The Legal Herald
Lawrenceburg Apartment Complex Fire Leaves One Occupant Critically Injured. (WHNT.com)
Could the injuries from this apartment fire have been prevented and are justice and compensation available to the victim?
Local News
A fire engulfed a Lawrenceburg, Tennessee apartment complex Friday night, March 22, 2019. According to WHNT.com, “[t]he Lawrenceburg Fire Department arrived to an occupied apartment complex located at 1067 Old Florence Road around 8 p.m….[t]he fire was extinguished around 11:30 p.m. and overhaul operations were completed.” WSMV.com is reporting “[a]t least 10 apartments were destroyed, displacing 10 families.” During a search of the building, “firefighters rescued one victim with critical injuries and another occupant from the burning buildings,” according to WHNT.com.
Media reports indicate the fire remains under investigation.
Our Legal Take
As the fire department continues its investigation, premises liability attorneys with The Murray Law Firm question whether a lack emergency evacuation procedures and fire safety measures at the complex may have contributed to this incident.
- When was the last fire inspection and emergency evacuation drill performed?
- What fire safety measures, such as working smoke detectors, fire sprinklers and emergency exits, were in place and working at the time of the fire?
- Were all escape routes properly marked at the building?
As details of this fire continue to emerge, The Murray Law Firm suggests that it is possible that the apartment complex failed to undertake proper safety measures to protect those residents and guests legally on the premises. Under certain State law, the owner and management company of an apartment complex have a duty to protect residents and to keep the premises safe. If the owner or manager fails in this duty, they may be held civilly liable for any injuries or wrongful deaths that occur as a consequence.
Should the Lawrenceburg apartment complex be found at fault, the victims may elect to hold the owner and management company civilly liable for their injuries. Financial recovery for such a claim could be substantial.
As insurance companies and unscrupulous property owners are often more concerned with limiting their financial exposure in these incidents, it is crucial that the victims retain an experienced premises liability firm as soon as possible to ensure all evidence, such as a faulty fire alarm or a poor evacuation plan, is preserved and the victims’ best interests are protected. The Murray Law Firm has extensive experience in premises liability and apartment negligence cases, such as this, and we offer our legal expertise, if needed.
If anyone has information to share, or if anyone is seeking information regarding this incident, please contact us at 888.842.1616.
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The Murray Law Firm has obtained over $100 million dollars for its Clients, and recently secured a $29.25 million dollar verdict for a victim of an unsafe property.
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