Death in apartment fire due to inoperable smoke alarms, $1M settlement

Action: Wrongful death

Injuries alleged: Death from an apartment fire

Case name: Withheld

Court/case no.: Withheld

Jury and/or judge: N/A

Name of mediator: Ron Spivey

Amount: $1 million

Most helpful expert: Ralph Hunter, property manager, Raleigh

Date: May 3, 2023

Attorneys: Mark Gray II of Gray Legal Group, Greensboro (for the plaintiffs)

The plaintiff, a 21-year-old man, was an occupant of an apartment in Winston-Salem, where he lived with his girlfriend and infant child.

On June 27, 2021, a fire erupted in the apartment in the early hours of the morning.

However, due to inoperable smoke alarms, the plaintiff and the other occupants were not alerted to the fire until they were incapacitated from the toxic fumes.

The other victims were represented by another firm.

The case involved several expert witnesses, including forensic, architectural and property management experts.