FIRES & EXPLOSIONS

Fires and explosions can occur without any warning. Burn injuries are extremely painful and can be disfiguring. Often, the victim not only suffers serious burns, but emotional trauma as well.

Injuries include burns, smoke inhalation, and fractures and disfigurement, all of which involve slow and painful recovery time. If the accident happens in the home, there is often a substantial loss of personal property as well.

Questions You Should Ask An Attorney

What to Do Following an Injury Caused By A Fire or Explosion

Many burn injury accidents and explosions are caused by electricity, chemicals and flammable gases. Often fires or explosions result from improper or insufficient instructions or warnings, or a flaw or malfunction in equipment or design. Fires are often caused by defective household products.

Complex Cases

Fire and explosion cases can be difficult to analyze and prepare. There are often complicated issues about fault. Highly qualified expert witnesses are essential. Because evidence at a fire scene must be preserved, we have a network of experts, including fire analysts, engineers, pathologists, and numerous other specialists who can help investigate and preserve necessary evidence following a fire or explosion.  Often, we are able to assemble a team of multiple experts within 24 hours, regardless of where the fire occurs.

Our experience in this complex area of the law includes:

• Early one morning, an explosion completely destroyed a home. Literally nothing was left above the foundation. A twelve-year-old girl was killed, and her grandmother miraculously survived but lost her leg. We had to figure out what caused the explosion, and why. There were multiple defendants, all pointing the finger at each other. We traveled all over the country talking with experts and representatives of the defendants. Eventually we determined that there was a gas leak, what caused it, and what should have been done to prevent it. After that, we were able to obtain a fair and very substantial settlement for the family.
• Austin suffered permanent burn injuries, and his twin brothers, Jonathan and Jeremiah, were killed, in an apartment fire. We represented Austin and his mother in their claims against the landlord and several companies that manufactured various building materials. The money recovered provides medical care, including surgeries necessary to release scar tissue as our client matures.

Damages

A burn injury victim and the victim's family may be entitled to recover damages for: hospital and medical expenses; past and future lost earnings; past and future permanent physical disability, such as a limp, scars, loss of a limb; emotional distress, such as depression and anxiety; grief and emotional suffering caused by the death of a loved one; loss of love and companionship caused by the death of a loved one; damage or destruction of property; physical pain and suffering; loss of enjoyment of life.

Questions to Ask

Before hiring a lawyer to represent you or your family in a fire or explosion claim, you should ask how many of these kinds of cases the attorney has handled in the last two years and how much knowledge and experience he has. Did the attorney try the case in front of a jury or did they just settle the matter? Does he know burn experts who can testify about the severity of injuries? For a list of other questions you should ask before hiring a lawyer, click here.

Clark Perdue

We are experienced in handling claims involving burns, explosions and fires. If requested, we will meet you--in your home or at the hospital, if necessary--to explain your legal rights and make suggestions for immediate action. For a free consultation concerning a fire or explosion, please call us, or send a confidential e-mail. We promise to respond promptly.