When a Property Owner's Neglect Left You With Life-Altering Burns

Burn Injury From an Unsafe Property: Fire & Explosion Claims Against Owners

If you were badly burned on someone else’s property, you may have a claim against the owner. When a landlord or business fails to keep a place reasonably safe and a fire, explosion, or other hazard causes a serious burn, the law may hold that owner responsible for your losses.

This page is for people facing catastrophic, life-altering burns — third- and fourth-degree burns, skin grafts, permanent scarring, or amputation — and for families who lost a loved one in a burn incident. A burn injury property owner liability lawyer helps you gather the proof and hold the responsible party accountable.

Request a free, confidential case evaluation. There’s no cost to talk and no obligation.

When a Property Owner Can Be Held Responsible for a Burn Injury

A property owner can be held responsible when they fail to keep the property reasonably safe and that failure causes your burn. Owners of apartments, hotels, stores, restaurants, and rentals have a legal duty to protect people who are allowed to be there.

This area of law is called premises liability. In plain terms, it means the person who controls the property must fix or warn about dangers they know about — or should have known about.

Here are common owner failures that cause serious burns:

• Missing, dead, or disabled smoke detectors
• Broken or absent fire sprinkler systems
• Blocked, locked, or missing fire exits
• Faulty, old, or overloaded electrical wiring
• Gas leaks and unmaintained water heaters
• Exposed heating elements or hot surfaces
• Unsafe storage of chemicals or flammable materials
• Ignored fire code violations

Explosions often trace back to gas line failures, propane or pool-heater problems, or broken commercial equipment. In Florida rentals, landlords have specific safety duties. These same legal principles apply across the country. We’re a Florida-based firm, and we take catastrophic cases nationwide.

The 4 Things You Have to Prove (The Elements of Negligence)

A burn injury claim rests on four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. Your lawyer’s job is to gather evidence for each one.

1. Duty — The owner owed you a duty to keep the property reasonably safe.
2. Breach — The owner failed that duty, such as ignoring a known hazard or code violation.
3. Causation — That failure caused the fire or explosion and your burn injury.
4. Damages — You suffered real, documented harm, like medical bills, lost income, and pain.

If any element is missing, the claim can fail. That’s why careful investigation matters so much in these cases.

What Our Burn Injury Claims Cover

We focus on catastrophic burns caused by dangerous conditions on someone else’s property. These are severe, permanent injuries — not minor burns.

We handle claims arising from:

• Apartment and residential fires
• Hotel and motel fires
• Restaurant and commercial fires
• Gas and propane explosions
• Chemical burns
• Electrical burns
• Severe scald injuries

The injuries we focus on include third- and fourth-degree burns, burns that need skin grafts and reconstructive surgery, airway and inhalation injury, permanent scarring and disfigurement, amputation from burns, and wrongful death.

Sometimes a burn happens during a violent act on unsafe property — for example, an attack where an owner failed to provide working locks, lighting, or security. That situation may involve negligent security as well. If that describes what happened to you, tell us during your case evaluation.

Compensation You May Be Able to Pursue

Every burn case is different, so no honest lawyer can promise a specific dollar amount. What we can do is fully account for your losses and pursue fair compensation for them.

Economic damages may include:

• Emergency, ICU, and hospital care
• Surgeries, skin grafts, and wound care
• Future medical and reconstructive treatment
• Lost wages and lost earning capacity
• Home modifications and in-home care

Non-economic damages may include pain and suffering, disfigurement and scarring, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life.

If a family lost a loved one, a wrongful-death claim can seek compensation for the family’s losses. This is the most catastrophic outcome of all, and families have the right to pursue justice.

Several factors affect a claim’s value: the severity of the burn and total body surface area (TBSA) affected, whether the injury is permanent, the person’s age and income, and how clearly the owner was at fault. Because severe burns often carry a lifetime of costs, a full accounting is critical.

How the Process Works, Step by Step

The process starts with a free evaluation and moves through investigation, claim-building, negotiation, and — if needed — a lawsuit. Here’s what to expect.

1. Free case evaluation. We listen, review what happened, and assess whether an owner may be liable.
2. Investigation. We move fast to secure the scene, fire-marshal and incident reports, maintenance and inspection records, code-violation history, and photos — before evidence disappears.
3. Building the claim. We work with medical experts, fire origin-and-cause and engineering experts, and life-care planners to document your injuries and future needs.
4. Insurance demand and negotiation. We present your full, documented losses to the owner’s insurer.
5. Litigation if needed. If a fair settlement isn’t offered, we’re prepared to file suit and try your case.

Catastrophic cases take time to build the right way. In Florida, the deadline to file a negligence claim is generally two years, under Fla. Stat. §95.11. Deadlines vary by state and by the facts, so act early to protect your evidence and your rights.

You typically pay no attorney fee unless we recover for you (a contingency fee). The case evaluation is always free.

Common Defenses Property Owners and Insurers Raise

Owners and insurers usually fight burn claims by shifting blame or disputing the facts. Knowing their playbook helps you understand why representation matters.

• “We didn’t know about the hazard.” We use maintenance records and inspection history to show what they knew or should have known.
• “You were partly at fault.” Florida uses modified comparative negligence, explained below.
• “The cause is unclear.” Our fire origin-and-cause experts trace what actually happened.
• “Someone else did it.” They may blame a contractor or utility. We identify every responsible party.

Under Fla. Stat. §768.81, a person found more than 50% at fault generally recovers nothing, and any award is reduced by your share of fault. Insurers know this, so they push blame onto you. We push back with evidence.

Answering “Am I Liable If Someone Hurts Themselves on My Property?”

It depends on whether you acted reasonably and whether the hazard was known or should have been known. An owner isn’t automatically responsible for every injury — but ignoring a known danger can create liability.

If you’re the injured person, the same question flips: did the owner act reasonably, or did they let a known danger cause your burn? This is general information, not legal advice. Every situation depends on its own facts, so talk to an attorney about yours.

Why CHG Personal Injury Lawyers

Severe burns are a core part of our catastrophic-injury work, not a sideline. Here’s what sets our team apart.

• Focused practice. We handle life-altering injuries, including severe burns, spinal cord injuries, and amputations.
• Licensed and credentialed. Our attorneys are admitted to The Florida Bar, and our Florida-based firm handles catastrophic cases nationwide.
• Bilingual support. We serve clients in English and Spanish so you’re fully understood.
• Expert-driven claims. We team with fire, medical, and life-care experts to show the full scope of your losses.
• Plain-language guidance. No jargon, no pressure — just clear answers.

We can’t guarantee any outcome, and no honest firm can. What we can promise is careful, dedicated work on your case.

Frequently Asked Questions

Talk to a Burn Injury Property Owner Liability Lawyer — Free Case Evaluation

A serious burn changes everything, and evidence can disappear fast. Acting early gives your case the best chance to be built the right way.

Contact us for a free, confidential case evaluation. There’s no obligation, we offer bilingual support, and we can come to you if needed. You can also learn more at our severe burn injuries hub.

Request your free case evaluation now.