California Fire Alarm Defect Injury Lawyer
When a fire alarm is defective, there is a significant risk to people’s lives in both residential and commercial properties. There’s no denying that defective fire alarms can cause significant property damage and injuries, including death.
If you or your family member suffered harm because of a fire alarm system failure to work, you may have grounds to file a lawsuit against one or more entities that failed in their duty of care. A fire alarm defect injury lawyer is here to advise you on the best course of action and ensure that justice is served for you and your loved ones.
Common Causes of Fire Alarm Defects
The purpose of a fire alarm system is to warn people of a fire as early as possible, thereby allowing them to safely evacuate the premises and contact the fire department. This is the best way to minimize injuries and related complications, as well as any loss of property. When a fire alarm system fails, there are multiple causes we have to consider, such as:
- Faulty parts, lack of quality control and other issues during the manufacturing phase
- Design flaws that can lead to problems like the alarm not going off in high heat or low smoke conditions
- Improper installation of a fire alarm
- Failure by the manufacturer to provide clear instructions or adequate warnings regarding assembly, use, and maintenance
- Failure to use the right power source or keep an eye out for outages due to power failure

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Fire alarm systems that fail to trigger when they are supposed to can result in catastrophic injuries to many people that are inside the same property. Victims that are delayed from immediate evacuation may end up with:
- Burn injuries – severe burns are the most common injuries to victims that are trapped in a house or building.
- Complications from smoke inhalation – defective fire alarms that fail to detect smoke early on can expose occupants to toxic fumes, resulting in respiratory distress, brain injury, and death.
- Fall injuries – because of the panic among people who are trying to escape a fire, there is a high risk of falls and related injuries, especially if certain parts of the building are blocked or there is poor visibility.
- Severe injuries that cause death – If the victim cannot escape in time due to a defective fire alarm, death is a possible outcome. People can also die from fire-related complications, like exposure to high levels of smoke.
In order to sue for injuries related to a malfunctioning fire alarm system, you must establish a direct link between the alarm’s failure and your injuries / death of your family member. Then, you will need to prove who is responsible for the alarm not going off when it should have.
Many of these cases we represent are based on premises liability, meaning that the owner or operator of the property failed to maintain the alarm on a regular basis, make repairs, or replace the system as needed. Other parties that may be to blame are the manufacturer, distributor, and retailers.
A fire alarm system manufacturer, for example, may be liable if there was a wiring issue that caused the alarm to malfunction. With product liability claims, the key is to prove that the defect existed while the item was still in the manufacturer’s possession. Alternatively, defects with alarm systems may occur while the items are being handled by the wholesaler or retailer. A manufacturer may also be sued for a failure to warn, meaning they did not include clear warnings and/or instructions to ensure safe usage and proper maintenance of the system.
Other Parties That May Be LiableAside from the product maker and the owner of the property, the following entities may be sued in the event of a fire alarm failure:
- Installation company – improper installation can easily cause malfunctions with a fire alarm system. Parties that may be at fault include contactors, electricians, or repair service providers.
- Landlord / Property Managers – Landlords or those in charge of managing rentals (apartment leasing companies, for examples) have a legal duty to ensure safe conditions for their tenants, including regular inspections and maintenance of fire alarm systems.
As the victim of a defective fire alarm system fire incident, there are multiple categories of compensation that you may be entitled to. The specific payments you are owed depend on what type of lawsuit you are filing, the extent of your injuries, your level of emotional trauma, and many other variables. Damages we can potentially recover on your behalf include:
- Cost of medical services and treatments
- Value of lost or damaged property
- Lost wages while you recover from your injuries
- Lost earning potential for injuries that permanently impair your ability to work
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Wrongful death benefits: funeral expenses, loss of consortium, lost savings / benefits, pain and suffering
- Legal fees
- Punitive damages
The standard deadline for a personal injury claim is 2 years in the state of California. If you are the injured party, you have up to 2 years from the incident date to file a personal injury lawsuit. For those who are suing for a loved one’s death, the statutory deadline for a wrongful death claim is 2 years from the victim’s date of death.
If the blame for the faulty fire alarm system lies with a government entity (fires in city office buildings, public schools, state-run institutions, etc.), your filing deadline for a liability claim is only 6 months. Due to these and other complications, it’s in your best interest to initiate a claim as soon as possible, with help from a qualified fire injury lawsuit lawyer.
Talk to a Defective Fire Alarm Injury AttorneyNot getting out on time when there is a fire is one of the most terrifying events anyone can experience. The resulting damage to your body, mind, and property merit compensation, but navigating the legal system is difficult for the average victim. It’s crucial to work with an experienced defective fire alarm system lawyer, who can fight for you and the compensation you deserve.
The attorneys of DTLA Law Group work on contingency under the Zero Fee Guarantee. Under this policy, all of our expenses are billed to the responsible party. That means the cost of legal services is paid to us as a part of your settlement or jury verdict. In the event you do not receive payment from a fire alarm failure to work lawsuit, we will not ask you to cover a single penny in legal fees.
Please contact our law firm today and learn about your rights and legal options during a free case evaluation.
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