Panama City Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

From a cozy evening by a roaring fireplace to a summer afternoon barbeque, controlled fires can play a role in many wonderful memories all year long. However, an uncontrolled fire can lead to the worst type of memory, the type that sparks years of nightmares. House fires can quickly destroy a family's possessions and can cause serious injuries or even death. At The Pittman Law Firm, we can help Panama City fire injury victims understand their legal rights.

House Fire Strikes Panama City's Kurze Avenue
On Saturday evening at 7 P.M., the Panama City Fire Department received a report of smoke emanating from a single-family home. As detailed in The News Herald, a man escaped from the Kurze Avenue house through a side window while the fire burned. Neighbors told fire officials that they suspected a woman may have been inside, but the responders were able to determine the home was empty after a thorough search. Luckily, while there was damage, the home was not completely destroyed and the occupant suffered only the minor injuries associated with his window escape. Officials believe the fire started in the kitchen.

Sources of Compensation for Victims Injured in a Home Fire
What happens when a house fire causes injury to the home's occupants or other individuals? Of course, medical treatment is always the top priority, but legal issues follow close behind as victims look to be able to pay for treatment, recover lost wages, and confront future costs when an injury has a lasting impact. In the case of injuries to people who do not live in the home, homeowners' insurance is usually the main source of injury coverage. Homeowners' insurance is required by most mortgage companies and a wise investment for any owner. As noted in a webpage presented by Florida's Department of Financial Services and Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, a "homeowners' policy" is a package that covers both (a) the insured's property from being damaged or destroyed by an included cause and (b) the owner's personal liability in a suit by another person related to an included cause. This means the policy typically will cover injury to someone else in a home fire. As many of us know, insurance companies are often resistant when it comes to paying a claim. Both the victims and the home owner should engage experienced counsel to ensure the policy pays out properly, covering the victim's injuries without additional liability falling on the homeowner.

As for injury to the homeowner and the family members also living in the home, a thorough investigation is key to determining potential sources of compensation. Of course, a similar investigation is also important with respect to injuries falling under homeowners' policies. A skilled attorney will interview witnesses, gather official reports, and work with a fire expert to determine the cause of the fire. This will allow the attorney to determine legal liability and the potential defendants in an injury lawsuit (or, if the worst happens, a wrongful death claim). Where an item caused the fire, a product liability suit may be appropriate. Similarly, if faulty work or design sparked the blaze, there may be a claim against an electrician, builder or a similar individual or company. Other possible defendants include the manufacturer/installer of a faulty smoke alarm, a utility company if oil or gas was a factor, and the manufacturer of flammable furniture or other items that allowed the fire to accelerate.

Home fires can be devastating. Determining liability for fire injuries requires the assistance of skilled legal counsel. Our Panama City fire injury attorney has the knowledge and experience necessary to help people injured in home fires in the Florida Panhandle. Call to arrange a free consultation.

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Panama City Fire Safety and Florida Fire Injury Law in the Wake of Brazil Nightclub Tragedy

Fire Safety Following Fatal Home Fire in Holmes County

(Photo courtesy of Digby Fire Department)

It is hard to imagine the fear associated with a fire. Heat and smoke, our natural preservation instincts, and years of fire danger education combine to make a terror beyond anything on the movie screen. Add in a crowded setting and pure panic must set in. Like many others in our community, the team at our Panama City fire injury law firm has been thinking about these moments in light of the recent night club fire in Brazil. We've also been thinking about whether a similar disaster could happen in our own region and the legal rights of fire injury victims in Panama City.

Local Fire Captain Discusses Fire Safety in Panama City Beach
Captain Joe Cocco of the Panama City Beach Fire Department recently met with WJHG at the local Spinnaker Beach Club to discuss fire safety issues. The meeting follows last week's horrific night club fire in Brazil which claimed more than 230 lives and left dozens more seriously injured. Captain Cocco also referenced the 2003 Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island, a blaze that killed 100, noting that club-goers had only five minutes to escape. He referenced the pyrotechnics used in both Brazil and Rhode Island and said that they are against local fire codes. Local night clubs that hold over 100 people must have fire alarms, a working sprinkler system, and well lit exit signs. Cocco recommended that visitors look for alternate exits when at a club, noting that the front door may become overcrowded in a "crowd crush" as people rush towards the known exit. The article noted that the Panama City Beach Fire Department offers crowd control and fire safety training to local businesses free of charge.

