New York Fire and Burn Injury Lawyers

Fire and Burn Injury Cases We Handle

Burn injuries can happen anywhere. They may occur at home, in an apartment building, at a business, in a restaurant, in a nursing home, on a construction site, or on the road.

The Bongiorno Law Firm handles fire and burn injury cases involving:

• Apartment and building fires
• House fires caused by negligence
• Defective smoke detectors or missing alarms
• Blocked or unsafe exits
• Electrical fires
• Faulty wiring
• Scalding injuries from hot water or steam
• Restaurant and kitchen burn injuries
• Construction site burns
• Vehicle fires
• Defective appliances or products
• Chemical burns
• Electrical burns
• Thermal burns
• Burns in nursing homes or care facilities
• Burn injuries involving children
• Smoke inhalation injuries
• Wrongful death caused by fire or burn injuries

Every case is different. Our job is to investigate what happened, determine who may be responsible, and fight for the maximum compensation available under the law.

Not All Fires Are Accidents

Many people assume a fire was simply a tragic accident. But in many cases, a deeper investigation reveals that the fire or burn injury could have been prevented.

A landlord may have ignored electrical complaints. A property owner may have failed to maintain smoke detectors. A business may have allowed unsafe conditions to continue. A contractor may have performed unsafe work. A nursing home may have failed to protect a vulnerable resident. A product may have malfunctioned.

When negligence plays a role, the injured person may have the right to bring a claim.

That is why it is important to speak with an experienced New York fire and burn injury lawyer as soon as possible. Evidence can disappear quickly, and the responsible parties may begin protecting themselves immediately.

Common Causes of Fire and Burn Injuries

Many burn injuries are preventable. When landlords, property owners, businesses, contractors, manufacturers, or other parties fail to take proper safety measures, innocent people can suffer devastating harm.

Common causes of fire and burn injuries include:

• Faulty electrical systems
• Unsafe wiring
• Missing or broken smoke detectors
• Defective carbon monoxide or fire alarms
• Poorly maintained buildings
• Blocked stairways or exits
• Lack of proper fire safety measures
• Defective appliances
• Defective heaters or heating systems
• Hot water that is set too high
• Unsafe restaurant or kitchen conditions
• Improper storage of flammable materials
• Negligent supervision of children or vulnerable adults
• Failure to follow fire safety rules or building codes

A fire may seem like a tragic accident, but there may be warning signs that were ignored. Prior complaints, failed inspections, unsafe conditions, defective equipment, poor maintenance, and code violations can all become important parts of a fire or burn injury claim.

Apartment Fires and Landlord Negligence in New York

Apartment fires can be especially dangerous because tenants may have little control over the safety of the building. When landlords, building owners, property managers, or maintenance companies fail to keep a property reasonably safe, residents can suffer catastrophic injuries.

A landlord or property owner may be responsible for a fire or burn injury involving:

• Missing smoke detectors
• Broken or expired smoke detectors
• Defective fire alarms
• Blocked exits or stairways
• Unsafe electrical wiring
• Overloaded electrical systems
• Poorly maintained heating systems
• Ignored tenant complaints
• Lack of proper repairs
• Unsafe common areas
• Building code violations
• Failure to correct known hazards

In New York City, property owners and tenants both have responsibilities involving smoke, carbon monoxide, and natural gas detectors. When required safety devices are missing, broken, expired, or not properly maintained, those facts may be important in a fire injury investigation.

If you were injured in an apartment fire, do not assume there is nothing you can do. The Bongiorno Law Firm can investigate whether the landlord, building owner, property manager, maintenance company, contractor, or another party may be legally responsible.

New York Fire Safety Laws and Legal Responsibilities

Fire and burn injury cases often involve more than the injury itself. New York laws, building codes, fire safety rules, and property maintenance requirements may all play an important role in determining who was responsible.

