Our outdoor gas grill exploded while we were cooking. It caused very serious injuries. How can we get compensated for our losses?

Author: Attorney Jason Macri

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, there are over 7,000 gas grill fires every year in the US. The causes of those fires are numerous. User error is the most common cause of a fire or explosion. Sometimes, however, the cause of the fire or explosion is due to unsafe or faulty equipment. There are many components to a gas grill, and, the more components that exist on the grill, the higher the likelihood that one of those components may fail.

The various components of the grill are likely made by different manufacturers. For example, the grill itself may be manufactured, assembled and placed on the market by one company, but the other components of the grill may be made by multiple other companies. The propane gas tank itself may have components manufactured by several different companies. The propane tank (or cylinder) would typically be made by a separate company from the maker of the valve which is attached to the cylinder. Then, there would be a separate company who would fill the tank with propane and possibly even another company who would take that fully constructed tank and propane and place that item for sale on the market. Each one of these companies will bear some responsibility to ensure that the component or service they provide was done correctly and/or was not defective.

There are even some additional potentially responsible companies that may be involved in the matter. For example, in a situation where the grill is “built-in” to a summer kitchen or some other type of constructed area, the company that actually built the kitchen may bear some responsibility. All gas grills require ventilation to ensure that gas is not trapped or caused to build-up in an area which may allow for the ignition of that trapped gas. Failure to provide ventilation may be the cause of a gas explosion.

After-market grill devices may also be the cause of a fire or explosion. Especially devices that are not made in the United States which may be of substandard quality or possibly not in compliance with US safety rules. These types of devices are not recommended as their usage only increases the likelihood of possible equipment failure.

As you have probably noticed, a gas grill can be potentially very complex and dangerous. One fire or explosion may involve a multitude of companies who may potentially be at fault for the incident. This is why it is extremely important to consult an experienced attorney should you or a loved-one be involved in a grill incident. If you were involved in a gas grill fire or explosion, call the attorneys at Dell & Schaefer. We will explain the complexities of a grill incident in laymen’s terms and will protect the rights of you and your family members to ensure that justice is served and proper compensation is received.