Common Causes of Reno Fire and Burn Injuries
A fire can occur anywhere, at any time, and without warning. It can quickly become out of control, leaving victims with little or no time to escape the flames.
Fire prevention is crucial for having a safe residence, workplace, or vacation. Road safety is another vital part of fire prevention involving tanker trucks carrying flammable materials.
Fire and burn injury negligence occurs when someone acts without the same care a reasonably prudent person would use in the same situation. Negligence makes the responsible party liable for a victim’s damages and is at the core of civil lawsuits.
The following examples provide a closer look at fire and burn injury negligence:
- Motor vehicle accidents: drunk, distracted, or otherwise reckless drivers who lose control of their vehicle, causing a fire
- Defective fire-safety products: an irresponsible manufacturer who releases products without proper testing or with known issues
- Faulty wiring or other electrical issues: shortcuts to save time and money on building projects or repairs
- Scalding pipes or other water issues: above-average water temperatures that are easily accessible to children
- Chemical burns in a workplace: unsafe working conditions and a failure to adhere to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.
These and other forms of negligence can result in fire and burn injuries that are generally preventable. No one should pay for medical costs and other damages that result from someone else’s carelessness.
Someone responsible for a fire may attempt to hide evidence. Reports can disappear, and witnesses can forget valuable information. For these and other reasons, contacting a Reno burn injury lawyer immediately is vital for your case.
Types of Fire and Burn Injuries
Fire and burn injuries cause physical, psychological, emotional, and financial stress for victims and their families. The severity of the injuries can gravely affect a victim’s overall quality of life.
Fire and burn victims face a significant amount of bodily damage, which may include:
- First-degree burns: superficial burns affecting the outer layer of the skin
- Second-degree burns: partial-thickness burns affecting the outer and secondary layer of skin
- Third-degree burns: full-thickness burns destroy the outer and secondary layer of skin, reaching the muscle, tendons, nerves, and bone
- Lung damage: due to fine particles found in smoke
- Infections: the most common complication and the primary cause of death in burn victims
- Mental anguish: depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder are possible outcomes for burn victims.
Severe burns often require treatment in a specialized burn center. The slow recovery may include procedures like plastic surgery, skin grafts, counseling, and physical therapy.
Burn victims face future potential life-threatening dangers such as a weakened immune system. Rest and peace of mind are crucial for recovery. Having a lawyer managing your case can provide you with both.
If you or a loved one suffered smoke or burn injuries due to negligence, a Reno burn injury attorney can help you. Your damages are unfair and demand accountability from the person or people liable for your harm.
Burn injuries caused by negligence demand justice. A Reno burn injury lawyer helps victims with their fight for compensation that is fair and deserved.
Reno Burn Injuries and Children
Burns are especially traumatic for children. How a child reacts to a burn injury and treatment depends on age, developmental stage, and available support.
Children who suffer severe burns generally deal with the following types of issues:
- Loss of confidence
- Age regression
- Sleep problems
- Separation anxiety
- Behavioral changes
- Issues with appetite.
While not a complete list, these issues can make a recovery difficult for the child and their family. A long recovery can prevent children from returning to school and activities they once enjoyed.
Some children may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, which can cause such behaviors as:
- Fear and avoidance of activities that caused the burn
- Reliving the accident through nightmares or daily memories.
If your child suffered burn injuries due to someone else’s negligent actions, contact a Reno burn injury lawyer without delay.
Frequently Asked Questions
A fire and burn injury are incredibly traumatic events. The confusing aftermath of hospital stays and medical procedures may overwhelm you as you contemplate a lawsuit.
The following frequently asked questions are helpful for learning more about the civil process. Additional questions are welcome during the free case consultation, and clients may ask questions throughout their case.
Gather all information about the fire, including police reports and your medical records, and schedule a free case consultation. A Reno burn injury lawyer can determine if you qualify to file a personal injury lawsuit.
If the police determine that your injuries are due to a criminal act, you still have a right to pursue compensation with a civil claim and lawsuit.
You may sue if your relationship with the victim qualifies for legal action under Nevada law. A Reno burn injury lawyer can help you with a wrongful death claim and lawsuit.
