Burn Injury Claims in Kent County: Holding Negligent Parties Accountable

A burn injury doesn’t just leave physical scars—it leaves emotional wreckage that can take years to rebuild. If you or someone you love has suffered a severe burn in Kent County, you already know the brutal truth: the pain doesn’t end at the emergency room. The trauma lingers through every surgery, every scar, every sleepless night.

We’ve seen it firsthand—apartment fires caused by faulty wiring, explosions on job sites, children burned by defective products, or residents scalded in nursing homes with no one watching. These aren’t “accidents”—they’re tragedies fueled by someone else’s negligence.

You may be feeling:

• Overwhelmed by pain
• Trapped by fear
• Angry that no one took responsibility
• Helpless in a system that seems to ignore your suffering

You're not alone—and you're not powerless.

If someone else’s negligence left you scarred—physically and emotionally—you deserve justice.

At Marko Law, we’ve represented burn victims across Michigan who were failed by landlords, employers, product manufacturers, and government agencies. We've taken on powerful institutions and won. And we’re ready to do the same for you.

Whether the fire started in a Grand Rapids apartment, an industrial facility in Walker, or from a faulty lithium battery in a child’s toy, we’re here to help you hold the right people accountable. We know how to dig deep, uncover the truth, and demand maximum compensation for what you’ve endured.

This isn’t just about money. It’s about answers. It’s about closure. It’s about fighting back when you’ve been burned in every sense of the word.

What Counts as a Burn Injury Lawsuit in Michigan?

Types of Burn Injuries Recognized in Legal Claims

Burn injuries come in many forms, and all of them can be devastating. Here’s what we commonly see in Kent County burn cases:

• Thermal Burns: From open flames, steam, hot liquids, or contact with heated surfaces—common in house fires, kitchen accidents, and car crashes.
• Chemical Burns: Exposure to hazardous substances like industrial cleaners, acids, or lye—often seen in workplace or manufacturing settings.
• Electrical Burns: Caused by live wires, faulty outlets, or malfunctioning equipment—extremely dangerous and often invisible beneath the skin.
• Radiation Burns: Rare but serious, often from medical devices or unsafe industrial exposure.

Severity of Burns: Why It Matters

Burns are classified by degree, and this plays a major role in both your medical recovery and legal case:

• First-Degree Burns: Redness and pain, usually superficial (e.g., minor sunburns).
• Second-Degree Burns: Affect deeper layers of skin, often with blistering, swelling, and extreme pain.
• Third-Degree Burns: Destroy skin and underlying tissue, often requiring skin grafts, surgeries, and lifelong care. These are catastrophic injuries—and they change lives.

When a Burn Becomes a Legal Case

You may have a valid burn injury claim in Michigan if your injuries were caused by:

• Negligence (e.g., a landlord who failed to install smoke detectors)
• Unsafe conditions (e.g., a workplace without proper fire protocols or safety gear)
• Defective products (e.g., a space heater that caught fire or a child's toy with faulty wiring)

In legal terms, it’s about duty, breach, causation, and damages. If someone had a duty to keep you safe and failed to do so—and you got hurt as a result—you may be entitled to compensation.

Who Can Be Held Liable?

Property Owners

Under Michigan’s premises liability laws, landlords, homeowners, and businesses have a legal duty to keep their property safe. If they fail to:

• Install and maintain smoke detectors
• Fix faulty wiring or heating systems
• Address known fire hazards

...they can be held legally responsible.

Employers

Workers’ compensation usually covers job-related injuries—but when an employer is grossly negligent, you may be able to step outside the workers’ comp system.

• Lack of training on handling flammable materials
• Ignoring OSHA fire safety standards
• Failure to provide protective gear

Product Manufacturers

Under Michigan’s product liability laws, companies can be sued for defective products that cause burns:

• Overheating electronics
• Flammable furniture or clothing
• Faulty heating equipment or appliances

Utility Companies or Contractors

Gas leaks. Poor electrical installation. Shoddy repairs. When companies responsible for utility infrastructure cut corners, people get hurt.

