Fire-loss and thermal injury claims sit at the intersection of personal injury, property damage, engineering, and product liability, and they turn on evidence that disappears fast: origin-and-cause analysis, electrical and building-code findings, and the conduct of landlords, contractors or manufacturers.
Daniel has built, advocated and tried these cases for years. In Kidman v. Christoforatou, he acted for a family in a significant claim after a fire in a converted building killed two children and seriously injured another; he defeated the defendants' motion for summary judgment and won costs. The main issues of negligence related to the alleged electrical wiring, fire-separation and smoke-alarm failures. He has also acted in defective-vehicle fire claims that drew national media attention.
- The cost to repair or replace damaged property
- Medical, rehabilitation and future-care costs for fire injuries
- Pain and suffering, and a family's losses in fatal fires
- Out-of-pocket living and business-interruption expenses
- Income loss
- Housekeeping and home maintenance costs
The fire department already investigated — do I still need my own expert?
Usually yes. A fire marshal's report answers a public-safety question — or sometimes identifies a cause so police can charge an arsonist — not the civil question of who is legally responsible in negligence for compensation and damages. Proving a claim usually takes an independent origin-and-cause fire expert, and often electrical and building-code evidence — work that has to begin before the scene is cleared.
Wondering whether you have a claim?
Tell Daniel what happened. He'll give you a straight read, in confidence, at no cost.