PERSONAL INJURY LAW for OVER 45 YEARS! We Have Won Over 98% of Our Cases*

Articles Posted in Burn Injuries

Staying Safe on the Fourth of July

Staying Safe on the Fourth of July

The Fourth of July is just around the corner. While the current COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic may change how you celebrate in some ways, it is likely that barbecues, fireworks, and drinking will still be a part of the holiday.

Because of the celebrations on the Fourth of July, it is always a fun holiday. However, it is important to remember that it is also possible to get hurt on this holiday. To stay safe and avoid personal injuries this Fourth of July, consider taking the following precautions:

Can I bring a Los Angeles Personal Injury Claim for my Burn Injuries?

Can I bring a Los Angeles Personal Injury Claim for my Burn Injuries?

Although we certainly hope no one has to experience a burn injury, burn injuries can and do occur. Whether the injury occurs at home or at work, burn injuries can be very serious and painful and require extensive medical treatment.

If you have suffered a burn injury, it is possible that the injury caused more than just physical damage in your life. Chances are your burn injuries resulted in expensive medical care—many burn victims have to be treated at specialized burn care treatment centers. You also may have had to miss work to recover from your injuries. You may even be struggling from the trauma associated with a burn accident and emotion pain if the injury caused permanent scaring or disfigurement. All of these damages can take a huge toll on your life. If you have suffered a burn injury due to the fault of another, you can bring a Los Angeles personal injury claim to recover financially for these types of damages (and others) caused as a result of your burn injury.

According to Santa Barbara new outlet The Noozhawk, a local man suffered serious burns when his Jeep Cherokee caught on fire. Bystanders who witnessed the fire rushed to help the man. One witness reported that “he saw the guy was screaming, yelling for help, crying. His whole body was on fire.” Bystanders helped him get out of the car and get his shirt off and called emergency personnel.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, the car was completely engulfed in flames and the fire had spread to a building next to where the car was parked. A team went to work extinguishing the fire, while other firefighters assisted in aiding the burned man. Police reported that the burn victim had moderate to severe burn injuries on his upper torso, arms, hands and face. He was taken to the hospital, and then transferred to a burn center in Southern California for treatment of these injuries. Investigators are now looking into what caused the fire in the first place—as of now, it appears the blaze started in the back of the vehicle.

The Severity of Burn Injuries

A large, 9,000 gallon gasoline tanker exploded in South Los Angeles. According to ABC 7 News, the tank was parked on the side of the street on Slauson Avenue. Several neighbors reported smelling gas and called the fire department before the explosion occurred.

The first fire fighters arrived on the scene just prior to the explosion. Apparently, the tank had been leaking and something ignited the leaked gas—the enormous explosion caused the tank to erupt in flames, catching two homes on fire and resulting in burn injuries to two people nearby. Those injured were immediately taken to the hospital with at least one in serious condition from her burns.

Some of the leaked gas got into the sewer system and the buildup caused a second explosion down the street, sending a manhole covering blasting into the air. The fire from the explosion filled the Los Angeles sky with a dark cloud. Ultimately, 80 firefighters responded to the scene to get the blaze contained and put out.

Recently, a condo caught fire in the Pico-Robertson neighborhood of Beverly Hills. The resident, an elderly man, 91-years-old, was unable to escape the fire. According to CBS Los Angeles News, the fire was reported around 9:52 a.m. The Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the scene and discovered the victim inside.

The elderly man was immediately rushed to the hospital in critical condition because of his fire-caused injuries. Sadly, his injuries were too severe, and he passed away at the hospital. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire within 15 minutes and prevented it from spreading to other homes and causing other injuries.

The fire department is now investigating what caused this Beverly Hills house fire. One thing they immediately noticed was that the condo had a lack of working smoke alarms, which may have contributed to the victim being unaware of the fire until it was too late. The LAFD Captain commented that “the fact that there was no immediate evidence of a functional smoke alarm makes us all want to ensure that when we go home to our family and loved ones that we have smoke alarms outside the bedrooms, on all levels of the home.”