• Natural gas explosions
• Live wires left exposed
• Faulty electrical panel work

Government Entities

While suing a government body in Michigan comes with special rules (like prior notice and immunity exceptions), they can still be liable under certain conditions:

• Negligently maintained public buildings
• Fire code violations in public housing
• Dangerous conditions on public property

Proving Negligence in Burn Cases

The 4 Legal Elements of Negligence:

1. Duty – The person or company had a legal responsibility to keep you safe (e.g., a landlord’s duty to install smoke detectors).
2. Breach – They failed to meet that responsibility (e.g., ignoring fire hazards or building code violations).
3. Causation – Their failure directly caused your burn injury.
4. Damages – You suffered actual harm—medical bills, lost income, pain, trauma.

What Kind of Evidence Matters?

To build a winning case, we dig deep. At Marko Law, our team uses every resource to prove the truth:

• Fire department reports showing cause and origin
• Witness statements from those who saw the fire or unsafe conditions
• Expert testimony from fire investigators, engineers, or safety experts
• Photos & video footage of the scene, injuries, or defective products
• Surveillance footage from homes, businesses, or city cameras

We’ve worked with burn victims across Michigan and know how to uncover the “smoking gun” that insurance companies hope we’ll miss.

What If You’re Partially at Fault?

Even if you were partly responsible for what happened, you may still be entitled to compensation under Michigan’s Modified Comparative Fault Rule (MCL 600.2959).

Here's how it works:

• If you’re less than 50% at fault, your damages are reduced by your share of responsibility.
• If you’re more than 50% at fault, you may be barred from recovery.

Example: If you’re found 20% at fault for using a product incorrectly, but the manufacturer was 80% at fault for a defect that caused a fire, you can still recover 80% of your total damages.

Compensation You May Be Entitled To

Economic Damages

These are the financial costs of your injury—past, present, and future.

• Medical Expenses: Skin grafts, plastic surgery, hospital stays, pain management, physical therapy, mental health care.
• Lost Wages: Time you’ve already missed from work.
• Loss of Future Earning Capacity: If your burn injuries prevent you from returning to your previous job or career.

Non-Economic Damages

Some wounds aren’t visible—but they’re just as real.

• Pain and Suffering: Ongoing physical agony, nerve pain, and daily discomfort.
• Emotional Trauma: PTSD, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders caused by the trauma.
• Disfigurement: Visible scars or amputations that impact your self-esteem and relationships.
• Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Being unable to enjoy activities you once loved.

Punitive Damages (In Rare, Extreme Cases)

If the defendant’s actions were shockingly reckless or malicious, Michigan law may allow punitive damages to punish and deter such behavior.

Wrongful Death from Burn Injuries

Your Legal Rights Under Michigan’s Wrongful Death Act

Michigan law allows surviving family members to pursue a wrongful death claim when someone dies due to a burn injury caused by another party’s wrongful act, negligence, or failure to act.

Eligible family members may include:

• Spouses
• Children
• Parents
• Siblings
• Grandparents
• Legal representatives of the estate

What Compensation Can Include:

• Funeral and Burial Costs: The immediate financial burden no family should have to carry alone.
• Medical Bills Before Death: If the victim received treatment before passing.
• Loss of Financial Support: The income and benefits your loved one would have provided.
• Loss of Companionship and Consortium: The emotional loss—love, support, guidance—that can never be replaced.

Michigan’s Statute of Limitations

Under Michigan’s Wrongful Death Act, you generally have 3 years from the date of death to file a lawsuit. But don’t wait—evidence fades, memories blur, and the defense gets stronger with time.

This Wasn’t Your Fault—But Justice Is Your Right

You didn’t ask for this. But now, you have a choice.

You can’t undo the fire. You can’t erase the scars. But you can choose to fight back.

At Marko Law, we don’t make excuses for negligent landlords, careless corporations, or reckless contractors. We make them pay. We know what’s at stake—not just bills, but your ability to heal, work, and live with dignity.

You’ve been through enough. Don’t let the people who caused your pain walk away while you suffer in silence.

We’ve won millions for burn victims across Michigan, and we’re not afraid to take your case to trial if that’s what it takes. If you’ve been burned—physically, emotionally, financially—we’re here to help you rebuild.

Contact Marko Law for a Free Case Evaluation

📞 Phone: +1-313-777-7777
📍 Main Office: 220 W. Congress, 4th Floor, Detroit, MI 48226
🌐 Website: www.markolaw.com

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