Atlanta Burn Injury Lawyer

Fires can be devastating. According to the American Burn Association, one civilian fire death occurs every 2 hours and 35 minutes. There are even more burn-related injuries. Sadly, children and the disabled are especially vulnerable to burn injuries. This is because it is difficult for these folks to exit their homes in case of a fire. An Atlanta burn injury lawyer at our firm can handle cases resulting from fires for folks injured in fires and companies accused of negligently causing the fire.

First Degree Burns

(Superficial Burns)

These burns affect only the outer layer of the skin. The burned area is often red, painful, and dry. There are no blisters. A sunburn is an example of a first-degree burn.

Second Degree Burns

(Partial Thickness Burns)

These burns affect the outer layer of the skin and the lower layer of the skin. With these burns, blisters may appear. There will usually be redness, pain, and swelling as well. This type of burn generally requires a doctor’s care to manage.

Third Degree Burns

(Full Thickness Burns)

These are devastating injuries, in which the entire skin, including the innermost layer, is destroyed. The burn site may look white or blackened. It may appear charred. There also may be numbness in the area, as there may be nerve damage.

Fourth Degree Burns

These types of burns involve all layers of skin, possibly even muscle, and bone. With fourth-degree burns, there is no feeling in the area as the nerve endings are destroyed. These are severe and devastating injuries.

Apartment Fires

Between 2010 and 2014, there were over 100,000 apartment fires. This resulted in 410 deaths and 4,280 injuries. The owner of the apartment complex, also known as the landlord, is required to follow the law to protect their residents from apartment fires where possible. If the apartment fire was due to negligence or failure to follow the law by a commercial property owner, such as faulty electric wiring, improperly installed smoke detectors, lack of fire extinguishers, or poor/dysfunctional equipment, the apartment complex may be liable for the burn injury

Commercial Property Fires

(Hotels, Restaurants, Nightclubs etc.)

Similar to the owner of an apartment complex, the owner of a business like a hotel or restaurant is required to follow certain rules to protect customers from preventable fires. Sometimes after a fire, it can be determined that the burn injury would not have occurred but for the commercial property owner’s failure to follow the law. In those events, the burn injury victim may recover.

Truck Accidents/Car Accidents

Approximately 10% of burn deaths result from a motor vehicle fire. Whether or not a person can recover for a burn injury in a tractor-trailer or automobile accident will depend on whether or not the other driver was liable (that is, negligently caused) for the accident. In addition to the other driver, the burn victim may also be able to recover from the manufacturer of the vehicle for improper manufacture of the vehicle. For example, if the manufacturer improperly designed the vehicle to expose the gas tank, the manufacturer may be liable in tort for the burn injury or death.

Chemical Burns

When certain chemical compounds come into contact with the skin or with one another, a burn or even an explosion can occur. In recent memory, in Savannah, there was a massive explosion as a result of sugar dust. If a workplace or manufacturing plant does not follow the proper guidelines, the company or employer may be liable for the burn injury.

Electrical Fires

One of the most common causes of fires is electrical issues. A PowerPoint may be overloaded or the equipment itself may cause a fire. In the event that the manufacturer of the product or the owner of the real property was negligent in the maintenance or design, the manufacturer or the property owner may be responsible for the fire and the resulting burn injuries.

Scalding Water/Pipes

A scalding injury is the result of hot liquid coming into contact with the skin. Over 400,000 scalding injuries requiring emergency room visits occur each year. These burn injuries may be the result of dangerously high water temperatures in an apartment complex, served at a restaurant, or in another commercial setting. In such an event, the burn injury victim may be able to recover from the burns.

How Do We Handle Fire Accident Cases?

Fire cases almost always require fire investigators.

At our firm, we know fire experts who can get to the bottom of why a fire happened and whether it could have been prevented. When we receive a fire case, we jump on it at the earliest opportunity, traveling to the scene, investigating the equipment, and ensuring that all relevant evidence is preserved. In the event of a fire, we are burn injury lawyers who can get the job done for you.