Fire Injury Lawyer in Miami

Fire injuries in Miami can have catastrophic consequences. Smoke inhalation, third-degree burns over significant body surface, scarring, and respiratory damage are all common — and in many cases, the fire was preventable. If you or a loved one has been injured in a fire in South Florida, identifying who was responsible and pursuing them quickly is essential. Fire scenes are altered or cleaned up rapidly, evidence disappears, and the cause-and-origin investigation has to start while the scene is still preserved.

Common Causes of Miami Fires

• Apartment and condo fires — caused by faulty wiring, defective appliances, smoking, or landlord failures to maintain smoke detectors and fire-suppression systems
• Restaurant kitchen fires and grease incidents
• Gas explosions from natural gas leaks and propane tank failures
• Vehicle fires, particularly post-collision fuel system failures
• Electrical fires from defective wiring, overloaded circuits, and aluminum-wiring corrosion
• Lithium-ion battery fires — e-bikes, e-scooters, hoverboards, e-cigarettes, and laptop batteries are an increasing fire-injury source in Miami high-rises
• Hotel fires
• Boat fires on Biscayne Bay and at marinas
• Construction site fires — torch-down roofing, hot work, and welding incidents

Who Can Be Liable

• Landlords and property owners for negligent maintenance, missing or non-working smoke detectors, code violations, and failure to maintain fire-suppression systems
• Utility companies in gas-leak and downed-line cases
• Product manufacturers in defective-product fires (under Florida's strict-liability framework)
• Vehicle manufacturers in post-collision fuel-system fires
• Electrical contractors for defective wiring
• Restaurants and businesses for improperly maintained equipment and inadequate kitchen fire suppression
• Condominium associations for inadequate common-area fire safety
• Hotel operators for fire-safety violations

Florida Fire Code and Smoke Detector Requirements

Florida's Fire Prevention Code, codified at Florida Administrative Code Chapter 69A, incorporates the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Florida requires functioning smoke alarms in all dwelling units, and Florida Statute § 553.883 imposes specific requirements on landlords for working smoke alarms. A landlord's failure to maintain smoke alarms is one of the most common bases for liability in apartment fire cases — particularly where the alarm failure prevented or delayed escape.

Cause and Origin Investigation

The single most important early step in a fire injury case is preserving the fire scene for cause-and-origin investigation by a qualified fire investigator. Insurance carriers send their own investigators within 24–48 hours of a major fire — and once their investigators have completed their work, the scene is often released for cleanup, after which independent investigation is impossible. We work with experienced fire-cause-and-origin investigators to get to the scene quickly and preserve key evidence.

Damages

Fire injury damages can include extensive medical expenses for burn treatment (often at the Ryder Trauma Center burn unit at Jackson Memorial in Miami), reconstructive surgery extending over years, lost wages and earning capacity, scarring and disfigurement (often very significant in burn cases), pain and suffering (burn pain is among the most extreme in medical practice), psychological treatment for PTSD, and (in fatal cases) Florida Wrongful Death Act damages.

Statute of Limitations

For fire injuries occurring on or after March 24, 2023, Florida's statute of limitations on negligence claims is two years from the date of the fire. Wrongful-death claims must be filed within two years of the date of death. Punitive damages may be available in cases involving gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

If you or a loved one has been hurt in a fire in Miami-Dade, Broward, or Monroe County, contact the Law Offices of Albert Goodwin. Call 786-522-1411 or email [email protected] for a free consultation.