A multi-house fire in Ventura, California, caused injures to four people and destroyed two homes. According to KEYT 3 News, the fire occurred at just before 1:00 a.m. The Ventura fire department received several calls about the house fires in Cabrillo Village in East Ventura, even Oxnard residents could see the smoke.

By the time firefighters arrived, two homes were largely consumed, and a third home had caught fire. Several cars near the homes also caught fire. Because the blaze was so large, firefighters had to use large diameter hoses which are usually used in commercial structure fires.

The four victims of the fire were in the home that initially caught fire. The victims were immediately taken to the hospital—two victims were in critical condition, and the other two had moderate injuries. In addition to those injured, 15 people were displaced as a result of the fire. At this point, firefighters are not sure how the fire started and the fire will remain under investigation by the Ventura Fire department.

California is currently in a state of emergency because of fires burning throughout the state. On the morning of August 8, 2018, a 51-year-old man, Forrest Gordon Clark, was arrested at his home in connection with the large forest fire in the Cleveland National forest, that has burned over 18,000 acres. According to ABC 7 News, the Orange County fire authority became suspicious of Clark when they discovered the origin of the fire was near the cabin he owns. So far, no one has been injured but many cabins and homes have burned, and firefighters fear more structures could be in harm’s way.

Currently, investigators believe the fire was an intentional act. They have been gathering evidence to support this claim. For example, the fire originated near Clark’s cabin, and of the 14 cabins in the area, Clark’s is the only one still standing. Clark also sent an email to the volunteer fire chief last week warning, “This place will burn” after a dispute with his neighbors.

Continue Reading

An explosion in an apartment building in Torrance injured four people and caused serious damage to several apartments in the building. When the explosion occurred, contract workers were renovating units in the building and installing kitchen appliances. Though the cause was originally unknown, it has been determined that the installation of new kitchen appliances is what lead to the explosion.

The Daily Breeze reported, “When (the contractors) went to activate one of the appliances, that provided the spark that led to the explosion. The source of the explosion was a service line into the kitchen.” The fire department is still trying to determine whether the gas leak occurred before or after the new appliances were installed.  Continue Reading

A Los Angeles car accident on Christmas day resulted in a vehicle fire on the southbound 405 freeway, near the interchange with the 101 freeway. After a car apparently collided with the center divider, an off duty LAPD officer who witnessed the crash stopped to assist. According to the Los Angeles Times, officer Thompson cut the victim’s seat-belt and attempted to free him from the burning car, before Thompson himself was overcome by the fire and smoke.

Fortunately, two other people stopped and helped and pulled Thompson and the other victim from the burning car. The car ended up fully engulfed by flames from the 405 freeway accident. A captain in the Los Angeles Fire Department said that Thompson’s actions probably saved the victim’s life.

It is still unclear exactly what caused this car accident in Los Angeles. Vehicles collide with guardrails and center dividers for many reasons. Sometimes it is due to driver inattentiveness and other times the accidents are caused by other vehicles that change lanes into the car without seeing it, pushing it into the divider.

Continue Reading

The “Springs Fire,” which has now burned over 10,000 acres, is threatening about 4,000 homes in Newbury Park California. The California brush fire has caused damage to at least 15 homes and other properties so far. As of now, the Newbury Park fire has not been contained and many residents have had to evacuate their homes.

Fortunately, no incidents of injury or death, to residents or firefighters, have been reported. As always, with a fire as massive as this one, the risk of fire and burn injuries is significant. Adding to the danger is the fact that the Santa Ana winds have been blowing particularly strong this week. Further, the lack of rain in the Los Angeles area this year heightens the risk of brush fires and makes it easier for the fire to spread.

According to CNN, the California fire started on Thursday morning in Camarillo, California, and traveled all the way to Pacific Coast Highway. Due to the fire, a 10 mile area of PCH was closed, just north of Malibu.

As of now, the cause of the Newbury Park brush fire remains unknown. Sometimes these fires are caused by arson, in which case the arsonist, if caught, can face serious criminal charges, including murder if any deaths result from the fire. If caught, the arsonist would also face civil liability for the fire damage caused to property.

Continue Reading

Contact Information