Car Fires: How They Start and What You Need to Do if It Happens to You

lthough moto

vehicle fi

es e less f

equent th

n othe

types of

ccidents, they e mo

e likely to

esult in dev

st

ting inju

ies, debilit

ting p

in,

nd even de

th. Those victims th

t su

vive this ho

ific

ccident not only h

ve to endu

e c

t

st

ophic lifelong t

um

nd extensive medic

l bills, but fo

m

ny bu

n victims

nd thei

f

milies, life

s they kno

it

ill fo

eve

ch

nge. Ho

eve

, if you

e

e in

moto

vehicle fi

e

ccident bec

use of

nothe

pe

son’s celess

ctions o

defective equipment, you should not h

ve to h

ndle these c

ippling

epe

cussions on you

o

n. You dese

ve justice fo

the inju

ies you suffe

ed

nd compens

tion fo

the losses you endu

ed.

Th

t’s

hy

e ote this blog. In it,

e

ill discuss eve

ything you need to kno

bout moto

vehicle fi

es, including ho

they stt, the inju

ies they c

use,

nd ho

you c

n pu

sue fin

nci

l

ecove

y fo

the h

m you suffe

ed.

The Most Common C

uses of Moto

Vehicle Fi

es

Moto

vehicle fi

es do not h

ppen often, but they c

n

esult in c

t

st

ophic inju

ies

hen they do.

cco

ding to studies done by the St

tistesech Deptment, the

e

e, on

vege,

bout<

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ef=”https://

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tist

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“> 189,000 high

y vehicle fi

es <>th

t occu

eve

y ye

c

oss the count

y—often due to mech

nic

l o

elect

ic

l p

oblems. Ho

eve

, these issues e not the only sou

ce of this de

dly

ccident.

In gene

l, the most common c

uses of

moto

vehicle fi

e include:

• i
  -level="1">ong>Le
  king fuel systems:<

  st

  ong> If you h

  ve

  fuel le

  k, you must t

  ke

  ction

  S

  P. Fuel le

  ks e

  top c

  use of c fi

  es bec

  use g

  soline is inc

  edibly fl

  mm

  ble

  nd c

  n quickly stt

  fi

  e in the vehicle.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>Elect
  ic

  l system f

  ilu

  e: ong>

  ll c

  s h

  ve

  n elect

  ic

  l system th

  t

  uns th

  oughout the vehicle, including in the hood, doo

  s,

  nd th

  ough the po

  e

  ed se

  ts. Consequently,

  ny f

  ulty

  i

  ing o defective b

  tte

  y c

  n quickly

  esult in

  moto

  vehicle fi

  e. T

  ke, fo

  inst

  nce,

  c

  ’s volt b

  tte

  y. This c

  itic

  l p

  t p

  oduces hyd

  ogen g

  s

  hen ch

  ging, m

  king it

  n explosion h

  zd. In f

  ct, even

  b

  oken light bulb c

  n become

  sou

  ce of ignition.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>Moto
  vehicle cshes:<

  st

  ong> Cs tod

  y

  e inc

  edibly

  ell-designed

  ith “c

  umple zones” th

  t p

  otect inte

  n

  l spots like g

  s t

  nks

  nd engines. Ho

  eve

  , this does not

  l

  ys stop le

  king fluids f

  om coming into the p

  oximity of he

  t

  hen

  c

  c

  sh occu

  s, ultim

  tely le

  ding to dest

  uctive c

  fi

  es.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong><
  h

  ef=”https://c

  inju

  yvictims.comccidents-c

  used-poo

  -t

  uck-m

  inten

  nce/”>M

  inten

  nce issues >:<

  st

  ong> If you <

  h

  ef="https:

  /

  uto.ho

  stuff

  o

  ks.com/c

  -d

  iving-s

  fety/

  ccidents-h

  z

  dous-conditions/10-c

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  es.htm” t

  get=”_bl

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  el=”nofollo

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  “>neglect >to t

  ke c

  e of you

  vehicle

  ith

  outine m

  inten

  nce, you

  c

  c

  n become

  d

  nge

  ous ticking time bomb, mo

  e likely to expe

  ience

  fi

  e. If you let le

  ky se

  ls, f

  ulty

  i

  ing, o

  b

  oken pts go

  ithout

  ep

  i

  s, it c

  n c

  e

  te explosive conditions.

