Having your home burn down is one of the worst things that can happen. Countless family memories, heirlooms, and assets can be lost in a burst of flame. However damaging it may be to lose these items, everyone’s safety is the most important thing. Unfortunately, that does not always happen. People can and have lost their lives in a home fire, or at the very least gotten severely burned or suffered injuries due to smoke inhalation. The aftermath of such an event can be devastating, leaving those involved in a difficult place to get their lives back. The question we want to answer today is, “can I be compensated if my home or property was to burn down?’ The simple answer is probably so, but let us dive deeper into this issue to learn more.
Was someone negligent that caused the fire?
Fires happen for a large variety of reasons. Salt Lake City and surrounding areas of Utah are known to have an impactful fire season, usually starting towards the middle of summer. But fires are not always just a force of nature; sometimes, they are caused by people either due to neglect or intentionally. Below is a quick list of scenarios in which you may have cause to seek compensation.
- If arson was involved. Although this is relatively rare compared to other circumstances, people do start fires out of spite, to seek revenge, or because they deal with mental issues such as pyromania. Regardless of the reason, fire inspectors and marshals should perform an inspection to determine the cause of the fire.
- Someone being negligent with fireworks. It seems like every season, the regulations around fireworks change here in the valley. If someone was playing with fireworks, using them in an unsafe way, or lighting fireworks in an off-limits area, you probably have good cause to speak with a personal injury attorney about your home fire case.
- Perhaps it was the fault of a contractor or the city. Maybe the home you purchased was not up to code, or a contractor performed subpar work that caused the fire. These regulations are put in place to keep everyone safe, and when they are either disregarded or neglected, a cause for concern is warranted. Other examples can include a gas meter breaking leaving a situation where a gas leak was not correctly detected, and a fire started.
Speak with an attorney about your case.
Experienced attorneys can look at cases differently than the average person. If you live in Utah, we suggest requesting a case review with a Salt Lake City home fire attorney to discuss your case’s details. When tragedy strikes, you need someone on your side to help you recover from a financial standpoint from all that you lost. This includes the loss of your home, personal property, time lost from work, and any medical bills resulting from the fire.
