Most Common Causes for Burn Injuries in Personal Injury Lawsuits
In personal injury law, burn injuries have their own classification. When a person is burned, the damages and pain involved can be both life-altering and debilitating. If you are the victim of a burn injury, and it was due to someone or something else’s negligence, then you do have the right to seek fair compensation. Burn injuries are most commonly found in specific industries and when using specific types of chemicals. The most common types of burn injuries that lead to litigation involve issues that can cause both fires and burns.
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Apartment and home fires
There are a vast number of things that can lead to a home or apartment catching fire. Sometimes they are an accident, and other times the hazard or threat could have – and should have – been foreseen, in which case they involve negligence.
Negligence is when someone either does something to cause someone’s burn injuries, or they fail to do something, and that failure to act specifically leads to the injury. In the case of apartment or home fires, many common causes of fire are smoking, heaters, fireplaces, electrical appliances, candles and defective products that catch fire. If a homeowner is burned due to the negligence of someone or something else, then they may sue for personal injury.
Negligent landlord fires
When it comes to being a landlord, you have a specific obligation to your tenants to make sure that the rental home is safe. Those obligations include things like working smoke detectors, certified electrical wiring, a fire escape, and having all appliances up to code. You must also maintain escape routes, so that the tenants can safely exit the building if there is a fire. The two major responsibilities that landlords have are:
Fire extinguishers
The landlord is responsible for making sure that there are available fire extinguishers on their rental properties. Although the laws differ from state to state, there are codes that stipulate how many there must be and where the extinguishers must be placed.
Operational smoke detectors
A landlord has the obligation to ensure that the apartment or house is equipped with operational smoke detectors and alarms. The National Fire Protection Association mandates that there be smoke detectors outside of any sleeping area and one inside every bedroom of the house. Although there are no specifics relating to the type of smoke detector necessary, they do have to be operational and in working order. If the landlord fails to uphold the duty to provide either a smoke detector or a fire extinguisher, and someone is the victim of a burn injury, then the landlord might be held liable for any damages or injuries that result.
Workplace fire injuries or burn injuries that happen while working
According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, over 5000 people suffer from burn injuries in the workplace every year. Although most workplace burns are handled through workers’ compensation claims, there are times when the negligence is egregious enough to warrant a personal injury lawsuit to hold a third party responsible. In cases like these it is imperative to hire a trustworthy Boise personal injury attorney.
Electrical burns
Electrical burns are sustained when a faulty or antiquated electrical system is to blame. With the system usually found defective, there are times when electrical burns can be the subject of a product liability lawsuit, depending on the specifics relating to who got burned and when.
Chemical burns
Chemical burns are usually caused by highly flammable toxic chemicals. Most chemical burns are severe and extensive. There are many entities that might be liable for chemical burns, including distributors of the chemical, the manufacturer, or even the contractor who didn’t handle them correctly.
Burn injuries are some of the most horrific and painful injuries that someone can sustain. If you are burned due to the negligence of someone or something else, then you do have the right to receive fair compensation for your injuries and damages. To prove that your injuries were due to someone else’s negligence, it is imperative that you hire a burn injury lawyer who specializes in personal injury – specifically burn injuries – to help you get the compensation that you are entitled to.
