A mother and her adult son — identified as Christine Lehmann, 52, and Nicholas Lehmann, 25 — were killed in a Long Island fire the afternoon of Nov. 30. According to a report on Newsday.com, the fatal fire tore through the home on Fifty Acre Road South in St. James, sending smoke and flames shooting out of the windows. The homeowner, whom officials identified as 91-year-old Ronald Montagna, was transported by emergency personnel to Stony Brook University Hospital for smoke inhalation and burn injuries. Officials are still looking into the cause of the fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with family of the deceased victims and the elderly man who was injured in this fire.
Burn injuries and smoke inhalation injuries are two major causes of fatalities in house fires and structural fires. Burn injuries result from direct exposure to flames, hot surfaces or radiant heat. Their severity depends on temperature, duration of contact and the extent and depth of tissue damage. Thermal burns can range from superficial redness to significant damage of skin, muscle and internal organs. In house fires, victims may also experience scalds from steam or hot liquids. Beyond the immediate pain and tissue loss, burns can lead to shock, infection and long-term scarring or even functional impairment.
Smoke inhalation injuries are often even more life-threatening than the burns themselves. In enclosed spaces, victims may inhale toxic gases such as carbon monoxide, which impairs breathing. Superheated air and particulate matter can damage the airway causing swelling, inflammation and breathing issues. This can lead to respiratory distress, carbon monoxide poisoning or delayed airway obstruction. Further, smoke inhalation increases the risk of pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Depending on the factors that caused the fire accident, a number of parties may be held legally responsible for the injuries, damages and losses suffered by the victims. In such cases, a thorough evaluation is necessary to determine whether property owners, managers, utility companies or product manufacturers, etc. failed to meet safety standards. For example, a property owner may be liable if they neglected to maintain smoke alarms, provide safe electrical systems or address known hazards. In some cases, builders or contractors may be held liable if faulty construction, inadequate firestopping or the improper installation of wiring contributed to the fire.
Manufacturers can also face liability if defective appliances, heaters or electrical components sparked the fire. In some instances, homeowners may share responsibility if they ignored clear risks such as overloaded circuits or improper use of heat sources. Determining liability typically requires expert investigation, including fire reports, inspection records and witness statements. Determining liability in structural fires is often complex and requires the guidance and counsel of an experienced New York personal injury 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. It is in the best interest of injured victims and their families in such cases to contact an experienced personal injury lawyer before contacting the people responsible for the injuries, and definitely before contacting or communicating with any insurance company, or their lawyers, investigators, or adjusters.
For over 54 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 insurance 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 cases 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.
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Source: https://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/house-fire-st-james-gayu4six