BROWARD FIRE RAISES PREMISIS LIABILITY QUESTIONS
Earlier this week in Miramar, two families were left in shock when a fire engulfed a building which housed the apartments that both families lived in. At around nine in the morning on Monday, July 22nd, an apartment complex, located on SW 27th Avenue in Miramar, had a significant fire consume a large portion of one of its buildings. The fire began in one specific unit, but quickly spread to four additional apartments.
The damage created by this inferno was devastating to at least two families who completely lost everything they had. Firefighters work aggressively at putting out the flames, but nearly an hour of constant flames within the building had already caused extreme damage for those victims. It has been reported by Miramar Fire Rescue that the fire may have been caused by an electrical issue. Due to the amount of damage that was done by this unfortunate event, there are now two families who are being forced to start their lives over.
INJURIES CAUSED BY FIRE
In this Miramar apartment complex fire, the victims were extremely lucky to walk away with their lives. Sadly, each year there are almost five thousand people that aren’t as lucky and are killed because of burn injuries. Many of these unfortunate injuries are not caused by the victim’s actions, but come at the hands of a third-party. This makes it very important for those who have experienced a burn due to a fire to be fully aware of the laws that govern accidents causing burns.
Though fires are a significant cause of many victims’ burns, there are other ways in which a person can receive a burn injury.
• Contact with open flames due to an explosion • Contact with hot machinery • Contact with Boiling or scalding liquids
• Contact with exposed electrical wiring • Contact with dangerous chemicals • Exposure to radiation
Knowing what causes burns can really help us to avoid serious injury. However, sometimes even the most cautious of behavior can still result in a burn. The long-lasting effects that a burn can produce include having limbs amputated, limited physical mobility and permanent disfigurement.
PREMISIS LIABILITY
There are scenarios which occur, even with fires, which can cause a third party to be responsible for damages and injuries suffered by unsuspecting victims. Property owners owe a duty to make their property safe for those living there as tenants. Premises liability laws are what govern responsibilities of an owner as to tenants of their property. A lawsuit may be filed against the property owner for damages incurred as a result of the injury you sustained on their premises if it was caused as a result of their negligence.
When dealing with premises liability claims, you should know that a claim for injuries against a property owner is not limited to homeowners only. There are multiple situations which are appropriate for bringing a lawsuit for premises liability. Small businesses, apartment complexes, shopping malls, grocery stores, and restaurants are some of the many other places where there is a duty to maintain a safe environment for guests.
An argument must be made and proved that the injuries you suffered were a result of the property owner’s failure to establish safe premises. In doing so, you must be able to demonstrate to a jury that:
• The property owner knew or should have known there was a unsafe condition;
• They failed to repair the unsafe condition or provide adequate warning of its presence; and
• You suffered an injury because of the unsafe condition.
A property owner must also have knowledge of the unsafe condition on the property where the injury took place in order for them to be held liable. If the property owner did not know, or there was no reason for the property owner to have known about the unsafe condition, there is an argument for them not being liable for the injuries. It is important to be educated on this fact that when on an owner’s property. Additionally, you yourself are required to use reasonable care for your own safety.
YOU SHOULD CONTACT A BURN INJURY ATTORNEY
If you have suffered burn injuries on the property of another person or business, it is important for you to reach out to an attorney and let them know what happened. Contact the Fort Lauderdale office of Madalon Law for a free consultation and let us answer your questions and let you know if you have a case.