Options If Injured In A Fire

An estimated 13 million fires occur annually in the US, resulting in over 3300 deaths and 14,000 injuries.  Although the majority of the injuries involve complications due to the inhalation of toxic fumes and smoke, burn injuries still account for approximately 30% of the remaining reported injuries.

When an individual is burned in an accident, the resulting damage can have long-lasting, if not lifetime, effects.  Whether your injuries were a result of a work incident or other type of accident, you do not have to worry about taking on the legal system on your own.

Bryant Law offices offer litigation for those individuals who are victims of industrial accidents and will work to make sure you are compensated for your injuries.  

The Triangle

Three ingredients are crucial and needed in order to start and keep any fire burning:  heat, oxygen,and fuel.  Logic only dictates that removing any one of these ingredients can not only extinguish a fire but prevent it in the first place.  

Fuel can be present in the form of wood, paper, or flammable fluids.  Once a heat source isintroduced, the fuel, fed by the oxygen in the surrounding air, will grow until extinguished.

Covering a fire with a blanket removes the oxygen and smothers it out.  In addition, removing the fuel will also extinguish the fire. By knowing the basics of the triangle, you will be better able to prevent or extinguish a fire.

Burn Injuries And Their Impact

Individuals who are victims of a fire or an industrial accident find that their injuries can be long-lasting.  A burn is a somewhat unique form of injury, so much so that often the victim never fully heals.  As such, the recovery period can be not only lengthy but also quite costly.  Some victims require medical treatment and support for months, and even years, after the accident.

Some of the immediate and long-term impacts of burn injuries include:

-         Weakness of tissue

-         Permanent scarring

-         Secondary infection

-         Lengthy hospital stays

-         Psychological and emotional duress

Determining Liability

A fire can start due to several reasons, such as faulty wiring or the mishandling of flammable chemicals. In the instance of a commercial kitchen, if it is not cleaned sufficiently, grease can build up and quickly ignite without any prior warning.

Peripheral items such as lack of smoke detectors, fire escapes that are broken and in disrepair, and buildings that fail to meet code can also play a hand in injuries sustained by fire.  In these cases, the liable party will most commonly be an apartment landlord, a commercial business, or even the company that designed or manufactured possible faulty equipment.  

An experienced attorney experienced in personal injury law will be able to figure out the individual who is liable for your injuries and damages.

Pursuing An Injury Claim

If an individual is injured or killed during a fire due to another party's wrong doing or negligence, the party found at fault may be liable for any damages.  When filing a personal injury claim, the injured party is legally holding accountable the party that caused the harm to the injured individual or others.

In a case of a wrongful death claim, the claim is filed on the deceased individual's behalf, usually by a family member.  Vital to note here is that whether the claim is filed by the injured individual or on the individual's behalf by a family member, there is a time window to be considered.  This time window is limited to two years.

Compensation

We all know that no amount of money will ever be able to compensate victims of severe burn injuries or even the loss of a dear loved one.  But, any monetary compensation awarded for damages due to an injury or death that is fire-related will offer victims a small amount of resolution so that they, or their families, can move on.

Damage compensation may include:

-         Care provided in an emergency room

-         Any required skin grafts

-         Medical care associated with required hospital stays

-         Medication

-         Mental health counseling.

-         Any missed work and loss of income

-         Reduction in earning capacity

-         Burial and funeral costs

-         Loss of companionship support

-         Pain and suffering

-         Emotional and mental suffering

The Bryant Law Firm has helped thousands of injury victims in the Greater Houston Area and all across Texas.  Let David A. Bryant, Jr. help you get the appropriate medical treatment and compensation you deserve

‍