Apartment Fires and Scalding Pose a Danger to Residents

 Posted on March 18, 2015 in Personal Injury

The possibility of being injured or killed in a residential fire is a scary thought for anyone. Unfortunately, it's also a common risk: about13,000 people are hurt in home fires in the U.S. each year, according to MSN, and about 3,000 people are killed. Around 270 fires occur in apartments every day in the country.

Those most at risk of being injured or killed in a home fire are children and the elderly, since they have the least chance of being able to escape easily on their own. The Centers for Disease Control report that everyday in the U.S., more than 300 children are seen in emergency rooms for burns. Sadly, at least two children die from burn-related injuries every day.

The risk of apartment fires

Recently an explosion in a California apartment complex resulted in a father being hospitalized with severe burns, according to KGET. The fire department believes the explosion was accidental, but the fact remains that property owners have a responsibility to maintain standards of safety to protect residents.

t's the law in all Connecticut jurisdictions for landlords to provide working smoke detectors, but some property managers don't always pay attention to this requirement.

There are several common types of fires, or complications related to fires,that an apartment tenant may not have any control over:

• Electrical fires that are not easily prevented or detected
• Other renters cooking, smoking or allowing children access to the stove or matches
• Insufficient exits - at least two exits from the building are recommended,including bedroom windows

In addition to residential fires, scalding is another major cause of burn injury. In fact, scalding is the most common type of burn for children to suffer, according to the Mayo Clinic. It's recommended to check the hot water thermostat and adjust it to a safe temperature for children;however, the temperature of the hot water heater is another danger that many renters don't have any control over.

Getting legal help after a burn injury

Some types of burns heal completely, but the most severe burns - from both fires and scalding water - can cause lifelong scarring, disability and long-term medical treatments. Skin grafts and other specialized treatment for severe burns will usually result in thousands of dollars in medical bills, some of which might not be fully covered by insurance.

If you've been impacted by an apartment fire or scalding, a personal injury attorney with experience dealing with burn-related injuries can help.