New Jersey Workers' Compensation for Fire and Explosion Accidents

Fires and Explosions Cause Catastrophic, Lifelong Injuries

Few experiences in life are as traumatic as the injuries which result from a serious burn. Numerous, excruciatingly painful surgeries will often still leave a burn victim disfigured, and frequently that disfigurement will lead to a secondary injury – depression. Regardless of the passage of time or the victim’s response to treatment, serious burns caused by fire or an explosion carry lifelong consequences. When a serious burn results from the negligent actions of a third party, victims have every right to seek compensation for their injuries.

Failure by Others to Take Proper Precautions Can Lead to Litigation

Many serious burns will occur while victims are performing their jobs and may at first seem to be nothing more than an unfortunate accident. An undetected rupture in a gas line can cause a catastrophic explosion, harming anyone in the vicinity. Liquid propane explosions – which claimed the lives of 34 individuals between 2003 and 2007, according to the Nation Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) – often ignite during transfer. Combustible chemicals can ignite and explode when they are mixed.

According to New Jersey personal injury lawyers, each of the aforementioned examples will likely involve human error. If a gas line is ruptured by a contractor who was required to check for utilities before excavation or demolition they can be held liable. Similarly, those who transport liquid propane must adhere to strict safety procedures designed to prevent an explosion, and chemicals must be clearly marked as combustible, with warnings to avoid mixing with other chemicals. Failure to abide by these rules and regulations can be considered negligence in the eyes of the law.

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Even those who commit themselves to a career of fighting fire can later bring a personal injury action if they are harmed in the course of performing their duties. Firefighters who sustain injuries while battling a blaze caused by corporate neglect, human error, or arson are entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits in the form of partial pay and medical coverage while they recover. They can receive even greater financial assistance with a successful lawsuit against the third party party ultimately responsible for the fire or explosion which caused them harm.

Burn Victims Require Ongoing, Expensive Care

A hefty award will do little to remedy the pain and suffering of a burn injury in New Jersey, however. A serious burn requires debriding surgery, where dead skin tissue is removed, followed by skin graft surgery, where healthy tissue is transplanted over the burn site. Plastic surgeries to reduce scarring occur later, but rarely will completely undo the effects of a burn injury. Burn victims – despite these medical interventions – will often continue to experience pain, difficulty sleeping, social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression.

Because of the ongoing, debilitating nature of a burn injury, it is imperative that victims retain experienced legal representation. Establishing causation for a fire or explosion is a complicated process. At the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr, we will assemble a team of forensic experts and investigators who will conclusively demonstrate that the fire or explosion which caused your injuries was preventable, and occurred only because of the negligent actions of another.

New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr Represent Burn Injury Victims

The road to a full recovery from a serious burn is difficult and – in some cases – impossible. Victims of fires and explosion accidents in New Jersey should not be forced to endure that recovery without significant financial compensation when their injuries occurred through no fault of their own. If you or a loved one was recently injured in a fire or explosion, New Jersey burn injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr will fight for all entitled compensation. Contact us today by calling 732-537-8570 or toll free at 877-249-4600, or complete our online form.