The Danger and the Law of Fire Injuries in Panama City
Most of us probably didn't need a reminder that fires are dangerous, but the Santa Maria disaster still brought the threat to the forefront of our minds. A fire can give rise to a number of different dangers. Burn injuries are not only painful but can be disfiguring and leave the victim vulnerable to life-threatening infection. Smoke inhalation is actually more likely than the flames themselves to cause fire-related death. Additional injuries can arise when fires occur in crowded locations as victims are jostled or even trampled by people fleeing in panic.

Owners and operators are responsible for ensuring their properties are reasonably free from fire hazards. Dangers can include unsafe electrical wiring, faulty appliances, flammable materials, and the failure to provide adequate safety devices such as fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, or sprinkler systems. When a fire occurs in the absence of proper protections, victims may be able to file a number of civil claims against the property owners. Often these claims are brought using a premises liability theory. A successful premises liability lawsuit requires proof of three primary elements: 1) That the owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition; 2) That the owner failed to repair the dangerous condition or provide adequate warning thereof; and 3) That the dangerous condition caused the victim's injuries.

We hope we never have to read about another fire disaster like the Brazil nightclub tragedy. We hope that the local fire regulations and the proactive efforts of our local fire departments help prevent fires in local establishments. We also know that smaller fires can still lead to heartbreaking results include severe injury and even death. Our Panama City fire lawyer represents the victims of these local tragedies. If you are one of these victims, or if you are mourning the loss of a family member in a local fire, please call to discuss Florida premises liability law and other legal theories that we can use to help get you compensation and justice.

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Fire Safety Following Fatal Home Fire in Holmes County

Panama City Licensing Dispute Highlights Fire Safety Concerns

(Photo by Matthieu Luna)

As a recent News Herald headline about a Thanksgiving Day tragedy reminded us, home fires remain an all too common event. According to a member of the Holmes County Sheriff's Office, the area emergency communications line received a call at approximately 5:20 P.M. last Thursday reporting a mobile home fire in the area north of Bonifay along Highway 79. Multiple rescue units responded and the Bonifay and Esto Fire Department extinguished the blaze within minutes of their arrival. However, the rescue team arrived too late to save sixty-four year old Michael Lynn Krontz, the only occupant of the mobile unit, whose remains were located inside the home. An investigation is ongoing and includes both the State Fire Marshall's Office as well as the Holmes County Sheriff's Office.

Home Fires: Statistics & Causes
Our Panama City fire injury law firm knows fires are a very real danger but was still surprised to read that home fires constitute the single most common disaster nationwide. Per the American Red Cross's Fire Safety Fact Sheet, a whopping 93 percent of disasters that the organization responded to in U.S. communities during the year prior to the info sheet's compilation were fire related. Rather than improving, fire safety seems to be on a negative trend with the number of home fires increasing eight percent since the year 2000. Fires actually lead to the deaths of more Americans each year than all forms of natural disasters combined, with a home fire reported every eighty seconds in 2006 and someone dying every 204 minutes as a result of a home fire. Despite these numbers (and a statistic that may lead to more tragedies), only 26 percent of families have planned and practiced a home fire escape plan.

What causes home fires? Cooking fires are the top cause of all home fires and fire-related injuries with two-thirds of cooking fires originating with a range or stove. Heating fires represent the second leading cause of home fires. An added heating risk is carbon monoxide poisoning, with more than 200 people dying annually due to the gas which is released by fuel burning appliances such as furnaces and room heaters. While heating and cooking lead to more fires overall, smoking is the top cause of home fire fatalities.

Preventing Home Fires & Protecting Victims
Home fires, fire-related injuries, and home fire deaths can be prevented. The Red Cross found that 74 percent of home fire deaths in 2005 occurred in homes with either no smoke alarms or none in working order. Together, sprinklers and smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by 82 percent compared to the risk in homes with neither safety device. Working fire extinguishers are another useful tool, although it is better to exit a home and call for help than it is to try and fight a fire that is too big.

There are a number of cases in which a fire-related injury or death can give rise to a civil liability claim. Some such claims fall under a product liability framework, such as where a faulty heater or a malfunctioning piece of electrical equipment sparks the blaze. Landlord/tenant law can apply where a rental unit is not equipped with proper safety devices or is not compliant with safety codes. Premises liability principles may also apply in certain fires. As a Panama City injury lawyer, Attorney Wes Pittman understands these legal principles and stands ready to help victims of Panama City fires recover compensation in civil court.

