AUTOMOBILEFIRE

Many days on the side of the road an automobile or truck will be visible with smoke or even flames arising from it and hopefully a fire truck at the scene.  Also on many days on TV we have seen cars just roll down a hill or hit a building and burst into high flames.  An automobile fire can be caused by several different factors, but the Firefighters Association states that rarely will a car just burst into flame as we see on film unless some explosive is involved.
The U.S. Fire Administration did research on the common causes of highway automobile fires and the following was their findings:
One in every four fire department responses is to a vehicle fire. This does not include the tens of thousands of responses to vehicle acci¬dent sites.
Mechanical or design problems are the leading cause of vehicle fires.
Electrical wiring and fuel are the leading forms of material ignited in vehic fires.
Fires following a collision are the leading cause of vehicle deaths.
Mechanical and design failures are the leading cause of vehicle inju¬ries, many of which               were due to the victim’s attempt to control the fire.         (USFA, 2002)
While cars don’t blow up as on TV, there can certainly be a nasty automobile fire in a collision when one considers that both vehicles are using highly flammable fuel and also may have some oil leakage.  The question of liability in an automobile fire is certainly not always clearly apparent.  If there were wiring problems, was it the mechanic, the dealership, the manufacturer, who was mainly responsible for this situation.  Design problems can generally go back to the manufacturer and designer and there are probably more than one incidence such as in the old Ford Pinto situation.
If you have been in an automobile fire, you need to consult with someone who understands the complexities of these types of cases.  You should search out an attorney who has handled these types of cases in the past and who can best advise you on what compensation you should receive from the negligent party.  Please call Attorney Robert A. Brenner at 1-800-669-7700 and have a conversation with him about the accident and what injuries you received.  He will then advise you on the best course of action for your situation.