Personal Injury and Wrongful Death

House Fire:
Burn Lawyer for Investigation and Lawsuit

Attorney David Szerlag is a former firefighter with training in advanced life support and hazardous material. He has substantial experience with house fire, burn and explosion cases. He and our team if house fire and burn attorneys work with highly experienced fire investigators and cause-and-origin specialists in cases throughout the United States.

One case David is working on involves a house fire that was most likely caused by a defective oven. David and his team are leaving no stone unturned to make sure they have a solid case against the manufacturer. Our clients are the families of three people who died in the fire. To contact David about a house fire that resulted in personal injury or wrongful death, call 1-888-377-8900 (toll free) or submit our free consultation form.

House Fire Attorney Investigation: Cause and Origin

The goal of the house fire investigation is to find the cause and origin of the fire. The first thing we do is examine the fire scene with the experts that we hire:

  • Where is the area of the most severe fire damage?
  • Where is the lowest level of fire damage?
  • How did the fire ventilate?
  • What materials burned and what was the pattern of damage?
  • What was the arc damage?

We also interview eyewitnesses to find out where they first saw the fire, analyze the accelerants in the fire debris, look at all appliances to determine if one of them could have been the cause and analyze the pattern of fire damage. Each fire is unique and should be treated as such.

House Fire Lawsuit: Who to Sue and for How Much Money

Our fire and burn injury attorneys have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of house and residential fire victims in cases involving faulty wiring, upholstered furniture, gas explosions, flammable liquids and smoke detectors. In every case, we have to look at the facts of the fire, insurance and other corporate documents, real estate documents and other evidence to determine who can sued by the fire victim (house fire personal injury) or the family of someone who died in a fire (house fire wrongful death).

Possible "defendents" (parties sued) include the following:

  • the owner of the rental house
  • the manufacturer of a defective appliance (heater, stove, drier, etc.)
  • the manufacturer of a defective fire alarm
  • the manufacturer of flamable furniture
  • the builder (contrator) of the house
  • an electrician and his or her employer
  • a propane company if the cause was a propane tank explosion
  • a gas company if the cause of the house fire was a gas explosion

This is a complex issue and a critical one. One of our jobs is to find as many parties to sue as possible to make sure you and your family are fully and adequately compensated.

House Fire Statistics

Here are some compelling facts from the United States Fire Administration about home and residential fires:

  • Each year, fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined.
  • At least 80 percent of all fire deaths occur in house fires.
  • Residential fires represent 23 percent of all fires and 76 percent of structure fires.
  • Cooking is the leading cause of hoouse fires in the U.S. It is also the leading cause of home fire injuries. Cooking fires often result from unattended cooking and human error, rather than mechanical failure of stoves or ovens.
  • Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths. Smoke alarms and smolder-resistant bedding and upholstered furniture are significant fire deterrents.
  • Arson is both the second leading cause of residential fires and residential fire deaths. In commercial properties, arson is the major cause of deaths, injuries and dollar loss.
  • Heating is the third leading cause of residential fires. Heating fires are a larger problem in single family homes than in apartments. Unlike apartments, the heating systems in single family homes are often not professionally maintained.
  • Senior citizens age 65 and over and children under the age of 5 have the greatest risk of fire death.
  • The fire death risk among seniors is over one half times the average population.
  • Children under the age of 10 accounted for an estimated 22.2 percent of all fire deaths. Read about smoke alarms and children
  • Men die or are injured in fires almost twice as often as women.
  • African Americans and American Indians have significantly higher death rates per capita than the national average. Although African Americans comprise 13 percent of the population they account for 26 percent of fire deaths.
  • A working smoke alarm dramatically increases a person's chance of surviving a fire.
  • Over 90 percent of U.S. homes have at least one smoke alarm. However, these alarms are not always properly maintained and as a result might not work in an emergency.
  • It is estimated that over 39 percent of residential fires and 52 percent of residential fatalities occur in homes with no smoke alarms.
  • Residential sprinklers have become more cost effective for homes. Currently, few homes are protected by them.

Contact David Szerlag

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Attorney Fred Pritzker has extensive experience with home fire cases, including a case in which a young mother was killed and her daughter suffered severe brain damage as a result of unsafe, flammable furniture. Fred won almost $3,000,000 for the injured daughter and other family members. Fred is listed in the current edition of The Best Lawyers in America.

Read more fire accidents information from our Minneapolis, Minnesota, burn injury lawyers. We represent victims of fires throughout the United States.


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Firm News

Fred Pritzker Listed in The Best Lawyers in America

Fred Pritzker has been notified that he will again be listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in personal injury and wrongful death litigation.

 

Burn Injury Lawsuit Settled

Our law firm settled a case involving an apartment fire. Two people died, and two others were injured, one seriously. Learn about a burn injury lawsuit, scald burn, and apartment fire.

 

Traumatic Brain Injury

Attorneys Fred Pritzker and Elliot Olsen spoke at the annual Minnesota Association for Justice Brain Injury Seminar. They represent brain injury survivors in personal injury cases throughout the nation.

 

Burn Injury Compensation

  • Medical expenses
  • Pain and suffering, including physical pain, suffering, emotional distress, disfigurment, disability, mental impairment
  • Lost earnings, including lost potential earnings
  • Cost of care
 

Burn Attorney

Information on a burn injury lawsuit, including liability of any of the following:

  • An employer
  • A property owner
  • The owner of a vehicle
  • The driver of a vehicle
  • A manufacturer
  • A utility company
  • A propane company
  • A person who serviced a propane tank, vehicle, piece of equipment, etc.
  • A landlord
  • An insurance company
 

Burn Brain Damage

Brain damage associated with fires is usually cerebral hypoxia (also referred to as cerebral anoxia), a condition where there is an absence of oxygen to the brain. 

 

This is attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The result of each case is determined by the specific facts and the applicable law.