Fire Injury Lawyer in Houston

nurse addressing a burn wound

Fires pose a significant risk of injury and death.  On average, a fire department responded to a fire somewhere in the US every 23 seconds in 2021. A civilian was fatally injured in a fire every two hours and 18 minutes. Every 36 minutes, a civilian suffered a nonfatal fire injury. The American Burn Association reports that the odds of a U.S. resident dying from exposure to fire, flames or smoke is 1 in 1442.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2021,  local fire departments, including departments protecting towns, townships, cities, and counties, responded to an estimated 1,353,500 fires in the United States. These fires caused 3,800 civilian fire deaths and 14,700 reported civilian fire injuries.  The numbers for Texas and Houston are also concerning.  In recent years, Texas fire departments responded to 71,119 fires, which means a fire occurred every seven minutes. The figure was 5,082 for the city of Houston, as reported by the Houston Fire Department. A total of 167 civilians lost their lives in fire accidents in Texas. In Houston, 11 civilian deaths were recorded.  866 civilian injuries were reported in Texas, while 36 were reported in Houston.

Were you or a loved one of those injured in a fire or explosion in Houston? If so, you or your loved one may be entitled to recover compensation for burns and other injuries you suffered in a fire someone else caused. Texas law allows you to recover your medical bills, lost income, permanent disabilities, disfigurement, and other losses that result from burn injuries that weren’t your fault.

While you focus your time and energy on your medical recovery, let a Houston fire injury lawyer from The Callahan Law Firm work to secure financial recovery and justice on your behalf.

For more than a quarter-century, our dedicated trial lawyers have fought for the rights and interests of accident victims across the Houston area. We help clients take on big corporations and insurance companies to demand financial recovery and accountability for life-altering injuries. Our firm limits the number of cases we take so we can devote the time and resources that each client deserves.

Corporations and insurers have high-powered legal teams at their disposal to help them avoid paying the fair and full financial recovery you deserve. Let us level the playing field and hold them accountable for your losses. Contact The Callahan Law Firm to find out how during a free case evaluation with a Houston fire injury lawyer.

What Are the Common Causes of Fire Injuries in Houston?

The leading cause of home fires and related injuries is home-cooking equipment. However, most fire-related deaths are from residential fires ignited by smoking materials such as cigarettes.

Other common causes of fires and explosions in the Houston area include:

  • Spilled flammable liquids
  • Broken or defective heating equipment, including space heaters, radiators, and chimneys
  • Faulty or defective building wiring
  • Frayed appliance wires
  • Leaking gas lines
  • Gasoline fires
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Defective appliances
  • Negligent use of fireworks or pyrotechnics
  • Unattended campfires and bonfires
  • Spilled cigarette ash
  • Unattended candles

Types of Fire Injury Lawsuits

A fire injury attorney from The Callahan Law Firm can help you seek financial recovery if you sustained injuries due to:

  • Apartment building fires – You may be entitled to pursue financial recovery from a landlord, building contractor, or manufacturer if you were injured in a fire at an apartment building where you lived or were visiting. Landlords could be liable for fire injuries suffered by building occupants if the property lacked smoke alarms, fire suppression equipment or fire escapes and exits.  The National Fire Prevention Association reports that almost three out of five home fire deaths were caused by fires in properties with no smoke alarms (41 percent) or smoke alarms that failed to operate (16 percent).  The risk of dying in reported home structure fires is 55 percent lower in homes with working smoke alarms than in homes with no alarms or none that worked.
  • Workplace injuries – Our firm can represent you if you were injured in a fire or explosion at work caused by negligence on the part of your employer or a third party.
  • Recreational fires – We assist victims of fires and explosions in hotels, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and retail stores, holding businesses, property owners, events companies, and defective product manufacturers accountable for the harm they cause.
  • Truck accident and tanker explosions – Turn to us for help if you suffered injuries in a truck accident that resulted in an explosion or fire. We will fight to hold trucking companies accountable for negligence in operating a dangerous vehicle like a fuel tanker.
  • Motor vehicle accidents – A fire accident attorney from our firm can assist you after a motor vehicle accident in which you suffered injuries from a vehicle fire triggered by the crash.
  • Electrical cord fires – Let us pursue your claim against liable parties such as utility companies, contractors, and manufacturers after you have suffered injuries in a fire triggered by faulty or frayed electrical wiring.
  • Defective products – We can help you pursue product liability claims against manufacturers if a defectively designed or manufactured product explodes or triggers a fire that injures you.
  • Locked fire exits – Our firm works diligently to hold property and business owners accountable when their reckless failure to keep emergency exits unlocked leads to preventable injuries and worse.
  • Electrical accidents – Our firm can help you pursue financial recovery for injuries you suffered in a fire caused by an electrical accident, including those caused by defective outlets or faulty wiring work. We know how to hold property owners, construction companies, and electrical component manufacturers liable for the injuries they cause.

What Injuries Commonly Happen During Fires in Houston?

According to Stanford Medicine Children’s Hospital, the majority of fire-related deaths are caused by inhalation of the smoke and toxic gases produced by fires. Actual flames and burns only account for about 30 percent of fire-related deaths and injuries.

Additionally, fires and explosions can also lead to the following injuries:

  • Nerve injury
  • Lacerations
  • Blunt-force trauma injuries such as broken bones; damage to ligaments, tendons, and muscles; or internal bleeding and organ injury
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
  • Lung injuries
  • Amputation or limb loss
  • Vision or hearing loss
  • Mental injuries such as PTSD

The effects of these injuries can have a serious impact on a victim’s life. If you’ve suffered injuries in a fire that someone else caused, they could owe you compensation for losses, including:

  • Medical bills
  • Property damage
  • Lost wages and other income
  • Diminished earning potential
  • Disability and disfigurement
  • Pain and suffering

Who Is Liable for Injuries Caused by Fires?

Depending on the circumstances of a fire or explosion, various parties may be liable for the injuries you suffered in the fire or blast, including:

  • Property owners and employers may be held liable for dangerous conditions on their property.
  • Events companies that organize concerts, festivals, and parties may be held liable for fires from electrical accidents, cooking accidents, or pyrotechnics.
  • Construction companies may be held liable for fires caused by defective workmanship in electrical wiring or gas plumbing.
  • Manufacturers may be held liable for design or manufacturing defects in products that explode and/or start fires.

Contact Our Experienced Houston Fire Injury Lawyers Today

Have you been hurt in a fire that wasn’t your fault? Do not wait to talk to our experienced Houston fire injury lawyers about pursuing compensation for the expenses and losses you suffered. Contact us online or call The Callahan Law Firm today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about how our firm can help you demand accountability and justice from the at-fault party. At our firm, you owe no fees unless we recover money for you in a settlement or judgment.