On the night of Jan, 15, 2013, a natural gas explosion rocked the Lincoln Park public housing facility in Huntsville, Alabama. A white-hot fireball pierced the night sky and when the smoke cleared, three residents of the housing complex were left badly burned.
Cheri Melissa Kent and her two children, aged 5 and 7, were asleep at the time of the explosion. Cheri Kent suffered burns over more than 50% of her body and her children were also seriously injured.
Kent filed suit against the Huntsville Housing Authority and Huntsville Utilities claiming negligence. An attorney representing the Huntsville Housing Authority stated the explosion was an unfortunate event, but claims he has seen no evidence of liability.
There are however, claims both the Huntsville Housing Authority and Huntsville Utilities received notice of gas odors and/or gas leaks in the Lincoln Park area, including within and around the Kent apartment’ prior to the explosion taking place.
Meanwhile, Kent and her children are continuing to undergo costly and extensive medical treatment for their injuries. Kent’s son has to wear a burn mask to school and Kent herself is unable to return to work owing to the injuries she sustained in the explosion.
“This woman and her children were asleep in their beds and their house exploded,” said Kent’s Birmingham-based attorney, Glenda Cochran, “They suffered horrific injuries and they were completely innocent and they have still not recovered. Their lives are completely different.”
Over the course of what will undoubtedly be an extended court battle, Kent’s medical bills will continue to compound while she waits to receive a settlement or judgment. And as Kent is unable to return to work, these bills will go unpaid, mounting as the months pass and potentially sending Kent into crippling debt.
Lawsuit Loans Can Help Victims with Immediate Cash
As Kent’s financial woes grow, the pressure to accept a sub-par settlement intensifies. Procuring a lawsuit loan could help empower Kent to hold-out for a more favorable settlement.
Lawsuit loans, also known as settlement or lawsuit funding, provide plaintiffs with immediate cash to help them weather the financial burden of a protracted court proceeding. Because lawsuit loans are not traditional loans, factors such as employment or credit history are not a factor. Unlike a traditional loans, the only concern for a settlement funding lender is the likelihood of a successful settlement.
Securing a lawsuit loan requires no upfront fees or incremental payments. A cash advance can be made available in as little as 24-hours. And unlike traditional loans with monthly payments, the borrower of a “lawsuit loan” is not required to pay anything until a settlement is reached. Once the case is settled, the lawsuit loan payment is paid directly from the attorney’s trust account.
On the other hand, should the plaintiff lose the case, the lawsuit cash advance is not repaid. Lawsuit loans are therefore deemed, “non-recourse” funding because the advancing party (lawsuit funding company) has no legal right to collect directly from the “borrower”.
For those involved in a premises liability lawsuit, such as Kent, securing settlement funding could help you hold-out and receive a better judgment or settlement. A premises liability lawsuit can be a very long and trying process; stay the course with a lawsuit loan.
Natural gas explosion at Huntsville public housing site prompts lawsuit from family burned in fire