.
Companies often find themselves in a hard place if consumers file a fire damage case because of a malfunctioning product. Cellphones are among the leading causes in addition to others like water heaters when it comes to defective products.
Claiming Money From Insurance Companies
Victims could claim payment for damages to themselves or their property. Some individuals intentionally start fires on their property to collect money from their insurance. However, if they are audited and found guilty, they can be charged with insurance fraud.
Delayed payments from insurance companies
Can you sue your insurer for not compensating you? Absolutely! If your insurance company denies the fire damage payments, they can be liable in a court of law.
Were you injured by a fire on hotel property? You could be eligible for compensation. Learn more about lawsuits against hotels through our articles or reach out to one of our million-dollar lawyers today.
Filing a Lawsuit For Your Fire Accident
Has your home or business been burned down? If you think that someone else was responsible for the fire, then you may be able to be compensated. The plaintiff will need to provide satisfactory evidence that the defendant’s negligence led to the incurred loss.
Preparing for a fire accident lawsuit
Safety matters and when your safety is violated, make sure to be compensated appropriately. When looking for a lawyer, try not to rely on any random lawyer to take on your fire accident case. Some lawyers specialize in premises liability cases, and fire injuries specifically. This is what you should be looking for. Having the right person on your team can make a world of difference in your case.
