Propane and Natural Gas Stove Burns and Explosion Attorneys in Albany, New York

Albany recently made waves after the New York Legislature passed a budget, that included provisions prohibiting construction companies and landlords from installing natural gas connections in new buildings. Although the Empire State’s budget was intended more to reduce the long-term consequences of climate change than prevent the risk of explosive accidents, safety advocates have already asserted that the restrictions are a reform long overdue.

Natural gas leaks and propane stove defects may be rare, but their repercussions can be immense. Explosions and blasts can leave survivors struggling to overcome intense physical pain and unprecedented financial pressure. Even if a positive prognosis seems like a possibility, securing the resources needed to pay for treatment could prove challenging beyond most families’ means.

However, you should not be left to struggle to get the proper medical care for your injuries that were caused by someone else’s negligence. For nearly 20 years, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has fought to protect accident victims’ rights to a fair recovery. A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, we know what it takes to ascertain justice—and we have the results to prove it. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a propane or natural gas stove accident attorney and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Propane and natural gas-powered stoves have started to attract a lot of scrutiny.

Federal regulators and Empire State officials have proposed bans on the continued use of propane and gas cooktops. New York, for instance, recently passed a budget that would prohibit the installation of new fossil fuel-powered stoves in most residential buildings, while the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has considered similar measures to combat climate change.

Although many of these measures are intended to mitigate global warming, experts have long raised concerns about the practical safety of gas and propane cooktops. The regular use of natural gas appliances has been linked to higher-than-normal rates of respiratory distress, especially among children and adults with pre-existing health conditions. One alarming study went so far as to suggest that approximately 12.7% of all childhood asthma cases in the United States can be attributed to natural gas exposure.

However, fossil fuel-reliant appliances pose much more immediate risks. Different types of cooktops—propane, gas, and electric—are involved in about 53% of kitchen fires. And, each year, Americans report an estimated 3,000 propane-related fires and explosions—a significant percentage of which cause either serious bodily injury or death.

Residential cooktop fires and explosions have a multitude of different explanations. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Homeowner negligence or product misuse;
2. The incorrect installation of a propane stove or gas cooktop;
3. The improper refilling of fuel tanks;
4. Inadequate or insufficient maintenance of fuel tanks; and
5. Unnoticeable accumulations of gas vapor caused by defective tank valves, cylinders, and other fuel storage components.

If a defective or poorly maintained stovetop or fuel storage tank is left neglected, the risk of an accident could increase—endangering homeowners, renters, and anyone within the vicinity of a potential blast.

You should never feel forced to pay for an accident that was not your fault. If you, or a loved one, have been injured in a propane or natural gas stove accident caused by a defective appliance, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you assert your rights to a fair recovery. Please send us a message online or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a product liability lawyer near Albany and begin exploring your options for effective legal relief.

Gas-powered stoves are often marketed as convenient and cost-effective alternatives to more modern electric ovens and conduction cooktops. However, even when propane stoves come outfitted with cutting-edge safety features, any oversight—during manufacture, installation, or maintenance—could create a significant risk for homeowners.

Propane and natural gas-powered stove accidents, while uncommon, almost always have the potential to cause life-altering injuries. These injuries typically fall into any one or more of the following categories:

1. Gas Exposure Injuries: Prolonged exposure to either propane or natural gas is associated with a wide range of respiratory tract injuries, not all of which present any immediate symptoms. The National Library of Medicine, for instance, notes that the inhalation or ingestion of propane can cause convulsions, heart rate abnormalities, and fever.
2. Thermal Injuries: If a defective propane or natural gas-powered cooktop catches fire, victims could suffer extensive burn injuries. First-degree burns, or superficial burns, usually only damage the epidermis and can be treated at home. But more serious second- and third-degree burns can penetrate further into the body, potentially destroying muscle tissue or even bone.
3. Blast Injuries: The ignition of an in-home or external propane tank can be catastrophic, causing a powerful blast capable of incinerating a room or leveling an entire building. Injuries from a blast can be complex and may involve some combination of thermal injuries, shrapnel-related injuries, and internal injuries.

In New York, propane and natural gas stove accident victims have the legal right to file a claim for compensation against the party that caused their injuries.

However, negotiating a settlement or taking a company to trial is rarely an easy undertaking. In many cases, simply identifying the right defendant could prove unexpectedly challenging—especially if there are any unresolved questions involving negligence or liability. This is because different types of defendants have very different responsibilities under state and federal law.

Appliance manufacturers, for instance, have a legal obligation to ensure that their products are designed to minimize the risk of reasonably foreseeable injury to consumers. Landlords, in contrast, must make a good-faith effort to mitigate dangerous conditions present on their properties.

The Dietrich Law Firm P.C. could help you identify potential defendants and establish liability by taking steps including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Investigating the causes of your propane or natural gas-powered stove fire or explosion;
2. Consulting expert witnesses to analyze defective product designs and establish whether a manufacturer adhered to industry standards;
3. Reviewing your insurance policy, communicating with adjusters, and ensuring that any offer of settlement accounts for your short-term expenses and long-term needs;
4. Preparing to take your claim to court by compiling evidence and considering the best possible strategy for claims against different parties; and
5. Defending your interests, whether in private negotiations or before a judge and jury.

Since founding the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. in 2005, Jed Dietrich, Esq., has helped his clients across the region secure more than $175 million in damages from reckless landlords, negligent manufacturers, and insurance companies.

We could help you, too, but only if you act fast: although New York does not limit damages in most personal injury and product liability claims, the Empire State has strict statute limitations. If you wait too long, your case could be dismissed on a technicality.

Do not lose your chance to ascertain justice: please send the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. a message online, or call us at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a propane and natural gas stove defect attorney near Albany and schedule your 100% free consultation.

Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Albany, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!