Serious injuries and loss
Dallas burn injury lawyer.
Serious burns mean months of wound care, grafts and therapy, and scars that stay. Fires and explosions also destroy their own evidence, and landlords, employers and insurers start cleaning up fast. We move quickly to secure the scene, the product or the equipment involved, and to find who failed: a landlord without working smoke alarms, a gas leak no one fixed, a battery or heater that should never have been sold.
Right now
If the fire or burn just happened.
- 01
Get burn care, not just first aid
Burns can get deeper and infected over the next days. Follow up with the burn clinic or your doctor and keep every wound care appointment.
- 02
Keep what caused it
The heater, the battery, the charger, the e-bike, the pressure cooker, even burned pieces. Do not throw it away, return it or send it to the manufacturer. Put it somewhere safe and dry.
- 03
Photograph the scene before cleanup
Smoke alarms (or where they should have been), outlets, the stove, the gas meter, the vehicle. Get the fire department or fire marshal's report number.
- 04
Do not sign anything from the landlord or insurer
A move-out release, a lease termination or a quick check can include language that ends your claim. Ask us first.
- 05
Call us quickly
We can send letters to stop a landlord, employer or tow yard from destroying evidence. The consultation is free, in English or Spanish.
Key deadlines and numbers
- Deadline to sue
- Generally 2 years from the injurySource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003
- Landlord smoke alarms
- Required in each bedroom of a rental, with duties to test and repairSource: Tex. Prop. Code 92.255
- Defective product deadline
- 2 years from injury, and usually no suit more than 15 years after the saleSource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.012
- Employer without workers' comp
- Cannot blame you or a coworker to avoid payingSource: Tex. Labor Code 406.033
- If you are partly at fault
- You can recover if you are 50% or less at fault, reduced by your shareSource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 33.001
Texas law
Who can be responsible for a burn.
A burn case is a negligence or product case. The question is who had a duty to prevent the fire or protect you from it, and failed. There is often more than one answer.
| What happened | Who may be responsible |
|---|---|
| Apartment or rental house fire | Landlord or property manager (smoke alarms, wiring, exits), another tenant, a product maker. |
| Gas leak or explosion | The gas utility or a pipeline operator, a contractor who hit a line, a landlord, an appliance maker. |
| Battery, charger, heater or appliance fire | The manufacturer and, in some cases, the seller or importer. |
| Vehicle fire after a crash | The driver who caused the crash, and the vehicle or fuel system maker if the fire should not have started. |
| Flash fire, explosion or electrical burn at work | A non-subscriber employer, another contractor on site, an equipment maker or the site operator. |
| Scalding water or hot liquid | A landlord or business with a water heater set too high, a restaurant, a product maker. |
Burn severity drives the case
Doctors grade burns by depth. Deep burns that destroy skin usually need grafts, can tighten joints as they heal, and leave permanent scars. Those future surgeries, therapy and the scars themselves are part of the claim.
Landlords have specific smoke alarm duties
Texas requires smoke alarms in rental bedrooms and makes the landlord test them at move-in and repair them when the tenant asks. Missing or dead alarms are often central to an apartment fire case.
Source: Tex. Prop. Code 92.258Product fires follow product rules
Lithium battery, heater and appliance fires are judged as design, manufacturing or warning defects. A design claim requires showing a safer design was available. That is why the product itself must be saved.
Source: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 82.005Work burns depend on workers' comp
If your employer carries workers' comp, comp usually pays and you cannot sue the employer, but you can sue other companies at fault. If it does not, you can sue the employer for negligence, and it loses most of its usual defenses.
Source: Tex. Labor Code 408.001How we work
How we build a burn case.
Mr. Estrada reads the file and sets the strategy. Our team works the case with him and keeps you updated in English or Spanish while you heal.
01
Secure the scene and the evidence
Preservation letters to landlords, employers, utilities and tow yards. We document the scene before repairs and keep the product or equipment in a proper chain of custody.
02
Find the origin and cause
Fire department and fire marshal reports, 911 audio, utility records and, when needed, an independent fire investigator or engineer.
03
Check the history
Prior complaints and repair requests at the property, code violations, recalls and other reports involving the same product.
04
Document the injury over time
Burn unit records, photos through healing, future grafts and scar revisions, therapy and the emotional toll, with input from your doctors and, for serious burns, a life care planner.
05
Negotiate, then file if needed
We present a demand to every responsible party and its insurer. When the offers do not reflect the injury, we file suit and prepare for trial.
Who handles it
The lawyer on the sign is the lawyer on your case.
Mr. Estrada has practiced in Texas since 2003, in state court and in the Northern, Eastern and Western federal districts of Texas. He reads the file and sets the strategy, with associates and staff who work the case alongside him. Everything is explained to you in English or Spanish.
What clients say
“Mr. Estrada did an excellent representation of my case and was very explicit and direct on what my consequences were and implications.”Questions people ask after a fire.
- Where do we live now?
- Renter's insurance, the Red Cross and, in some cases, the landlord's obligations under the lease can help with temporary housing. Ask us before you sign a lease termination.
- Who pays the burn unit bills?
- Health insurance, Medicaid, workers' comp if you were working, or a hospital that files a lien on the case. We keep track of every lien so it is resolved at the end.
- What about my belongings?
- Renter's or homeowner's insurance usually covers personal property. Lost belongings can also be part of the claim against whoever caused the fire.
- Do I need papers to make a claim?
- If someone else caused the fire, you can make a claim. Talk to us privately. What you tell us stays between you and the firm.
Dallas and Odessa
Burn cases in Dallas and the Permian Basin.
In Dallas, the most serious burns are treated at Parkland's regional burn center. We see apartment fires in older complexes in Oak Cliff and southern Dallas, gas leaks, and work burns on construction and industrial sites. In the Permian Basin, flash fires and well site explosions are a real risk for oilfield workers, and the most serious burns are often flown to Lubbock. Our Odessa office handles those cases close to home.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
Can I sue my landlord for an apartment fire?
Possibly, if the landlord's failure caused or worsened the fire or your injuries: missing or broken smoke alarms, faulty wiring the landlord knew about, blocked exits. The landlord is not automatically responsible for every fire.
An e-bike or phone battery caught fire. Who is responsible?
Often the manufacturer, and sometimes the seller or importer. These cases depend on the battery and charger themselves, so keep them, even if they are burned, and do not send them back to the company.
I was burned at work. Can I sue?
If your employer has workers' comp, you usually cannot sue the employer but may sue another company that caused the fire. If your employer has no comp, you may be able to sue the employer directly.
Are scars part of the claim?
Yes. Texas juries can award damages for disfigurement, separate from pain and medical costs. Future scar treatment and surgery are included too.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years from the injury. Claims against a government entity can require notice within months. Evidence in fire cases disappears fast, so call early.
How much does it cost to hire you?
The first consultation is free. Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee, which means the fee comes out of the recovery, not out of your pocket. We explain the exact terms, including case costs, before you sign.
Related situations
- Defective products
- Premises liability
- Oilfield injuries
- Workplace injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Chemical plant and refinery accidents
- All: Personal Injury
Updated October 2026
This page is general information about Texas law, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
Two offices
Oak Cliff and Odessa.
Mon to Fri 9 to 5, Sat 9 to 12. Emergencies 24/7 by phone.
Law Office of Olegario Estrada, P.C.
We explain everything.We answer 24/7.Se habla español.
Free consultation by phone, video, or in person. Offices in Dallas and Odessa.