Question 1

How long do I have to file a burn injury lawsuit in Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

California's statute of limitations for most personal injury claims, including burn injuries, is two years from the date of injury under Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Product-liability claims for a defective product that caused a burn generally follow the same two-year period. If a government entity is responsible, you must first file an administrative government claim within six months under Government Code § 911.2. Because these deadlines are strict — and the six-month government-claim window runs quickly — you should speak with a Los Angeles burn injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Question 2

What are the degrees of burns, and which are serious enough to sue over?

Accepted Answer

Burns are classified by depth: first-degree burns affect only the outer skin (epidermis); second-degree burns reach the dermis and blister; third-degree (full-thickness) burns destroy the full skin layer and often nerves; and fourth-degree burns extend into muscle, tendon, or bone. Severity also depends on the total body surface area (TBSA) burned, often estimated with the "rule of nines." Second-degree and deeper burns, large-TBSA burns, and any burn to the face, hands, feet, or airway are typically serious and compensable when caused by another party's negligence or a defective product.

Question 3

What are the common causes of burn injuries in Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

We handle burns from house and apartment fires, defective and dangerous products, gas and propane explosions, vehicle fires after collisions, scalding liquids and steam, chemical exposure, and electrical contact, as well as workplace and restaurant burns. Many of these injuries are caused by another party's negligence — a landlord who ignored fire-code violations or missing smoke detectors, a manufacturer who sold a defective product, a utility or contractor, or a property owner who failed to fix a known hazard.

Question 4

Can I sue the manufacturer if a defective product burned me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. California recognizes strict product liability, established in Greenman v. Yuba Power Products, Inc. (1963) 59 Cal.2d 57, which allows an injured person to recover from a manufacturer or seller for a product that was defectively designed, defectively manufactured, or sold without adequate warnings — without having to prove negligence. Burns from flammable products, faulty wiring, defective batteries (including lithium-ion fires), space heaters, and similar products frequently support product-liability claims, often alongside ordinary negligence claims.

Question 5

Is my landlord responsible if I was burned in an apartment fire?

Accepted Answer

Possibly. Under premises liability, a landlord or property owner who fails to maintain reasonably safe conditions — working smoke detectors, proper wiring, code-compliant exits, and fire-safety equipment — can be liable when that failure causes a fire injury. California law requires residential landlords to install and maintain smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors. We investigate code violations, inspection history, and prior complaints to establish a property owner's responsibility.

Question 6

What compensation can I recover for a burn injury?

Accepted Answer

California permits both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include past and future medical expenses — emergency care, skin grafts, debridement, reconstructive and plastic surgery, and rehabilitation — plus lost wages and loss of earning capacity. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and, importantly for burn victims, disfigurement and scarring and the resulting loss of enjoyment of life, under CACI No. 3905A. Punitive damages may be available where the conduct was malicious, oppressive, or reckless. Severe burns often involve lifelong treatment, so a life-care plan is frequently central to the claim.

Question 7

Are scarring and disfigurement compensated separately?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Permanent scarring and disfigurement are a recognized category of non-economic harm in California, separate from medical costs. Burn scars can be physically and psychologically disabling, requiring years of reconstructive surgery and causing depression, anxiety, and social withdrawal. We document the disfigurement with photographs, treating-physician testimony, and, where appropriate, plastic-surgery and mental-health experts so the lasting impact is fully valued rather than minimized by the insurer.

Question 8

How much does a Los Angeles burn injury lawyer cost?

Accepted Answer

We handle burn injury cases on a contingency fee, meaning you pay nothing upfront and no attorney's fee unless we win. We advance the costs of fire-origin investigation, product testing, medical records, life-care planning, and expert witnesses, and recover our fee only from the settlement or verdict. The initial consultation is free and confidential, so a catastrophic burn does not have to mean out-of-pocket legal costs while you focus on recovery.

Question 9

My loved one died from a burn or fire injury — can our family bring a claim?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When a burn or fire injury is fatal, California's wrongful death statute (Code of Civil Procedure § 377.60) allows surviving spouses, domestic partners, children, and certain dependents to recover for their losses, and a survival action may recover the decedent's own pre-death damages, including conscious pain and suffering. We handle these cases with sensitivity while pursuing full accountability from every responsible party.

Los Angeles Burn Injury Lawyer

California Personal Injury Legal Services

California Personal Injury Law

Fees, Costs and Case Results

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Trembach Law Firm