Apartment Fire Lawyers in Kansas City, Missouri
With the current state of the economy, more Kansas City residents are living in rental homes and apartment buildings. There are advantages to not owning your own home, but there can also be associated risks. Accidents and injuries can happen anywhere, even in a Kansas City apartment or rental home. If an apartment fire happens, you may be uncertain about what to do next. Kendall Law Group LLC has been helping individuals and families put their lives back together after suffering serious personal injuries for decades and has a track record of successful, multi-million-dollar Kansas City apartment fire settlements, and we are here to help.
If you have been injured in a Kansas City rental property or apartment fire, it is important to explore your legal options. Contacting an experienced Kansas City apartment fire attorney will put you on the right track to receiving the compensation you deserve.
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Kansas City Apartment Fire Injury – What You Need to Know
Multi-unit apartments present a higher fire risk and often result in more extensive damages than those in single-family homes. These fires can be caused through no fault of your own and quickly spread to nearby units or entire buildings/complexes. If you have been victimized by an apartment fire in Kansas City, it’s important to understand the various causes of apartment fires and who might be held legally responsible for your injuries.
Common Causes of Apartment Fires
Tenant Negligence – When sharing a building with other renters, fires are commonly started through tenant negligence.
Examples of tenant negligence include:
- Portable space heaters
- Faulty electronics
- Cooking mishaps
- Smoking indoors
- Unattended candles
- Faulty wiring
- Old or faulty appliances
- Faulty lighting
If you are injured in a rental fire caused by another tenant’s negligent actions, that person may be liable for your injuries. If the responsible neighbor has fire insurance, you may be able to file a claim for losses
and damages.
Landlord Negligence – Rental property fires are often a result of landlord negligence. Negligence is a failure to use reasonable care, resulting in damages or injuries to another. Negligence can occur through actions or failures to act, leading to harm. By law, apartment managers and landlords are required to ensure that rental units are safe and habitable and that all fire warning devices are tested and working properly. If a landlord or apartment manager fails to meet these duties, and you are injured as a result of their negligence, you may have a claim against the apartment complex and/or the property management company. Examples of landlord/manager negligence include:
- Faulty wiring
- Building code violations
- Lack of smoke detectors
- Defective smoke detectors
- Lack of fire alarms
- Lack of fire extinguishers
- Overcrowding
- Faulty heating equipment
- Blocked fire exits
- Lack of fire exits
- Old or faulty appliances
- Old or faulty lighting fixtures
- Gas leaks
- Lack of self-closing doors
According to the reasonable care that landlords owe tenants, landlords have an obligation to take all reasonable precautions to avoid a fire and to comply with all local ordinances, codes, and regulations put in place to prevent fires. If there is evidence that your landlord has violated these duties, the landlord may be liable for your damages, losses, injuries, and or fatalities resulting from a Kansas City rental property fire.
Collectible Damages After a Rental Fire
Damages refer to monetary compensation awarded for harm suffered by a claimant due to reckless, negligent and/or intentional actions by a liable party. If you make a successful claim against your landlord and/or property management company, there are specific types of damages you can potentially seek recoupment for, depending on your case. Collectible damages include:
Compensatory Damages – are awarded as compensation for damages, injuries, or loss suffered by an injured person.
Punitive Damages – are awarded in addition to actual damages as punishment for intentional behaviors considered especially harmful, i.e., knowingly failing to ensure a rental property has operational smoke detectors and is free from known fire hazards.
Special Damages – are awarded for out-of-pocket expenses you may experience in relation to your injuries, such as time away from work and financial losses.
What Apartment Fire Damages
Can You Claim?
Medical Expenses - the fees charged by medical providers and facilities to treat your injuries, as well as the costs of any necessary
future medical treatment.
Pain and Suffering – physical and/or mental anguish caused by
your injuries.
Lost Wages – time away from work or inability to work as a result of
your injuries.
Permanent Disability or Permanent Partial Disability – long-term, permanent impairments caused by your injury.
Loss of Consortium – loss of spousal support and/or relations as a result of catastrophic personal injuries or death.
Wrongful Death – personal injuries that result in death.
How Long Do You Have to File an Apartment Fire Claim?
The statute of limitations is the amount of time you have after an accident or injury to file a claim or lawsuit. The statute of limitations is determined by the state where your injury happened. If your injury occurred in Missouri, you have five years to file a negligence claim and you have three years if the injury resulted in death. If you were injured in Kansas, you must file your negligence claim within two years and also your wrongful death claim within two years.
How to Pursue an Injury Claim After an Apartment Fire
If you or your loved one is seriously injured or killed in a Kansas City apartment fire caused by landlord or management company negligence, you will have to prove your case to successfully collect the compensation you deserve. As a tenant, you must prove that your landlord’s negligence caused the fire and your resulting injuries. This can be a difficult process. A skilled Kansas City apartment fire attorney can help you identify the cause of the fire and link your landlord’s negligence to your injuries. Your selection of the right attorney is vital to the success of your claim.
Kendall Law Group’s team of Kansas City apartment fire attorneys has successfully recovered millions for victims of apartment fires in and out of the courtroom over the last 30 years. We want to speak with you if you or a family member has suffered a personal injury or wrongful death. Contact us below or call (816) 531-3100 for a free case evaluation.