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Heroic Firefighters and Medical Teams Rescue Family in DeFuniak Springs Fire

Panama City Attorney on Moving Forward After a Fire

We all know that drugs are dangerous. While the danger to the user is discussed beginning in the elementary school classroom, people sometimes fail to recognize the danger that illegal drugs in Panama City and throughout our region can have on innocent by-standers. From manufacturing to distribution to active use, the use of substances like methamphetamine are particularly concerning because they can impact the life of any member of our community. Drugged driving is only one of the ways drug use can lead to a devastating injury

Guilty Verdict in Panama City Meth Case
The News Herald recently updated its readers on the outcome of a federal trial involving methamphetamine. According to the charges, twenty-four year old Sara Mari Hoehn and twenty-six year old Sean Lamar Rainer, both of Panama City, conspired to manufacture and distribute in excess of 500 grams of the drug in September 2011. Evidence presented at trial showed the pair built a "shake and bake" methamphetamine laboratory based out of a room at the Panama City Microtel Inn and Suites. When police entered the room, they also observed a .22 caliber handgun and 12-guage Remington sawed-off shotgun.

This week, the federal jury convicted Hoehn on counts including conspiracy to manufacture over 500 grams of methamphetamine, the manufacture of the same, and possession of a sawed-off shotgun used to further a drug-trafficking offense. As provided by minimum mandatory sentencing rules for the drug charges, Hoehn faces ten years to life in prison, a maximum fine of $10,000,000, and a minimum of five years of supervised release. For the gun crime, she faces an additional ten year prison sentence (to run concurrently to the drug sentence), a fine of up to $250,000, and the possibly up to three years of supervised release. Rainer pled guilty to similar charges in February and will face a similar sentence.

The Dangers of Drug Use to Innocent Bystanders
Contrary to what some users would have others believe, drug use is not a victimless crime. The manufacture and distribution of illegal drugs involves a complex world of violence that all too often spills over into innocent lives. Additionally, users often become so desperate for a high that they commit criminal acts in order to fund their habit. Methamphetamine creates a particular danger because some methods of production, including the "shake and bake" style lab involved in the Hoehn case, involve a high potential for explosions and fires (see the blog entries listed below for more detail).

An added danger arises when a user gets behind the wheel of a car. As noted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse ("NIDA"), "Drugged driving is a public health concern because it puts not only the driver at risk but also passengers and others who share the road." The group, which is a component of the National Institutes of Health ("NIH"), notes that specific efforts by government and private groups have led to a greater awareness about drunk driving and a decline in related injuries and deaths, but that the nation needs a similar understanding of the danger of drugged driving.

Florida Drugged Driving Law & The Rights of Victims Injured by Illegal Drug Use
Across the nation, criminal laws on drugged driving have lagged behind drunk driving enforcement efforts. Factors involved in this lag include technological limitations on testing, the ability of some drugs to linger in the system for a longer period, and the lack of consensus on what level of use constitutes impairment. A driver is guilty of a drug-related DUI if the driver's normal facilities are impaired by the drug use. This is hardly as clear-cut as the 0.08 BAC limit that triggers a drunk driving charge (although technically a criminal charge could flow from a lower BAC if it impairs function).

While the criminal law is fuzzy at best, a civil suit can bring justice to a victim injured by a drugged driver. The burden of proof in a civil suit is lower than that in a criminal trial and only a civil suit focuses on compensating the victim. In addition to representing those injured by a Panama City drugged driving accident, our team is also prepared to help victims injured by other drug-related incidents such as someone hurt in a fire sparked by a meth lab explosion. Please call for a free consultation. We can help you get money damages and the justice you deserve.

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Fire and Explosion in Fort Walton Beach Traced to Methamphetamine

Recent Bust Serves as a Reminder of the Dangers of Methamphetamine Use and Manufacture

Our Panama City fire injury law firm knows that a house fire can feel like a family's worst nightmare has come to life. The speed and intensity of a fire are overwhelming. People can suffer injuries due to burns or smoke and the fire may claim the life of a family member, with children and the elderly at particular risk. Fires can also leave behind emotional damage.

