Two people — identified as 20-year-old Odalys Aramboles and her father, 60-year-old Perfecto Aramboles — were killed in a Thanksgiving morning fire in a Bronx apartment. According to an ABC7 news report, the early morning fire broke out in a second floor apartment on Harrison Avenue in Morris Heights. Neighbors said they saw thick black smoke pouring out of the apartment.
Fatalities and Serious Injuries
Perfecto Aramboles’ wife, Lorenza Suarez, and her daughter, 42-year-old Rosana Suarez, were transported to an area hospital in critical condition. The blaze is being investigated as a possible electrical fire. The cause is still under investigation. This fire comes several days after another blaze in the Bronx, which broke out at 1414 Bryant Avenue on Nov. 15.
That fire occurred on the first floor of a three-story multi-family home, which left some people trapped on the higher floors. Smoke quickly filled the building. Some victims managed to jump onto the roof of an adjacent home, but residents in the rear of the building had to wait for firefighters to rescue them. In that fire, seven people were evaluated at the scene for relatively minor injuries. The cause of that fire is under investigation as well. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was affected by both these fires.
Compensation for Smoke Inhalation Injuries
If your smoke inhalation injuries were caused by the negligence (carelessness) of others such as property owners, property manager or other parties, you may be able to file a premises liability lawsuit seeking compensation for damages including:
Medical expenses: If your smoke inhalation injuries were severe and you had to seek medical treatment, you may be able to recover the costs associated with your treatment and care. You may even be able to seek compensation for future medical treatment.
Lost income: If your smoke inhalation injuries required you to miss work, your compensation or settlement may include the wages you lost as a result of your injuries.
Past and future pain and suffering: Smoke inhalation injuries may stem from an extremely traumatic ordeal. These types of events can potentially trigger mental disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, panic attacks, etc. You may be able to seek compensation for non-economic damages including the physical pain and mental agony that you have endured.
Property Owners’ Responsibilities
New York City laws require property owners and/or property managers to maintain spaces that are safe for tenants, visitors and guests. Property owners are required to provide, install and maintain smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors in each unit. The devices should also be maintained and remain in good working order.
When a fire or accident at a building is caused by negligence (carelessness) or a lack of property maintenance, the property owners and/or property managers may be held liable for the injuries and loss of life that occurs. Injured victims or families of deceased victims can file a premises liability claim against the responsible parties including, but not limited to, the property owner, property manager, maintenance/repair company, etc.
Injured victims in such cases can seek compensation for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost income and benefits, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones can file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation as well.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Whether you have been living as a tenant at a private apartment complex or in a public housing unit (NYCHA) (the Projects), please remember that you have legal rights. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of dangerous conditions, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys with the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you. For over 51 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of assisting injured victims. One of our clients — a hot water burn victim — secured $750,000 in damages from the property owner and manager.
Our firm also obtained a $985,000 settlement out of a $1 million policy for two people who suffered smoke inhalation injuries because the homeowner did not have smoke detectors installed and the $15,000 that was left on the insurance policy was for a person that we did not represent. Another of our clients recovered $2,500,000 due to a faulty space heater. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Sources: https://abc7ny.com/bronx-fire-morris-heights-apartment-nyc/12488909/
https://abc7ny.com/bronx-fire-rescue-bryant-avenue/12456200/