Fires are potentially devastating events. There are a multitude of potential injuries, damages and losses associated with fires, and in cases where innocent victims are harmed in a fire, there may be cause for compensation. Fire injuries that occur while the victim is at work may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits under New York law. If you were injured by a fire or explosion while performing job duties, inform your employer, seek legal advice and open a workers’ compensation claim. You could be entitled to benefits that will cover your medical bills, lost wages, and any resulting short or long-term disability.
Premises liability law also protects victims of accidents such as fires. Property owners may be liable for damages a fire causes if the fire was caused by negligence or failure to maintain a building or structure properly. Discuss your case with our lawyers for workplace fires to review legal options that may be available. You can reach Gacovino, Lake & Associates today at 800-550-0000.
Workers’ Compensation
Your employer is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance that protects employees when they are injured on the job. In the case of a fire or explosion in the workplace, any resulting injuries would be covered by the workers’ compensation policy.
If you are injured in a fire at work, you should notify your supervisor or manager first and let them know that you are seeking medical care (if this is not already obvious). You then can open a workers’ compensation claim. Be sure to get the care and treatment you need, including any tests, prescription drugs, therapies or other treatments. Workers’ compensation should pay for your medical bills, prescription drugs, and will reimburse you for the mileage costs associated with traveling to and from appointments.
In addition, if you require time off from work to recover from your injuries, workers’ compensation will pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage multiplied by your percentage of disability as determined by a doctor. And if you return to work but ado not earn the same wages as you did before, you can recover two-thirds of the difference between pre-injury and current wages.
Premises Liability Cases for Workplace Fires
Premises liability laws protect people who are harmed on another person’s property. If your work-related injury occurred due to the property owner’s negligence, you also may have a premises liability case. Keep in mind, though, that the property owner must be a third party.
Premises liability cases seek compensation for injured victims, as in the case of a fire, for medical bills, lost wages, and/or pain and suffering. Premises liability cases must prove that the injury being claimed is a result of an accident that occurred on the property and that the property owner is somehow at fault for the accident. This may include failing to correct a hazard or warning of a hazard in a timely manner.
Consult our attorneys to review the specifics of your case and to determine the best course of action for seeking compensation for your damages.
Gacovino, Lake & Associates Can Help Take Action
If you were injured in a fire at work, you may file a workers’ comp claim. And if you believe property owner negligence is to blame, you may have a premises liability case as well as a workers’ compensation claim. It may be difficult to determine how to proceed with either of these options, and you want to be sure that you receive the benefits and damages that you deserve after your injury.
Gacovino, Lake & Associates can help you plan the best course of action for your case. Call us today at (800) 550-0000 to set up a free case review by one of our qualified New York lawyers for workplace fires.