Fire Rescue Team Rescues Pregnant Mom and Three Young Children
A story in The News Herald reminded our team of both the potential danger of a home fire and the bravery of the firefighters who risk their lives to protect our community. Last month, on September 14, fire teams arrived to battle a large blaze at303 South Norwood Road. Teams from Argyle Volunteer Fire, Walton County Fire Rescue, and DeFuniak Springs Fire all joined in the fight. When the responders arrived, they learned that the family was still inside the home. Firefighters located the pregnant mother and her three children, ranging in ages from two to six years, huddled together in one room with a dresser blocking the only window. Three team members, Randy Hatcher, Chad Nelson, and George McLeod, each rescued a child. Once the team took the children to safety, their mother crawled to a nearby bathroom and got out of the home through a window.

Several firefighters involved in fighting the blaze said the event seemed more like a movie than real-life because most fire events do not involve dramatic rescues. Hatcher, said this was the first time in his six year tenure that he took part in rescuing someone from a burning building. In contrast, Nelson noted he had ben to a number of prior fires where victims perished and that this was the first time he was at a similar event where everyone made it out. Battalion Chief Bill May and Brian Coley, the fire chief for both DeFuniak Springs and Walton County departments, were also involved and paramedic Ben Martin provided care to the mother and children before they were transported to the hospital. Several of those involved in the rescue will be recognized with awards in a ceremony at the DeFuniak Springs fire house.

Panama City Fire Law Firm on Injuries and Liability
Home fires can lead to a range of injuries. Burns are categorized by degree, from first-degree burns that heal in a few days and do not usually require medical attention to fourth-degree burns that can damage muscles, nerves, tissues, and bones and may lead to death or require amputation. Smoke inhalation is a leading cause of fire deaths and can also cause long-term breathing problems.

In some cases, a civil lawsuit may be appropriate following a fire. These claims often proceed as a Florida premises liability claim. Property owners owe a duty to tenants and guests to maintain their buildings in a condition that is reasonably free from fire hazards. Hazards that can cause a fire include: Unsafe electrical wiring and insulation; Faulty appliances; Presence of unnecessary flammable materials; and Failure to provide required safety devices such as working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Where errors like these lead to a fire that causes injury or death, the victim may have a civil claim against the landlord, a realty company, or another individual whose negligence significantly contributed to the fire. Depending on the circumstances, injured victims may also be able to recover compensation for psychological pain caused by the fire.

If you are the victim of a Panama City fire, please call our team. Our Panama City personal injury lawyer can help you obtain compensation for your injuries. Whether it is via a Panama City premises liability claim or a civil suit brought under other principles, Wes Pittman has the skills and experience necessary to helping fire victims recover money damages and move forward after a frightening event.

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Panama City Attorney on Moving Forward After a Fire

Panama City Licensing Dispute Highlights Fire Safety Concerns

As your Panama City house fire law firm, The Pittman Firm stands ready to help area residents after a blaze. According to WJHG, area firefighters responded to flames at an Alabama Avenue apartment around 3:30 A.M. on Tuesday. Flames engulfed the first and second floor of the structure located near Gulf Coast State College. Officials noted that rain, wind and lightning increased the difficulty of the firefighter's work and created a danger that the flames would spread to surrounding trees. Power company officials also responded by turning off power and the Red Cross is expected to assist victims. Thankfully, WJHG reported that no injuries arose from the fire. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of the blaze.

Key Steps to Remember After a Fire

While it is information no one ever wants to need, it is important to know what to do after a fire. Of course, in the immediate moments following the first spark, safety must be the first concern. Once things are under control and everyone is safe, you should check that you have in your possession personal identification, insurance information, medications and assistive devices such as eyeglasses, credit cards and account information, and personal valuables. You should not enter to retrieve anything without the formal okay from fire crews. You may find you need to replace some of these items (such as medicine you could not grab) as you look for temporary housing. The Red Cross or Salvation Army may offer assistance with both housing and personal necessities. Notify family, schools, employers, and insurance companies of all relocations. Do keep receipts for all fire-related expenses, regardless of your insurance status. The information can prove costs to your insurer and can also be important for future tax filings.

If you have insurance, you should give notice of the incident to the company and/or your agent. Ask about immediate concerns regarding the home, such as removing water and covering damaged doors, windows, or roof areas to prevent further damage. Clarify your own responsibilities so you do not get penalized for non-compliance. Some companies require the homeowner to produce a detailed inventory of damaged personal items. Do not get rid of damaged items until you have completed this inventory. If you are interested in using a company to help with inventory or repair, be sure to discuss the matter with your insurer first.

