House Fire & Apartment Fire Burn Injury Claims
House fires and apartment fires cause some of the most devastating burn injuries, often resulting in permanent disfigurement, respiratory damage, and death. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that U.S. fire departments respond to hundreds of thousands of structure fires each year, causing thousands of civilian deaths and tens of thousands of injuries. In apartment buildings and rental properties, negligent landlords and property managers are frequently responsible for conditions that cause or worsen fires.
At Roden Law, our fire injury attorneys represent burn victims throughout Georgia and South Carolina who were injured due to landlord negligence, faulty electrical wiring, defective appliances, arson, and building code violations. We pursue full compensation against every responsible party.
Common Causes of Residential Fires
Residential fires that give rise to injury claims often result from preventable conditions:
- Faulty electrical wiring: Outdated, overloaded, or improperly installed wiring is a leading cause of residential fires, particularly in older apartments
- Defective appliances and products: Malfunctioning heaters, stoves, dryers, and electrical panels causing fires
- Gas leaks: Natural gas and propane leaks from faulty connections or damaged lines
- Missing or disabled smoke alarms: Landlords who fail to install or maintain working smoke detectors
- Blocked fire exits: Locked, obstructed, or inadequate emergency exits in multi-unit buildings
- Heating equipment: Space heaters, furnaces, and fireplaces that malfunction or are improperly installed
- Arson: Intentionally set fires, often covered by the property owner’s insurance
Landlord & Property Owner Liability
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 44-7-1 et seq.) imposes duties on landlords to maintain rental properties in a habitable and safe condition. South Carolina’s landlord-tenant laws impose similar obligations. Property owners and managers may be held liable for fire injuries when they fail to maintain electrical systems and wiring, fail to install or maintain working smoke detectors and fire alarms, block or lock fire exits, ignore known fire hazards, fail to provide adequate fire extinguishers in common areas, or violate building and fire codes.
Under Georgia’s premises liability statute (O.C.G.A. § 51-3-1), property owners owe a duty of ordinary care to maintain safe conditions for tenants and their guests.
Building Code & Fire Code Violations
Georgia and South Carolina adopt and enforce building codes and fire codes that establish minimum safety standards for residential structures. Violations of these codes — such as missing smoke detectors, inadequate fire-rated construction, blocked egress routes, or outdated electrical panels — constitute evidence of negligence. Fire investigators and building inspectors’ reports documenting code violations are critical evidence in residential fire injury cases.
Compensation for Fire Burn Victims
Victims of residential fire burns may recover damages for emergency medical treatment and burn unit care, skin grafts and reconstructive surgeries, physical therapy and rehabilitation, scarring and permanent disfigurement, pain and suffering, emotional and psychological trauma (including PTSD), lost wages and earning capacity, loss of personal property, and wrongful death damages if a loved one was killed. Our attorneys work with fire investigators, building code experts, and burn care specialists to establish liability and document the full extent of our clients’ damages. Contact Roden Law for a free consultation — no fee unless we win.