Fire outbreaks in residential buildings could be devastating and are responsible for over 3000 deaths and 12000 burn injury cases each year nationwide.
The injuries sustained from such fires could lead to life-altering consequences, including disfigurement, horrible pain, and the deep emotional trauma that comes from such an encounter. Those affected would likely require substantial medical treatment to make a full or near complete recovery.
However, good medical treatment is expensive. If you’ve been injured in a residential fire or you’ve lost your loved one in a residential fire-related death, you may be searching for answers about what to do next, especially as it concerns recovering compensation to make up for your medical expenses, lost wages and other losses you may have sustained due to your injuries.
By Georgia law, getting compensation is possible if the residential fire leading to your injury or the death of your loved one was caused by someone else. You can initiate a lawsuit against the party responsible and get a substantial amount in damages (monetary compensation) to ease your financial burden in the aftermath of your burn injury.
Our Personal Injury Lawyer in Atlanta at The Dressie Law Firm, LLC can provide personalized guidance as you explore the available legal options and remedies.
Below, we discuss some legal considerations associated with compensation claims in burn accidents to keep you informed and help you prepare for your case. Please read on to learn more.
Most house fires are caused by humans who either fail to take preventive measures while using fire indoors. Typical examples of such scenarios include
- Leaving cooking fires unattended or forgetting to turn off the stove
- Using or storing flammable liquid such as gasoline indoors
- Using faulty heating equipment or failing to follow the manufacturer’s instructions
- Failing to properly put out cigarette butts
- Having improperly installed or faulty electrical wiring in the home.
From these, it is clear that most residential fires can be prevented with reasonable diligence. Anyone who fails to take the necessary preventive measures must be held accountable for any injury due to their actions.
Establishing Negligence and Liability in Residential Fire Injury Cases
You can claim compensation for your burn injury if another person’s negligence caused the fire by filing a lawsuit against them. However, as the plaintiff (who initiated the lawsuit), you must prove your case and establish the defendant’s negligence with solid evidence that shows that
- The defendant owed you a duty of care (to take certain steps that could have kept you safe and prevented your injuries)
- The defendant failed to fulfill that duty of care, and your safety wasn’t protected.
- Their failure led to your injuries.
For example, suppose you live in a rented apartment with faulty electrical wiring that the landlord was supposed to fix. If a fire occurs due to the wiring and you sustain a burn injury as a result, you can file a lawsuit against the landlord. As your landlord, they owed you a duty to keep the property safe, but they failed to carry out the necessary repairs, resulting in a breach of that duty. If they had fixed the problem, the fire would most likely not have occurred, making them responsible for your injuries.
The type of evidence you’ll need to prove your case in such a scenario includes
- A copy of the fire report from the fire services department in your county (this could help establish the cause of the fire)
- Medical records, bills, and receipts
- Any document that shows your relationship to the defendant (in the above example, that could be a copy of your lease)
- Eyewitness testimony
- Your pay stubs/slips show your usual earnings if you cannot work due to your injuries.
The specific evidence needed in each case varies, but it should be enough to support the plaintiff’s case and their entitlement to the compensation they seek. Experienced Atlanta Burn Accident Lawyers can help identify and collect the evidence needed to help you prove your case and get you the compensation you deserve.
Residential fires can be devastating and life-altering. If the house fire in which you sustained your burn was caused by another, you don’t deserve to bear the financial consequences alone, especially since you’re already dealing with significant pain and suffering.
You have a right to take legal action against the party responsible, and our burn injury attorneys can provide professional legal guidance as you seek to enforce those rights.
With our extensive experience handling personal injury cases, we can represent you throughout your personal injury lawsuit and work tirelessly to ensure you get fair compensation to help you adjust to life after your fire accident.
Contact us today, and let us take the next steps toward getting you the compensation you deserve together.
The Dressie Law Firm, LLC Can Help You
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