If you do not have insurance, or if your insurance proves inadequate, consider community aid groups. Potential source of help include: The American Red Cross; The Salvation Arm; civic groups; religious organizations; social services agencies; nonprofit crisis counseling groups, and; state or local municipal emergency services offices.

The Valuation Issue

One of the most complex parts of recovering from a fire is valuing your lost property. This is important for insurance purposes and also for claiming a loss on the year's federal income tax filings. Sentimental value is important but insurers and the IRS focus on objective measures of loss. Objective valuations include cost at purchase, fair market value before the fire (actual cash value of an item given the state it as in the day prior to the fire, including depreciation due to use), and savage value after the fire. Some insurance policies only reimburse for current value of your used items while other (typically more expensive) policies cover the full cost of replacing the item.

Legal Help After a Fire

Another vital call after a fire is the one you place to a skilled Panama City home fire lawyer. Wes Pittman has spent over 30 years advocating for people in Panama City and can help you obtain the compensation you are owed from an insurance company or a party responsible for the blaze.

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Panama City Licensing Dispute Highlights Fire Safety Concerns

Panama City Lawyer Comments on Two Local Home Fires

As a Panama City injury law firm, we work to protect people who are injured of suffer economic loss in the Bay County region. Many of these cases stem from someone else's negligence, but some can be traced to more knowing, wrongful acts. Given the likelihood of a tragic outcome, sometimes the phrase "drug-related accident" feels like a bit of a misnomer.

Northwest Florida Daily News is covering a blast that rocked an Okaloosa Island condominium last week. At 5:40 A.M. on Friday August 3, firefighters responded to reports of an explosion and fire at unit 508 of the Island Princess condo building on Santa Rosa Boulevard. Residents and guests evacuated the gulf-front property in the wake of the early morning flames.

Upon entering the unit, firefighters noticed items that are commonly used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. Members of the local Drug Task Force learned that thirty-two year old Candace Lynn Beck, thirty-nine year old Ray Charles Callin Jr., and an unidentified woman were present in the unit at the time the explosion ignited the fire. According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, investigators learned that the three occupants had left the property and travelled to a home at 423 Hollywood Boulevard N.W. in Fort Walton Beach. When deputies arrived at the house, Beck and the unidentified woman told them that Callin had been cooking meth in the condo unit. Beck acknowledged that she expected to get some of the drug once it had been produced.

Both Callin and Beck face charges of manufacturing and trafficking methamphetamine. As of the NWF Daily News report, Beck is being held on $65,000 bond and Callin's bond is set at $75,000. In the arrest report, Beck listed the Island Princess condo as her address. Callin denied having been in the condo and his address was listed as the Fort Walton Beach home.

Methamphetamine poses significant danger to users. Even in small amounts, the drug has a stimulant effect on users that can lead to a rapid or irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, hyperthermia, wakefulness, and the potential for seizures. Long term abuse can cause severe dental problems, skin ulcers, anxiety, confusion, mood disturbances, and unpredictable or violent behavior. Other psychotic problems include paranoia, hallucinations (visual and auditory), and delusions. Users generally feel the need for greater amounts of the drug. Chronic abuse can also cause major structural and functional changes to the brain, including to areas involved in emotion and memory.

Meth also poses significant danger to innocent bystanders. Aside from potential injury associated with the use of meth (such as car accidents or violent user behavior), the manufacture of methamphetamine is highly volatile. This is especially true when manufacturers use the so-called "shake and bake" method where even the slightest error can cause an explosion. The method allows "cooks" to operate in almost any location and has led to explosions in cars or vans.

If you have been injured by a meth explosion in Panama City, please contact our firm. Our personal injury lawyer will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.

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Recent Bust Serves as a Reminder of the Dangers of Methamphetamine Use and Manufacture

Fire Erupts in Nursing Home After Meth Lab Explosion

Our Panama City accident law firm understands that all local residents may be impacted by even seemingly small changes in our community. For example, even something as simple as the proposed opening of a new bar in our area may raise concerns about unsafe property in Panama City.

