Fire And Burn Injury Compensation

Types Of Fire And Burn Injuries

Burns range in seriousness from first-degree to third-degree injuries. They happen in different ways, including:

• Heat
• Cold
• Corrosion

Burns from heat primarily occur from open flames, hot surfaces, and hot objects, but they may also come from the sun, electricity, and radiation. Cold burns happen after prolonged contact with ice or extremely cold objects. Corrosive burns typically occur due to contact with corrosive substances, such as acid.  

Liability For Fire And Burn Injuries

Determining liability is one of the first steps your lawyer will take in seeking compensation for your burn injury. Depending on how an injury from fire occurs, various parties may be responsible for an injury caused by fire or a burn.

Building Owners

Building owners offer space for residences, offices, and other purposes in Las Vegas and throughout Nevada. They are required to maintain their properties in reasonably safe conditions.

Local, state, and federal laws require significant safety measures and designs to ensure building safety, including: 

• Smoke detectors
• Fire sprinklers
• Emergency exits
• Signage 

Building owners must also comply with electrical codes. However, lapses and mistakes can occur, resulting in tragedies like fires. 

For example, faulty, unrepaired, or unmaintained wiring can affect hundreds of lives in apartments and hotels. Failure to install or update smoke detectors can also lead to serious burn injuries. In either case, the building owner may be liable for failing to meet these safety standards if a fire breaks out.

Restaurants

People enjoy some of the finest meals and beverages in the world in Las Vegas. These dishes and beverages should not come with an injury risk.

Restaurant patrons have reasonable expectations about the temperature of food. Everyone knows coffee and soup are supposed to be hot. However, there is such a thing as too hot or unexpectedly too hot, which can cause burns and lead to a personal injury lawsuit. 

Product Makers

Countless products on the market can cause burn injuries. For example, a defective curling iron might become too hot. Some products, such as batteries and other products that use acid and corrosive liquids, can cause chemical burns. 

Product makers and providers can be held strictly liable for burns caused by a product if it can be shown that the product was defective. Liability may extend to everyone in the product’s production, marketing, and retail chain, including:

• Designers
• Manufacturers
• Distributors
• Wholesalers
• Retailers

Product makers and providers may also be held liable under a theory of negligence, as well as under a theory of breach of warranty.

Negligent Motorists

Traffic negligence can lead to burn injuries due to the presence of gasoline and superheated auto parts. One touch of a hot car part can lead to third-degree burns, as can a gas fire and explosion. 

Drunk driving, texting while driving, speeding, and failing to stop at red lights are but a few of the common unlawful and negligent traffic acts that cause accidents and subsequent burns. 

Venues And Performers

Entertainment venue organizers and performers have a duty toward their audience members and one another. The use of dangerous equipment and props, such as pyrotechnics, is common in Las Vegas. Performers and event organizers take great care to protect paying attendees and staff. 

However, mistakes happen. Shows can spin out of control from one simple act of negligence. This is why these workers and organizers are held to the strictest standards when working with fire and explosions. 

What To Do After Burn Injury Accidents In Nevada

If you have suffered a burn injury, time is of the essence in Nevada. Make sure to follow these key steps after a burn injury:

Seek Medical Attention

Immediate medical treatment can greatly affect how your burn injury heals. It’s important that you comply with your doctor’s orders fully.

Both your recovery and your legal claim can depend on your compliance with medical directions. If you fail to adhere to doctor’s orders, the insurance company handling your case or the defendant may use this fact to reduce your compensation. They might argue that your failure to follow medical treatment instructions exacerbated your burn injury.

Gather Evidence

You need evidence for your personal injury claim, and the best evidence is often the freshest. So, gathering basic evidence just after an incident can be extremely helpful to your case. However, your safety and well-being come first.

Types of easily gathered evidence after an injury include:

• Still photos
• Video footage
• Witness statements
• Names and contact information of all parties involved

When you hire an attorney, they can thoroughly investigate and gather evidence for your case. Gathering evidence just after the accident will often help your lawyer in their quest to recover damages, which can cover losses like medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Punitive damages may also be available.

Act Quickly To Preserve Your Claim

If you or someone you love has been burned in an accident, it’s vital to take action as soon as possible to preserve your right to damages. The clock of opportunity starts ticking after an injury is sustained and runs for two years. 

The seasoned team at Adam S. Kutner has extensive experience navigating the complex claims process for burn injuries in Las Vegas. Don’t wait to seek the justice you deserve.

Citations:

Burns. (2020).
NRS 11.190(4)(e).
NRS 42.005.