Nevada law sets a deadline of two years for filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. The two-year period starts the moment you suffer harm or a tragic loss.
Most burn injury claims and lawsuits include such damages as medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Securing a lawyer before accepting a settlement offer from an insurance company protects your best interests. Initial settlement offers are typically less than most accident victims deserve.
The time following a traumatic accident or sudden loss is often chaotic and confusing. A Reno burn injury lawyer understands how insurance companies operate regarding civil claims and lawsuits.
Protecting your best interests immediately following your tragic accident or losing a close loved one is a top priority. Insurance companies like nothing better than to close claims quickly by either underpaying or denying victims fair compensation.
Reno Fire and Burn: Wrongful Death
Learning that your loved one died suddenly due to a negligent fire is heartbreaking. Also heartbreaking, is watching a loved one suffer from burns in a hospital, only to die from their injuries.
A wrongful death case cannot replace the loss of your loved one. No amount of compensation can fill the void their absence leaves in your family.
A successful wrongful death case can, however, serve as some form of justice for your loved one. It can also help to alleviate your financial stress if you lost a spouse and their income.
A wrongful death case typically includes unexpected funeral costs, final medical bills, and other related damages. Noneconomic damages like that of companionship are another possibility.
A free case consultation can help you during this stressful time. Once you hire a Reno wrongful death attorney, you can concentrate more on your grief and less on the legal details of your case.
Your Reno Burn Injury Lawyer
The risk of fire surrounds everyone in their daily lives. Fires are a real risk — not just at home in your kitchen. The following locations are a few examples of locations where one can suffer severe harm by smoke and flames:
- Nevada city streets, highways, and rural roads
- Non-residential fires, such as colleges, hotels, nightclubs, casinos
- Construction sites, hospitals, restaurants, or similar workplaces
- Apartment buildings and other types of residential rental places.
Reviewing fire and police reports, examining photographs, and interviewing witnesses takes time. Investigating what happened and who is responsible for your damages helps your Reno burn injury lawyer build your case.
Contacting a lawyer as soon as possible helps both you and your lawyer. A free case consultation is an opportunity for you to share your experience and any evidence you possess and to learn your options for moving forward.
Why Choose Us?
At Leverty & Associates, we care about our clients. We understand the stress and anxiety a traumatic experience creates for injured victims and families suffering loss.
Pursuing adequate compensation for your current and long-term needs is a challenging process. Victims of negligence have enough on their shoulders as they deal with medical procedures or plan a funeral service.
Let a member of our team negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. We can keep you updated with developments as your case progresses.
There are times when a civil claim may proceed to trial. If this happens with your case, your lawyer has trial experience and can present your case before a judge and jury.
There is no way to forecast the outcome of your case. Compensation is never promised; however, pursuing it is your right. Leverty & Associates can help you fight by protecting your rights against insurance companies.
It would be best if you had an advocate on your side. Insurance company representatives may seem eager to help you. Do not fall for their high-pressure tactics. Their goal is to protect profits and not you.
Why Reno Fire and Burn Injury Victims Should Not Sit Back and Wait
A significant event that upends your life can make you cautious about your next move. Sitting back and waiting to see how things play out with an insurance company is not wise.
Two years under Nevada’s statute of limitations sounds like plenty of time for pursuing legal action. However, time passes quickly as you deal with a new schedule. Instead of going to work, you find yourself going to medical appointments, therapy, or a funeral. The changes in your life are immediate, upsetting, and unfair.
A personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit is about negligence. Disregard for the safety and well-being of others demands accountability. One possible outcome of a successful case is that the liable party never repeats reckless behavior or actions.
Attorney Patrick Leverty
With his master’s in insurance law, Patrick routinely helps individuals and businesses who are having issues with their insurance company. He also has extensive experience with personal injury actions, complex tort actions, product liability matters, and class actions. Patrick Leverty is rated AV by Martindale Hubbell (the highest rating) and has been granted membership in the Million Dollar Advocate Forum, and Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum. Patrick Leverty has been certified as a Personal Injury Specialist by the State Bar of Nevada. [ Attorney Bio ]