The News Herald reports that the Bay County Planning Commission has approved a variance to permit a more permanent establishment at 8667 Thomas Drive. Currently, a temporary spring break club is located in the building at the address. The variance waives the mandatory buffer zone of one thousand feet that is generally required between a nightclub and a property used as a residence. Other business owners have expressed concern that the currently open temporary establishment is unsafe. The owner of another establishment has suggested the site suffers from a dangerous lack of regulation with a lack of parking, chronic overcrowding, and insufficient protection against fires. Club operators opted to have a certified firefighter present whenever the club is open rather than installing a sprinkler system at the building.

The dispute over the Thomas Drive property has highlighted the lack of an occupational or business licensing system in Bay County. The city of Panama City Beach does have a business licensing system but establishments can avoid the regulations by locating just outside the city border. Instituting a countywide licensing system would eliminate this possibility and allow stricter safety rules to be enforced throughout the area.

We encourage all efforts to make businesses in our region safe for our residents and visitors. It is always preferable to prevent accidents. However, our Panama City premises liability lawyer is available to help if you are injured in a local establishment. Premises liability claims can arise from a dangerous physical condition such as the lack of sufficient exits to provide safe exit in case of a fire emergency. Claims can also be based on negligent security, when an owner fails to sufficiently address known security dangers. A recent change in Florida law does require that an injured person show the owner or operator of an establishment involved in a property liability claim knew or should have known that a dangerous condition existed at the locale. Knowledge can be actual or constructive, the latter indicating the business owner should have known about the danger given the nature of the possible harm. This requirement should be easily met in many cases of known harm--like when a business fails to install fire safety equipment.

If injuries result when a business owner chooses to skimp on fire protection systems, the business owners and operators can and should be held liable for these injuries. While it should not take a premises liability claim in Panama City to make business owners pay attention to safety concerns, bringing such a claim will not only provide the victim with needed compensation but also serves an important public safety function by reinforcing the duty of businesspeople to ensure their properties are safe for public use. We encourage efforts to ensure safety is considered before an accident happens but we are prepared to hold businesses accountable if they fail to consider safety when operating in our region.

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Panama City Lawyer Comments on Premises Liability After an Area Man Falls From a Hotel Balcony

Panama City Lawyer Comments on Two Local Home Fires

Two very different home fires caught the attention of our Panama City injury lawyer this week. The cases serve as a reminder while that Panama City home fires share the element of tragedy, each one is unique and needs to be carefully investigated to determine fault and, ultimately, liability.

The News Herald offered coverage of one fire in a Lake Town Wharf condominium. The Panama City Beach Police Department is investigating the Sunday night blaze that caused the condo's sprinkler system to activate and caused thousands of dollars in damages. A methamphetamine lab appears to have sparked the fire. Police and fire officials have referred to the lab as a "shake and bake" operation in which the meth maker shakes a small plastic container holding the drug's ingredients. The mixture is highly volatile, flammable, and sometimes spontaneously ignites during the process. It appears that the suspects fled the condo complex when the fire started, leaving complex security to find the flooded unit about an hour after the fire started and the sprinkler system activated.

A second fire, also reported by the News Herald, occurred on Monday February 20 on Hinson Avenue in Panama City Beach. Firefighters from Bay County responded to the late morning fire and were able to extinguish the blaze in fifteen minutes. However, even that short time was enough to claim the life of one family pet and damage thirty percent of the one thousand square foot home. The state fire marshal's office is continuing to investigate but the preliminary reports suggest an overturned lamp sparked the fire in the home's utility room.

As is demonstrated by the two recent incidents, fires can have a myriad of causes. Regardless of cause, they often have substantial and lasting property damage. Problems can result from the fire itself, from smoke damage, or from water or other materials used to tame the flames. In addition to the visible damage, a home may have significant structural, plumbing or electrical damages. It is vital to have an experienced, specialized damage inspector carefully examine the property after a fire of any size.

Determining fault after a fire can be a complex process. Insurance companies may attempt to deny a property damage claim by blaming the fire on the homeowner or on an excluded cause. Insurers may also attempt to undervalue the damage to the home or to other personal property. Retaining all investigative reports and documenting the damage thoroughly, including with photographs, can help secure your claim. In some cases, there may also be other liable parties such as a negligent neighbor, a property owner who failed to maintain safe conditions, or the manufacturer of a defective product.

If you've been injured or suffered damages in a Panama City fire, please contact our Panama City injury law firm. We can help you obtain the damages that the law allows and aid you in moving forward from the tragedy.

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(Photo courtesy of M. Theklan)