Friday night my boyfriend was cooking chicken and we had a grease fire in our apartment..there is no fire extinguisher and he got 2nd degree burns on his hand...it will never look the same...the fire started under the burner and for no reason..the landlord said the stove is fine and to use it but didn't ask what happened or is anyone ok...they saw his hand but didn't ask about it...are we in the right to sue and should we?
2007-06-18 05:15:22 · 9 answers · asked by sandra m 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
by the way the stove is electric
2007-06-18 05:19:37 · update #1
thanks everyone for the smart comments....there is no fire extinguisher anywhere..and yes the landlord was suppose to supply us with one and it shouldn't have passed the inspection with out it...thats what the fire marshall said...so how about u guys stop being ******* and answer the question.
2007-06-18 05:29:33 · update #2
we just moved in june 1
2007-06-18 05:33:39 · update #3
you cause a fire...get injured....and want to sue, because you didnt have a fire ext....dont know how to put out a grease fire, or think stoves catch on fire because there made out of steel...
must be a true case of the blonds, meeting of the minds........
2007-06-18 08:15:34 · answer #1 · answered by DennistheMenace 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt you have a case.
First of all, if the fire started "for no reason", that's not the landlord's fault any more than it is yours.
However, you said it was a grease fire, and the reason it started is because the grease came too close to the heat element and ignited.
The grease is supposed to be in a cooking implement, a skillet, a pan, a pot. How did it get under the element? I can imagine no way for that to happen other than a spill, which is operator error, or accumulation over time of the minor splatters, which is faulty maintenance by not cleaning it regularly. It could only be the landlord's fault if you just moved in and he was responsible for having cleaned the stove before you took possession.
The lack of the fire extinguisher is meaningless unless you can find some statutory or contractual requirement that the landlord provide one.
2007-06-18 12:28:49 · answer #2 · answered by open4one 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not the landlord's responsibility to supply fire extinguishers inside the apartment (in hallways and communal areas is a different matter). That's YOUR responsibility and smart living 101 is to have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen area that will put out grease and electical fires.
I'm sure there was a reason that the fire started. Grease and hot burners have been known to start a fire.
No right to sue in my opinion. But you go ahead if you want to.
2007-06-18 12:26:05 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. A fire does not start for no reason. YOU were cooking with oil, not your landlord. I would imagine the oil got too hot or the catch pans under the burner were dirty and caught fire. Why don't YOU take some responsibility and buy a fire extinguisher at Home Depot. They only cost a few bucks and could save your life.
Everyone has rights, but no one has the right to be responsible. It is always someone else's fault. We have become a sue happy society so we can make a quick buck.
2007-06-18 12:23:31 · answer #4 · answered by erehwon 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hello,
To anwser your question the landlord is responsible for making sure there are smoke alarm's and in some states carbondioxside alarms. So it sounds like your landlord really doesn't care and yes you can sue for damages such as hospital,doctor,and pain and suffering as well as disfigurement.And by the way the landlord if a good one would have made sure you had an up to date fire extingquisher.
I am sorry for his pain and I hope I helped.
Deb
If you need anything else let me know.
2007-06-18 12:26:49 · answer #5 · answered by Deb 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's highly doubtful that you could ever successfully sue your landlord for this incident. The judge will be thinking that "prevention" is the smartest & safest thing for such an occurance. As you pointed out, there was no fire extingusher, and you obviousily didn't have a lid for your skillet, which would have easily exausted the fire. I'm truly sorry 4 what has occurred, but next time, be prepared.
2007-06-18 12:30:01 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In most states landlords are required to provide smoke detectors but not fire extinguishers, except in public areas.
2007-06-18 12:25:11 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
no ,this is what can happen when cooking you should have extinguished it with a damp tea towel anyway
2007-06-18 12:23:22 · answer #8 · answered by dumplingmuffin 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Call zoning and ask them; odds are no.
2007-06-18 12:17:57 · answer #9 · answered by wizjp 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