• i
  -level="1">ong>Ove
  he

  ting engines: ong> Genelly,

  vehicle’s engine

  ill not ove

  he

  t enough to combust into fl

  mes. Yet, it c

  n ove

  he

  t

  nd c

  use the inte

  n

  l fluids to

  ise to h

  zdous tempetu

  es

  nd spill out of thei

  design

  ted ci

  cul

  tion e

  s.

  s this liquid spu

  ts onto the exh

  ust system

  nd othe

  hot l

  nding

  e

  s, it c

  n ignite

  nd sp

  e

  d.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>Design p
  oblems:<

  st

  ong>

  hen

  moto

  vehicle is poo

  ly designed, it c

  n c

  e

  te conditions th

  t c

  n le

  d to fi

  es o

  m

  ke the

  e

  ide

  l fo

  fi

  es to sp

  e

  d.

• i
  -level="1">ong>F
  ulty b

  tte

  ies:<

  st

  ong>

  hen

  b

  tte

  y is not designed coectly, it c

  n le

  d to coosion. This coosion m

  kes it highly fl

  mm

  ble

  hen intecting

  ith

  le

  king cool

  nt, fo

  ex

  mple.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>Le
  king fluids:<

  st

  ong> Moto

  vehicles cont

  in

  n

  sso

  tment of d

  nge

  ous

  nd fl

  mm

  ble fluids, including diesel fuel, g

  soline, t

  nsmission fluid, b

  ke fluid,

  nd engine cool

  nt.

  s esult, if

  n

  ggv

  ting f

  cto

  such

  s

  c

  c

  sh c

  uses the fluid to le

  k, it c

  n stt

  c

  fi

  e.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>H
  zdous cgo:<

  st

  ong> Some moto

  ists do not think t

  ice

  bout sto

  ing ext fuel in thei

  c

  . Unfo

  tun

  tely,

  hen this fluid is in

  n un

  utho

  ized cont

  inend left in

  hot c

  , the fuel

  ill exp

  nd

  nd le

  k onto the c

  peting o

  the t

  unk line

  , c

  e

  ting

  vol

  tile situ

  tion.

• i
  -level="1">ong>

  son: ong>

  hen

  n individu

  l decides to set

  moto

  vehicle on fi

  e intention

  lly, it is

  efeed to

  s

  son. Typic

  lly, son occu

  s

  hen someone nts to cove

  up

  c

  ime o

  theft, v

  nd

  lize p

  ope

  ty, o

  complete insu

  nce f

  ud.

Common Moto

Vehicle Fi

e Inju

ies<

h2>
Moto

vehicle fi

es c

n

esult in v

ious dev

st

ting inju

ies. Ho

eve

, bu

ns

e typic

lly the most common inju

y th

t

esults f

om this hoific

ccident.

Bu

ns e usu

lly cl

ssified by<

h

ef="https:

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l-conditions

skin-h

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ns

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ges.html" tget="_bl

nk”

el="nofollo

noopene

"> deg

ee, >

nd this cl

ssific

tion depends on ho

seve

ely

nd deeply the bu

n penet

tes the skin’s su

f

ce. See belo

:

• -level=”1″> ong>Fi

  st-deg

  ee bu

  ns: ong> These bu

  ns

  e often

  efeed to

  s supe

  fici

  l bu

  ns,

  s they only

  ffect the skin’s oute

  l

  ye

  , c

  lled the epide

  mis. Usu

  lly, the bu

  n site

  ill be p

  inful,

  ed,

  nd d

  y, but h

  ve no bliste

  s. Fo

  ex

  mple,

  mild sunbu

  n is

  n ex

  mple of

  fi

  st-deg

  ee bu

  n.

  ddition

  lly, the

  e should be no long-te

  m tissue d

  m

  ge, but if

  ny occu

  s, it

  ill consist of

  dec

  e

  se o

  inc

  e

  se in the skin’s colo

  .<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>Second-deg
  ee bu

  ns: ong> These bu

  ns often involve the epide

  mis

  nd p

  t of the de

  mis l

  ye

  of the skin. Once

  n individu

  l suffe

  s

  second-deg

  ee bu

  n, the site

  ill

  ppe bliste

  ed, s

  ollen,

  ed,

  nd be inc

  edibly p

  inful, often

  esulting in sc

  ing.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>Thi
  d-deg

  ee bu

  ns:<

  st

  ong> This type of bu

  n dest

  oys both the de

  mis

  nd the epide

  mis

  nd le

  ves d

  m

  ge. The bu

  ned site

  ill often

  ppe ch

  ed o

  hite

  nd le

  ve the ne

  ve endings dest

  oyed, c

  using no sens

  tion in the

  e

  .<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">ong>Fou
  th-deg

  ee bu

  ns:<

  st

  ong> The fou

  th-deg

  ee bu

  n

  ill go th

  ough both l

  ye

  s of the skin, the unde

  lying tissue

  nd even

  e

  ch the bones

  nd muscles.

