Florida Injury Lawyer Blawg
At least two families tragically lost their homes following separate fires in Vero and Boynton Beaches over the weekend, according to local media.
The first fire broke out Saturday at a home near 21st Court in Vero Beach. At least seven people were displaced after the fire engulfed their home. Of the seven people, five are children.
Sunday morning in Boynton Beach, a family of three and their dogs were displaced after a fire started near NW 10th Court, a home in the Skylake neighborhood.
Both families are begin assisted by the American Red Cross with essentials such as food, shelter, clothing and other necessities. It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries reported in either incident.
The investigations into both fires are ongoing and no official cause has been released.
In the U.S., there are an average of 300,000 structure fires that take place each year, causing millions in damages. The most common cause of a house fire in the United States is cooking-related, though anything from disregarding a lit candle to faulty household appliances could cause a potentially dangerous situation. Almost three out of every five fatalities in house fires are in homes that are not equipped with working smoke alarms, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Fires are not uncommon in Florida, which has a plethora of dried out brush that can make these incidents more likely to spark. In data from the First Street Foundation, Florida has the third-largest number of properties at risk for a fire behind states such as Texas and California, according to 2022 reporting from WINK News. In Florida, only 330 fire departments reported National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) data in 2022. There are 388 fire departments currently registered with the National Fire Department Registry. The data for that year shows that there were 1.6 deaths per 1,000 fires with 8.9 injuries per 1,000 fires. The national averages for 2022 were recorded as 2.1 deaths and 6.4 injuries per 1,000 fires. Residential structure fires were linked to 4.5 deaths per 1,000 fires in the state and 31 injuries. The national average was 6.1 deaths per 1,000 fires and 19.8 injuries.
Leesfield & Partners
Leesfield & Partners is a 49-year law firm with decades of experience handling a wide array of personal injury cases throughout Florida. From premises liability and medical negligence to motor vehicle accidents and beyond, our skilled trial attorneys bring tenacity, deep legal knowledge and compassion to every case — guiding injured clients and grieving families through the complexities of the legal system to achieve the best possible outcomes in every case.
Over the years, our firm has represented victims of fires, explosions, carbon monoxide poisoning and severe burn injuries, often stemming from medical negligence, defective products, or unsafe premises. Most frequently, Leesfield & Partners attorneys see devastating fire and burn incidents caused by the negligence of property owners and management companies. In Florida, landlords, homeowners, hotels, and others responsible for a property have important legal duties to help keep people safe. Under 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.
These guests, including residents, invitees to the property, and workers performing inspections or repairs, are owed protection from foreseeable hazards. This duty of care often includes hiring qualified technicians to inspect appliances that may emit carbon monoxide, complying with building and fire codes, and ensuring that the property is properly and safely maintained. When property owners, hotels, or management companies cut corners to save time or money, however, the consequences can be catastrophic — placing guests and other invitees at serious risk of injury or death.
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.
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.
Fire Safety Tips
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
