Compensation for Injuries Suffered in a Fire in New York
Fire accidents in New York cause severe burn injuries that can be not only painful to endure and costly to treat, but also cause lifelong scarring and disfigurement. Burn injury survivors must deal with long-term pain and discomfort as they cope with psychological and emotional scars associated with their injuries. Many fire injury victims are also burdened with medical expenses they cannot afford. This can create a tremendous amount of stress for survivors and their families.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a New York City fire that was caused by the negligence of a property owner, manager, or some other individual or entity, please contact the experienced fire injury lawyers at Wingate, Russotti, Shapiro, Moses & Halperin, LLP at (212) 986-7353 to find out how we can help you. Our NY injury attorneys can assist you with the claims process and help you secure fair and full compensation for your injuries, damages and losses.
Who Can Be Held Liable in New York?
The determination of who or what caused the fire will also determine who can be held liable for the injuries, damages and losses caused. Potentially liable parties in a New York City fire injury case include:
- Property owner who failed to install proper fire alarms or sprinklers.
- Property owner or managers whose negligence in maintaining the property caused the fire and resulting injuries.
- Individual responsible for causing the fire.
- Utility company, if the fire was caused due to a transformer malfunction or gas line explosion.
- An appliance manufacturer responsible for creating a defective product that caused the fire or failed to protect the building's occupants.
- Property maintenance companies whose negligence caused the fire.
Whenever someone suffers an injury in a fire, it must be determined what caused the fire and how it could have been prevented. Residential and commercial fires that result in injuries can start from a variety of sources including but not limited to open flames, electrical issues, explosions, household chemicals and issues relating to poor building maintenance. The top five causes of accidental fires investigated by the Bureau of Fire Investigation include electrical, smoking, open flame, careless cooking and appliances.
Many injured victims are also burdened with medical expenses they can't afford.
How Our New York Fire Injury Lawyers Can Help You
Our NYC fire injury attorneys can help determine if you have a valid claim for damages. We take a number of important steps to help protect your rights. First, we gather and secure all relevant evidence including police and fire department reports and photographs from the scene of the fire. We assist with reviewing medical reports and records prepared by your doctors.
We also work with medical experts to evaluate the nature and extent of your injuries and the costs associated with necessary future medical procedures that may be required including surgeries and rehabilitation services. We will collect vital information including testimony from eyewitnesses, inspectors and accident investigators, which can clearly establish the cause of the accident and help determine who can be held liable for your fire-related injuries.
Injured fire accident victims can receive compensation for economic damages such as medical expenses, lost wages, cost of rehabilitation and diminished earning capacity. They can also get compensated for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, mental anguish caused by the traumatic incident as well as physical scarring and disfigurement. In some cases, punitive damages may also be awarded to punish the wrongdoer and discourage others from engaging in similar behavior.
We understand the complexities of the law and can help you get the support you need during this difficult time. Please contact our lawyers at (212) 986-7353 to obtain more information about pursuing your legal rights.