My study of technical subjects such as thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, in pursuit of a mechanical engineering degree I received in college, allowed me to grasp the legal and scientific issues of fire science as a young attorney who began working cases involving fires since graduating from USC Law School in 1983.

While cases involving injuries and deaths from fires were regularly a part of a varied torts and personal injury/workers compensation practice in the first half of my career, they have become more of a focus in the last 12 to 14 years. The fires in these cases stem from various causes, and many times involve flammable consumer products which accelerate fire growth rates to the point where people cannot even escape the familiar surroundings of their own homes without injury or death.

I have handled cases involving issues related to flammable upholstered furniture and mattresses, emergency egress(escape) from mobile homes, smoke detectors, flammable clothing, furniture slip covers and hardwood plywood paneling used as a wall finish material, explosion of hazardous materials, [Ftn 1] flammable bathtubs made from plastic alloy materials, flammability and egress issues from a 5 story hotel, as well as smoke damage claims of tenants at S.C.’s oldest covered mall. Many of these cases are featured on the site, complete with video fire testing, which demonstrates the fire principles involved.

These cases involve highly technical issues of fire cause and origin, ignitability and flammability of items ignited early in the fire progression, human behavior and egress in fire emergencies, as well as toxicity of combustion products and their effects on humans. Burn injury care and treatment, as well as its devastating psychological effects, are subjects requiring medical experts for case development.

I handle a number of these type cases through association with referring attorneys from S.C. as well as other states. See the “referring attorneys” page on this site. All cases of this type are handled on a contingency basis. That means that I charge a percentage of the actual gross recovery as an attorney’s fee, plus the costs which are advanced by my firm to pursue the case to its conclusion. If you have questions about your particular case or situation, I look forward to speaking with you. I hope you find this site informative.