Depending on the facts of the case, a fire or burn injury claim may involve:

• Building code violations
• Fire safety violations
• Smoke detector requirements
• Carbon monoxide detector requirements
• Natural gas detector requirements
• Electrical safety issues
• Unsafe stairways or blocked exits
• Landlord and property owner responsibilities
• Product safety issues
• Premises liability laws
• Municipal liability rules

For example, if a landlord failed to provide working smoke detectors, ignored electrical complaints, allowed blocked exits, or failed to correct unsafe building conditions, those facts may become important in proving negligence.

In New York, many personal injury cases must be filed within three years from the date of the injury. However, some cases have much shorter deadlines. If a city, town, village, school district, public authority, or other municipal entity may be involved, a Notice of Claim may need to be filed within 90 days.

Because every case is different, it is important to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible after a serious fire or burn injury.

Types of Burn Injuries

Not all burns are the same. The type of burn, the depth of the injury, and the part of the body affected can all impact treatment, recovery, and the value of a legal claim.

Common types of burn injuries include:

Thermal burns caused by fire, flames, hot surfaces, steam, or boiling liquids.

Scald burns caused by hot water, hot beverages, steam, or overheated liquids.

Electrical burns caused by contact with exposed wiring, electrical currents, power lines, faulty equipment, or unsafe electrical systems.

Chemical burns caused by contact with dangerous chemicals, cleaning products, acids, industrial materials, or toxic substances.

Smoke inhalation injuries caused by breathing in smoke, toxic fumes, or heated air during a fire.

Some burn injuries affect only the outer layer of the skin, while others damage deeper tissue, nerves, muscles, and organs. Severe burns can leave permanent physical and emotional scars.

Degrees of Burn Injuries

Burn injuries are often classified by severity.

First degree burns usually affect the outer layer of the skin and may cause redness, pain, and swelling.

Second degree burns damage deeper layers of skin and may cause blistering, severe pain, swelling, and scarring.

Third degree burns can destroy full layers of skin and may damage nerves, tissue, and underlying structures. These burns often require emergency care, surgery, skin grafting, and long term treatment.

Fourth degree burns are the most severe and can extend into muscles, tendons, ligaments, or bone. These injuries may be life threatening and can result in permanent disability or death.

Even burns that initially appear limited can become serious if they lead to infection, nerve damage, scarring, or complications. That is why immediate medical treatment is so important.

Burn Injuries Can Have Lifelong Consequences

Burn injuries can affect every part of a person’s life. The physical pain can be overwhelming, and the recovery process may be long, difficult, and expensive.

Serious burn injuries may cause:

• Permanent scarring
• Disfigurement
• Nerve damage
• Infection
• Reduced mobility
• Loss of sensation
• Chronic pain
• Skin grafting
• Multiple surgeries
• Amputation in severe cases
• Smoke inhalation injuries
• Lung damage
• Vision problems
• Emotional distress
• Anxiety or depression
• Post traumatic stress
• Loss of income
• Permanent disability
• Wrongful death

The impact is not only physical. Many burn victims also struggle emotionally because of changes to their appearance, trauma from the incident, pain, and the stress of ongoing medical care.

At The Bongiorno Law Firm, we understand that a serious burn injury is not just about what happened on the day of the accident. It is about what the injured person may be forced to live with for months, years, or the rest of their life.

Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Fire or Burn Injury?

Fire and burn injury cases often require a detailed investigation. More than one person, company, or entity may be responsible.

Depending on the facts of the case, liable parties may include:

• Landlords
• Property owners
• Building managers
• Maintenance companies
• Contractors
• Electricians
• Restaurants or businesses
• Product manufacturers
• Appliance companies
• Nursing homes or care facilities
• Vehicle manufacturers
• Municipal entities
• Other negligent individuals or companies

For example, a landlord may be responsible if a building had unsafe wiring, missing smoke detectors, blocked exits, or ignored fire hazards. A business may be responsible if a customer was burned because of unsafe conditions. A manufacturer may be responsible if a defective appliance, heater, battery, or product caused a burn injury.

