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

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

Auto Accident Attorneys Houston
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<

h

ef=”https://

.st

tist

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st

tistics

377006/nmbe

-of-us-highy-vehicle-fi

es/” t

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el=”nofollo

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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

    uses-of-c-fi

    es.htm” t

    get=”_bl

    nk"

    el=”nofollo

    noopene

    “>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:

/st

nfo

dhe

lthce.o

g/medic

l-conditions

skin-h

i

nd-n

ils/bu

ns

st

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

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

“>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.

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