Fire, Explosion and Burn Injuries

At Michaels Bersani Kalabanka, our Syracuse fire, burn and explosion injury lawyers have had a lot of experience with burn injuries. We have successfully brought burn cases to trial. Fire, burn and explosion accidents can happen on the job, at home, on the road, or anywhere there is explosive or flammable material. Explosion, burn and fire injuries are almost always severe, with permanent scarring and horrific pain and suffering.

Burns can be caused by many products, including propane gas, natural gas, gasoline, chemicals, automobile accidents, faulty equipment, aerosol spray cans, faulty smoke detectors, broken furnaces, and defective household appliances.

Fire and burn injuries are deadly, but when they don’t kill, they usually cause awful pain and suffering. Did you ever wonder why hell is depicted as place where fire tortures its inhabitants? Or did you ever wonder why our ancestors used to burn people at the stake as punishment for the worst crimes? It’s probably because fewer experiences are more painful to humans that being burned.

Gas is one of the leading causes of explosion injuries. Approximately 100 million people use natural gas and about 26 million people use propane gas for home heating and cooking. Of the two, propane is far more dangerous. One reason this is so is that propane is heavier than air, and sinks into the lowest areas of the home where it many not come into contact with the nose, and may not be smelled. Consumers of propane gas (also known as LP gas) are four times more likely to be injured in explosions than those who use natural gas. And those involved in a gas explosion, you are about 12 times more likely to suffer severe injuries or burns in a propane explosion than in a natural gas one. Michaels Bersani Kalabanka’s fire, burn and explosion injury lawyers have settled or negotiated seven figure verdicts for their Syracuse area clients in these types of cases.

Gas itself has no smell; a chemical is added to gas to give it a smell as a warning, but smell alone does not provide a good warning system. Sometimes providers of propane or other gas fail to add the "smell", or don't add enough of it. People who have colds, or who are sleeping, or who have poor senses of smell, are at risk because they can't smell gas. Both Natural gas and LP gas (propane) in homes can be deadly if a gas leak goes undetected. When that happens, the gas accumulates in the home until it reaches an explosive level. When that happens, almost any small spark, for example, just turning on a light switch, can ignite the gas, causing a massive explosion.

Our fire, burn and explosion injury lawyers often end up suing several Syracuse area defendants at once. That’s because sometimes multiple defendants are responsible for causing a fire or explosion, such as utility companies, propane or gas suppliers, landlords, electricians or contractors who failed to properly install or maintain equipment or gas systems, or the city, town or county who failed to properly inspect the home.

When someone is injured in an explosion, burn or fire injury, the science, facts and law relevant to the case can be quite complex and require not only competent legal counsel, but fire investigators, engineers and other experts. These cases can also be difficult because much of the evidence is destroyed in the fire or the explosion, and what remains has to be investigated while it is still “hot”. That’s why it is recommended that a fire/explosion lawyer get involved as soon as possible, while the evidence is still “hot”.

The Syracuse fire, burn and explosion injury lawyers of Michaels Bersani Kalabanka have recovered millions of dollars for clients with fire, explosion or burn injuries and for other injuries to cover their medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and more. If you or a loved one has been a victim of an explosion, fire or burn injury, CONTACT US for a free consultation with an experienced lawyer who can inform you of your legal rights and maximize your compensation.