  ith no feeling left in the

  e

  due to dest

  oyed ne

  ves, docto

  s m

  y need to

  mput

  te.<

  li>

Bu

n inju

ies t

ke

long time to he

l,

nd unfo

tun

tely, if you do not seek p

ompt medic

l

ssist

nce, these bu

ns c

n le

d to de

dly infections, signific

nt sc

ing,

nd nume

ous othe

he

lth issues th

t c

n fo

eve

imp

ct you

life.

Filing

Cl

im—

tch Out fo

De

dlines

The st

tute of limit

tions is

l th

t dict

tes the m

ximum

mount of time you h

ve to file

cl

im follo

ing

n

lleged offense. If you do not file you

l

suit

ithin this

llotted time, you c

n be b

ed f

om collecting compens

tion fo

you

inju

ies. In Tex

s, if you h

ve suffe

ed

n inju

y bec

use of

moto

vehicle fi

e, you

ill only h

ve <

h

ef=”https://st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm” t

get=”_bl

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el=”nofollo

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“>t

o yes<> f

om the d

te of the

ccident to pu

sue leg

l

ction. Ho

eve

, this

egul

tion cont

ins nume

ous expect

tions th

t c

n sho

ten o

lengthen the

mount of time you h

ve to file you

c

se.

If you

nt to ensu

e you

eceive the compens

tion you e entitled to, you c

nnot

it. The soone

you cont

ct

n expe

ienced <

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

se

vices

c

–

ccident-

tto

ney-houston

“>c

ccident lye

>, the bette

ch

nce you h

ve of obt

ining the money you need. These

tto

neys c

n dete

mine ex

ctly ho

much time you h

ve to file you

cl

im

nd help ensu

e th

t you

leg

l motions

nd p

peo

k

e filed co

ectly

nd befo

e the st

tute of limit

tions expi

es.

hen Discussing the C

Fi

e

ccident

ith the Insunce Comp

ny—Be C

eful

If you

e

e in

moto

vehicle fi

e

ccident, the insu

nce comp

ny

ill be c

lling. Yet, even though most individu

ls

ssume th

t the insu

nce comp

ny

ill

nt to help them

fte

this t

um

tic o

de

l (especi

lly if the incident is not thei

f

ult), this is not ho

ll insu

nce comp

nies

o

k. Insunce comp

nies

e

business,

nd like othe

businesses, they nt to m

ke money. By p

ying you less, they end up m

king mo

e. Consequently, insunce

djuste

s m

y t

y

ny t

ctic they c

n to get you to

dmit f

ult fo

the

ccident so they c

n deny you

cl

im o

p

y you less th

n you dese

ve. Th

t is

hy if you need to t

lk to the insu

nce comp

nies, m

ke su

e you only discuss the b

sics

nd let them kno

th

t

ll futu

e communic

tion

ill be th

ough you

tto

ney. Once

skilled c

ccident lye

t

kes ove

these discussions, they c

n help ensu

e th

t you do not s

y

nything th

t c

n hinde

you

cl

im

hile fighting fo

the fin

nci

l

ecove

y you dese

ve.

If You

Moto

Vehicle C

tches on Fi

e—T

ke

ction F

st

Most people do not expect to find themselves in

bu

ning moto

vehicle. Yet,

ccidents h

ppen,

nd it is impe

tive to kno

h

t you h

ve to do if you

c c

tches on fi

e spont

neously. Not only

ill these

ctions p

otect you

he

lth

nd s

fety but you

leg

l

ights

s

ell.

ct f

st

nd t

ke these steps:

Pull You

C Ove

If you suspect you

c is on fi

e o

you see fl

mes o

smell smoke, you need to get off the

o

d immedi

tely. Pull ove

to

s

fe loc

tion

he

e you

e not blocking t

ffic

nd tu

n the engine off. This

ill help

educe the ch

nce of the fi

e sp

e

ding o

fl

mes igniting.

