Mattress fire lawyers help people who suffer burn injuries from mattresses that catch on fire. Often, the injury victims are children and infants who are burned while sleeping on defectively made mattresses. The harm caused by the fire is often catastrophic and can even result in death. Household items like mattresses should not easily be set on fire and must be designed to extinguish quickly if they start to burn. Mattress manufacturers can be sued if the product was a cause of an injury or death, and other potential defendants include the distributor and seller of the mattress.

The federal government creates laws to regulate the manufacturing of mattresses. Federal law (16 CFR 1632) requires strict testing on mattresses to ensure they do not ignite easily. They typically test ignition resistance when exposed to a lighted cigarette. 

These regulations apply to adult mattresses, youth and crib mattresses, futons, waterbeds, and even comfortable sofa bed mattresses. The purpose of this is to prevent serious burn injuries or death that result from dangerous and defective mattresses. Mattresses made outside of the US still must comply with these standards, otherwise, they cannot be sold to the public.

Mattresses with untreated natural fibers like cotton, linen, and silk ignite much quicker than wool stuffed products. Mattresses made with fiberglass are extremely dangerous and several have been recalled. Mattresses ignite and catch fire quickly, usually from cigarettes, bedside candles, or other conditions involving a spark or heated flame. Defective mattresses are extremely dangerous as they have a quick burn rate, and it may be impossible for the person to escape injury or death. These fires often occur without warning and most people are completely unaware that their mattress is burning.

After a mattress fire, if you have a serious burn, you will want to be evaluated and treated at a hospital burn injury unit. Otherwise, for less serious burns, go to local urgent care or your primary care doctor. If your burn injury was due to a defective mattress, there may be a basis to file a mattress fire lawsuit.

If you want to preserve a claim for compensation and file a detective mattress lawsuit, try to save the mattress if at all possible. This will allow lawyers to test the mattress and approved lab to see if it complies with mattress flammability standards. These test results may be the key factor in winning your lawsuit. Additionally, take photos of clothing and injuries as soon as possible after the fire as they may be important evidence of liability, injuries, and damages. Lastly, try to locate the sales receipt or credit card statement for the mattress to establish the point-of-sale and to hold the proper parties accountable for the burns caused by it.

In order to win a mattress burn lawsuit, you must be able to prove the mattress was in violation of federal safety standards, the mattress that caught on fire was approximate caused the burn injuries, the manufacturer distributor knowingly or negligently place dangerous and defective mattresses for sale, and the flammable properties of the mattress for the present at the time of purchase. Additionally, lawsuits may be based on the fact that there were no provided warning labels or warning labels understated the potential risk.

If you or someone you care about suffered from burn injuries due to a defective mattress, you should contact an experienced attorney to see if you have a meritorious case and how to take the best course of action.