The Bongiorno Law Firm works to identify every party that may be responsible so our clients can pursue the full compensation available.

Why Fire and Burn Injury Cases Require a Strong Investigation

Burn injury cases can be complex. It is not always obvious what caused the fire or burn, and the responsible parties may try to blame the victim, another person, or an unavoidable accident.

A strong investigation may involve reviewing:

• Fire department reports
• Fire marshal reports
• Police reports
• Building code violations
• Inspection records
• Prior complaints
• Maintenance records
• Smoke detector and alarm history
• Electrical records
• Product information
• Surveillance footage
• 911 calls
• Photos of the scene
• Damaged appliances or products
• Witness statements
• Medical records
• Expert reports

Evidence can disappear quickly after a fire. A building may be repaired, damaged products may be thrown away, and unsafe conditions may be corrected before they are properly documented. The sooner a lawyer becomes involved, the better chance there is to preserve important evidence.

If you suffered a serious burn injury, do not assume you have to face the aftermath alone. Contact The Bongiorno Law Firm today for a free consultation.

Compensation in a Fire or Burn Injury Case

If your burn injury was caused by negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for the harm you have suffered. The value of a case depends on the severity of the injury, medical treatment, long term effects, lost income, pain and suffering, scarring, and who was responsible.

Compensation may include:

• Medical bills
• Future medical care
• Emergency treatment
• Hospital stays
• Surgeries
• Skin grafting
• Rehabilitation
• Physical therapy
• Medication
• Home care
• Lost wages
• Loss of future earning ability
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Out of pocket expenses
• Wrongful death damages, when applicable

At The Bongiorno Law Firm, we understand that serious burn injuries can create financial pressure on top of physical and emotional pain. Our firm works to build a strong case that reflects the full impact of the injury, not just the first round of medical bills.

What To Do After a Fire or Burn Injury

After a serious burn injury, your health comes first. Get medical treatment right away and follow all instructions from your doctors.

When you are able, it may also help to:

• Take photos of your injuries
• Take photos of the scene, if possible
• Save damaged clothing or belongings
• Get names of witnesses
• Request fire department, police, or incident reports
• Save medical records and bills
• Avoid speaking with insurance companies alone
• Contact an experienced fire and burn injury lawyer as soon as possible

The steps you take early can make a major difference in your case.

How Long Do You Have To File a Fire or Burn Injury Claim in New York?

Deadlines matter in fire and burn injury cases. In New York, many negligence based personal injury cases must be filed within three years from the date of the injury.

However, some cases have shorter deadlines. Claims involving a city, town, village, school district, public authority, or other municipal entity may require a Notice of Claim within 90 days.

The deadline that applies depends on the facts of the case and who may be responsible. Missing a deadline can affect your ability to recover compensation, so it is important to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible.

Why Choose The Bongiorno Law Firm?

For over 40 years, The Bongiorno Law Firm has represented injured New Yorkers and their families. We know how overwhelming a serious injury can be, and we take pride in guiding our clients through the legal process with compassion, communication, and strong advocacy.

When you choose our firm, you get a team that is prepared to investigate your case, identify the responsible parties, deal with the insurance companies, and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Our firm can help by:

• Investigating the cause of the fire or burn injury
• Preserving important evidence
• Reviewing building records, complaints, and safety issues
• Identifying all responsible parties
• Working with experts when needed
• Handling insurance companies
• Calculating the full value of your damages
• Preparing your case for settlement or trial
• Keeping you informed throughout the process

We Care. We Fight. You Win.

Speak With a New York Fire and Burn Injury Lawyer Today

If you or someone you love suffered a serious fire or burn injury, you do not have to handle the legal process alone. The Bongiorno Law Firm is here to help you understand your rights and fight for the compensation you deserve.

Contact us today for a free consultation. There is no legal fee unless we recover compensation for you.

The Bongiorno Law Firm
Serious Accident Lawyers
516-741-4170

We Care. We Fight. You Win.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fire and Burn Injury Cases