At Aeton, we have significant experience handling fire and explosion cases in Connecticut. We have handled numerous fire cases over the years involving electricity, arcing, the welding of pipes, propane explosions, chemical reactions, defective products, and defective mechanical equipment, such as furnaces or boilers. Injuries from fires are typically devastating, and, unfortunately, many times injuries are critical, causing death.
It is very important to involve an attorney as early as possible in a fire case because the evidence from fire needs to be evaluated by cause and origin experts as soon as possible. Your attorney will hire an expert to work on your behalf early in the case. If an expert is not at the scene very quickly, the scene might get altered or evidence might be lost or destroyed.
Getting an expert involved right away with an attorney’s help is critical. The evidence from a fire or explosion is most valuable immediately after the fire. The sooner you have a team in place to review the fire scene or explosion, the better chance you have of recovering damages from a fire.
Typically, after a fire, the local fire marshal and fire department will respond to the scene. Many times, the local fire marshal will call for assistance to the State Fire Marshal’s office located in Middletown, Connecticut. For example, if a person is injured or dies in a fire in New Haven or Hartford, the local authorities will get involved but they may also call the State Police in Middletown to assist. The State Police have fire marshals that handle cases statewide. Aeton has worked with and against fire marshals over the years and we have questioned many under oath for all kinds of fire cases.
Opposing parties in fire cases also typically hire their own experts in addition to working with or against the state or local fire marshals. At Aeton, we have worked with and against several top fire cause and origin experts. We have also worked with electrical engineers and laboratory specialists concerning fire cause and origin.
We have questioned opposing experts on specialized areas of fire science, including state and national fire codes. We have the National Fire Protection Association publication 921, which is the most well-known fire investigation guide, in our office. We are familiar with the use of this guide in investigations, litigation, and trial.
In addition, fires and explosions often cause devastating property damage to your home and the property within it. Sometimes, when a home in Connecticut suffers catastrophic burn damage, the language of your homeowner’s insurance policy will dictate how your property, both real property and personal, is valued.
Of course, insurance companies are not in the business of paying your maximum value. Our Connecticut fire and explosions attorneys work with independent insurance adjusters to help assure that you receive top value for your personal and real property. Oftentimes, like your injury claim, we can handle this on a contingency fee basis so you pay nothing upfront.