von Briesen’s Fire & Explosion Litigation Section offers clients a team of highly qualified and experienced attorneys who know how to protect their clients’ rights following a fire and/or explosion incident. Product manufacturers, distributors, retailers, plant owners, contractors, designers, architects, fire protection companies and their insurers involved in such matters need attorneys with expertise in this complex, high-stakes and specialized area of law.

When a fire and/or explosion incident causes a large property loss, personal injuries and/or fatality, an origin and cause investigation will quickly follow with all interested parties being placed on notice. It is critical for an interested party to retain appropriate expert(s) and have counsel who are well-acquainted with NFPA 921, applicable ASTM standards, spoliation law and other aspects crucial to a systematic scene and laboratory exam. Uniquely, our Section Chair is both a Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator through the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI-CFEI) and Fire Investigator Technician through the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI-FIT®). We also have developed a network of nationally recognized experts in the field such as certified fire investigators, electrical engineers and mechanical engineers. Additionally, the firm has attorneys with extensive experience in insurance coverage, OSHA, environmental, labor and employment and government issues and offers clients essential resources that may become at issue after a fire and/or explosion incident.

Our team leverages expertise in conjunction with our retained experts after an investigation in an effort to scientifically disprove theories of causation against our clients or develop solid theories of liability against others; the goal being to prevent our clients from being named in a subsequent lawsuit. If our clients are ultimately involved in litigation, we are ready and have the knowhow to aggressively defend and/or prosecute claims in this niche area of law during all aspects of the case from fact and expert discovery, Daubert or Frye challenges, dispositive motion practice, trial to appeal.

von Briesen’s Fire & Explosion Litigation Section attorneys have often been called on and are available to promptly respond to a notice of potential claim and deploy to a fire and/or explosion scene anywhere in the United States.