Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
Firefighters put out a blaze at a high-rise in North Miami Beach that caught fire overnight Saturday, according to reporting from The Miami Herald.
Emergency responders were called out to the area just before 7 p.m. Friday after getting reports that a 10-story apartment building near the 3700 block of Northeast 166th Street had caught fire. When they arrived, they found heavy smoke coming from an apartment on the sixth floor and evacuated everyone inside. The fire did not spread to nearby units.
At least three people were treated at the scene by paramedics but did not require transport to a nearby hospital. One resident told reporters that she noticed debris falling onto her balcony. She ran from her apartment and knocked on the doors of her neighbors to alert them before fleeing the building.
No serious injuries were reported.
A potential cause of the fire was not immediately available Monday.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a personal injury law firm with nearly five decades of experience guiding individuals and families through the legal process following traumatic and catastrophic accidents and injuries. In that time, the firm has handled numerous cases involving burns, fires, explosions, carbon monoxide and other gas exposures at the hands of negligent individuals, corporations, management companies, and other entities. Our skilled trial attorneys approach every case with the care, compassion, creativity and knowledge of the law necessary to return the best possible outcome for every client. In 49 years of personal injury law from offices throughout the state in Key West, Orlando, and Miami, our attorneys have obtained numerous record and landmark verdicts for victims and families, earning the firm both statewide and national recognition.
While no one can completely shield themselves or their loved ones from accidents or tragedies, landlords, homeowners, hotels, and others responsible for a property have important legal duties to help keep people safe. Under Florida premises liability law, property owners and managers must maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. When a dangerous condition exists, they have a duty of care to repair it within a reasonable time or, at minimum, to warn guests, tenants, and other invitees to the property — such as workers making repairs or conducting inspections — of the potential hazard.
While no one can ever fully prevent an accident from occurring, knowing what to do in case of an emergency can mean the difference between life and death in certain situations. Below are only some fire safety tips that may help in case of a fire emergency. This is not an exhaustive list, and everyone should defer to fire personnel and other emergency responders for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
- Come up with a fire safety plan that everyone in the household can remember. This plan should include a meeting spot that is a safe distance away from the home so that everyone knows where to go once they have escaped in case you are separated by the flames.
- Ensure that all smoke detectors are in working order.
- Never allow children to play with household items such as matches, candles or lighters.
- Educate your family about the dangers of fire
- If a fire breaks out in your home, escape immediately and call 911. Never attempt to put out the fire yourself or to
- Always keep fire extinguishers on hand near kitchens, outdoor fire pits and barbecues.
- Always stay in the kitchen while cooking as stoves that are left unattended can become fire hazards.
- Extinguish candles before leaving a room.
- Never smoke in bed and keep flammable materials like curtains away from heat sources.
- Take a fire safety course with your family to ensure that everyone gets the most up-to-date information regarding fires.
Previous Cases
Leesfield & Partners previously handled a case involving the fire deaths of a mother and her two children. The three had become trapped in a blaze that broke out at their rental home, which was caused by a defective electrical outlet. Despite previously notifying their landlord about difficulty opening windows, the issue went unaddressed. On the day of the fire, the mother and children were unable to open the windows to escape and perished.
Trial Attorney Eric Shane secured a multi-million-dollar settlement for a client who was burned in an electrocution case.
In an explosion case that started from a spark aboard a cargo ship, Leesfield & Partners secured a substantial award for clients who were badly burned.
For a couple celebrating their honeymoon, what was meant to be the start of their happy life together soon became a nightmare after an improperly capped pipe caused an explosion at their accommodation. Both were severely burned and, tragically, the wife passed away from her injuries.
The firm secured a multi-million-dollar for the husband in that case.
Trial Lawyer Eric Shane represented a client who suffered burns in a recent case, securing a confidential amount.
In an explosion that caused burns, Leesfield & Partners secured a $3.25 million recovery for the injured client.
Leesfield & Partners secured a $2.95 million award for a family who lost their 13-year-old daughter after a TV set caught fire in their home. The manufacturer of the defective television set was named as a defendant in the lawsuit alongside the distributor of a defective smoke alarm and the family’s condominium association, which was named in the lawsuit for safety violations. The father involved in this incident burned over 30% of his body when he tried to rescue his daughter.
A construction site accident that resulted in burns to a Leesfield & partners client resulted in an $862,000 recovery.
In a fire that killed at least one person due to the negligence of a company, Leesfield & Partners secured a $600,00 recovery.
For a patient who was burnt in an operating room due to the negligence of a hospital’s medical staff. Attorneys at the firm secured a $600,000 recovery.
The firm has also handled other cases involving burn injuries to clients including a child who was burned at a neighbor’s home by stew that was cooking on the stove. The child in that case, an 11-year-old boy, sustained second-degree burns to his legs when the improperly installed range tipped forward on him. An investigation by our firm determined that the landlord’s failure to use anti-tip brackets paved the way for the incident to occur.
Leesfield & Partners secured a $300,000 settlement in that case.
