Fatal and life-changing residential fires affect hundreds of people throughout the five boroughs of New York each year. Sadly, investigations clearly show that many such fires could have been prevented — or the human losses and injuries lessened — if rental property owners had met their obligations to comply with fire codes and keep the premises safe for tenants.
NYC Fire Attorneys Taking Action for Burn Victims and Grieving Families
At Smiley & Smiley, LLP, our efforts across a 40-plus-year history of advocating for people injured in New York City include numerous case successes in residential fire litigation and decisive action for burn victims. For example:
- We obtained a $1.15 million settlement for a father and son severely burned in an electrical fire that engulfed their housing project apartment, proving that management failed to maintain working smoke detectors.
- In the face of restrictions in the New York wrongful death statute that limits recoveries after the death of a child, our lawyers recovered $1 million for the family of two children tragically killed in a Queens apartment fire.
- We proved negligence in radiator maintenance by the managing agent of a Bronx housing project, ultimately leading to a $3.5 million structured settlement for a badly burned two-year-old victim.
Exposing Landlord Negligence in Fire Prevention and Property Maintenance
These cases and other valid fire claims often expose landlords, property owners and managers who take shortcuts to maximize their income in spite of known risks to tenants. We investigate our cases rigorously to identify violations involving:
- Failures to maintain functional, periodically inspected smoke detectors and sprinkler systems
- Code violations, including failures to provide a proper means of emergency fire escape, especially in "converted" living spaces
- Negligence in repairing or replacing defective electrical wiring, appliances and other potential causes of fires and burns
Call 866-SMILEYLAW Now for Legal Counsel You Can Trust
If you or someone in your family has been victimized by fire in a New York apartment building, complex, loft or other common-living situation, you may be grieving a tragic loss or dealing with the incredible costs and pain of burn injuries and smoke inhalation.
You deserve focused attention from New York City residential fire attorneys determined to learn the cause and aggressively pursue any valid claim for financial compensation to help you recover. We offer Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers on staff to serve our valued clients.