Get Out of the C

Get eve

yone out of the c

nd move

t le

st 100 feet

y f

om the bu

ning vehicle to

void the toxic fumes

nd fl

mes. Do not let

nyone go b

ck to get thei

pe

son

l items,

nd m

ke su

e to keep byst

nde

s b

ck. It is

lso not

ecommended th

t you t

y to put out the fi

e

lone. Unless you h

ve

p

ope

fi

e extinguishe

nd kno

ho

to use it, you should le

ve the fi

e

lone

nd let p

ofession

ls h

ndle it.

C

ll 911

Once you

e out of h

m’s

y, m

ke su

e you c

ll 911. This is the f

stest

y to get you

ccident on

eco

d

nd

le

t eme

gency

esponde

s th

t

fi

e needs to be put out

nd th

t someone

t the scene needs medic

l

ssist

nce.

hen the police

ive, they

ill investig

te the

ccident

nd ite do

n thei

findings in thei

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

police-dep

tment-

ccident-

epo

ts

“>police

epo

t >. If you decide to b

ing

n inju

y cl

im follo

ing you

c fi

e

ccident, this

epo

t

ill p

ovide c

itic

l evidence

eg

ding

h

t h

ppened

nd

ho s

t f

ult.

Get

itness Info

m

tion

If the

e

e

e people

t the scene

ho s

h

t h

ppened, get thei

n

me

nd cont

ct info

m

tion. Thei

st

tements c

n <

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

impo

t

nce-getting-

itness-st

tements-c

–

ccident

“>p

ovide you

ith c

itic

l det

ils<>

eg

ding the

ccident

nd help b

ck up you

cl

ims. Ho

eve

, if

itnesses

e hesit

nt to p

ovide you

ith thei

info

m

tion, do not fo

ce them.

hen you hi

e

n expe

ienced c

ccident l

ye

, they c

n secu

e this evidence fo

you.

T

ke Pictu

es

If it is s

fe fo

you to do so, m

ke su

e you t

ke

s m

ny photos

nd videos of the

ccident

s you c

n. Include pictu

es of you

visible inju

ies, the c

o

cs involved in the

ccident, the d

m

ge done to you

vehicle,

nd

ny othe

vit

l det

ils th

t c

n help sho

h

t h

ppened.

Cont

ct

n Expe

ienced

uto

ccident Lye

Immedi

tely<

h3>

utomobile fi

es

e

e, but

hen they do h

ppen, the consequences c

n be life-th

e

tening. If you o

loved one h

s been involved in

c

fi

e

ccident, you need leg

l help th

t you c

n t

ust. Th

t is

hy you must

e

ch out to

n expe

ienced c

ccident lye

immedi

tely. These

tto

neys c

n not only p

ovide you the leg

l help you need, but they c

n

lso:

• i
  -level="1">Discuss youccident in det

  il, go ove

  you

  questions

  nd conce

  ns,

  nd expl

  in you

  leg

  l options.

• i
  -level="1">Investig

  te you

  c

  se

  nd build the st

  ongest possible cl

  im by <

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  ho

  -c

  n-

  n-

  tto

  ney-help-g

  the

  -evidence-

  fte

  -

  -houston-c

  –

  ccident

  “>obt

  ining the vit

  l evidence needed > to <

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  is-tex

  s-

  -no-f

  ult-st

  te/”>p

  ove f

  ult

  nd d

  m

  ges<>.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Hold

  ll those

  esponsible fo

  you

  inju

  ies

  ccount

  ble

  nd go

  fte

  m

  ximum compens

  tion.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">H

  ndle

  ll the negoti

  tions

  nd discussions

  ith the insu

  nce comp

  ny,

  nd m

  ke su

  e to fight fo

  f

  i

  settlement

  mount.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">B

  ing in the expe

  ts such

  s enginee

  s,

  ccident

  econst

  uctionists,

  nd docto

  s to subst

  nti

  te you

  cl

  ims.

• i
  -level="1">T

  ke you

  c

  se to t

  i

  l, if

  equi

  ed,

  nd

  o

  k ti

  elessly to b

  ing

  successful

  esolution to you

  l

  suit.

C

fi

es c

n be dev

st

ting. Do not

it

ny longe

to get the leg

l help you

equi

e. Do not settle fo

less th

n

h

t you dese

ve. Cont

ct

skilled

nd kno

ledge

ble c

ccident

tto

ney tod

y,

nd let them fight fo

the justice

nd compens

tion you dese

ve.