By Michael Shemtoub, trial attorney, Beverly Law. Updated November 2026.
Burned because of someone else?
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The Orange County Fire Authority covers only some of the county’s cities, so the first step after a burn here is often finding out which agency wrote the report. The sections below cover that along with the courthouse and UCI’s burn center. Our burn injury lawyer guide explains burn degrees and grafts, and the California burn injury page covers statewide law.
Where an Orange County burn case is filed
The Central Justice Center at 700 Civic Center Drive West in Santa Ana handles unlimited civil cases, along with limited civil, criminal and other matters (Orange County Superior Court). A burn lawsuit with significant medical bills and scarring is an unlimited civil case.
If the defendant is a national chain or a product manufacturer from out of state, the defense may try to move the case to federal court. That is one more reason to have a lawyer decide early which defendants to name and where.
The UCI Health Regional Burn Center
The UCI Health Regional Burn Center was reverified by the American Burn Association as an adult and pediatric burn center through January 2028. UCI Health says it is the only ABA-verified burn center in the county. In 2024 the program admitted 281 adults and 98 children and treated nearly 1,500 adult outpatients and 525 child outpatients (UCI Health, April 8, 2025).
| Hospital | ABA status | Trauma level (state list) |
|---|---|---|
| UCI Health Regional Burn Center, UC Irvine Medical Center, Orange | ABA-verified, adults and children | Level I adult, Level II pediatric |
| Orange County Burn Center, Orange County Global Medical Center | Listed by the ABA as another burn center; designated locally for adults | Level II adult |
| Providence Mission Hospital, Mission Viejo | No burn center listed | Level II adult and pediatric |
| Children’s Hospital Orange County | No burn center listed | Level I pediatric |
Sources: ABA Find a Burn Center, California EMSA burn center list, Dec. 2, 2025, California EMSA trauma center list, Aug. 2025.
For a patient admitted at UCI, the burn unit chart records how deep and how large the burn was on arrival, what surgery followed and what scar and contracture care was planned at discharge, and we request it early in the case. Our burn center directory lists every verified center in California.
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Tell us what happened. We will tell you plainly whether there is a case and what to do next. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Fire service in Orange County
The Orange County Fire Authority serves 23 cities and all unincorporated areas, protecting more than 1,984,758 residents. Its member cities include Santa Ana, Irvine, Garden Grove, Westminster and Buena Park (OCFA member cities). Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Fullerton and Orange are not on that list, so if you were burned in one of those cities the incident report may come from the city’s own fire department. Ask for the report number at the scene or from the agency that responded.
Burns in Orange County: two documented incidents
Wildfire. The Silverado Fire broke out on October 26, 2020. OCFA firefighter Dylan Van Iwaarden suffered burns over more than 65% of his body, underwent 17 surgeries and was released from the hospital in February 2021, ABC7 reported (ABC7).
Plane crash. On January 2, 2025, a small plane crashed in Fullerton. UCI Health’s burn and trauma teams received the first patient less than 40 minutes later, and the most critically injured patient, a person on the ground, had burns over 75% of the body (UCI Health, Sept. 18, 2025). Crashes like this can involve the aircraft owner, the maintenance shop and the maker of a failed part, each with its own insurer.
Everyday burns: kitchens, scalds and products
Most burns do not make the news. In the American Burn Association’s 2025 summary of burn center admissions, 61% of burn incidents happened at private residences and scalds made up 58% of pediatric cases (ABA burn incidence fact sheet). In apartments and condominiums, the owner or homeowners association often controls the water heater. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends setting water heaters at 120°F, and warns that most adults will suffer third-degree burns from 150°F water in two seconds (CPSC Publication 5098). See our scald burns page.
Defective products are the other common source: lithium batteries, e-bikes, space heaters and hair tools. In California, a manufacturer is strictly liable when a product it puts on the market has a defect that injures someone (Greenman v. Yuba Power Products). Keep the product and its packaging; our defective product burns page explains why. If you were burned at work, a workers’ compensation claim does not stop you from suing a company other than your employer whose negligence caused the burn (Cal. Labor Code § 3852); see our workplace burns page.
California deadlines that apply in Orange County
| Situation | Deadline | Law |
|---|---|---|
| Most burn injury lawsuits | Two years from the injury | CCP § 335.1 |
| Burn caused by a city, the county, a school district or another public entity | Written claim within six months | Gov. Code § 911.2 |
| Claim against the Regents of the University of California, which operates UCI Health | The government claim statute does not apply | Gov. Code § 905.6 |
| Burned child | The time before age 18 generally does not count, except for claims against public entities | CCP § 352 |
If you were partly at fault, California reduces your recovery by your share and does not bar it (Li v. Yellow Cab Co.). For our car, truck and pedestrian practice in the county, see our Orange County accident lawyer page.
Talk to an Orange County burn injury attorney
Whether the burn happened in Santa Ana, Anaheim, Irvine or a canyon community, call Beverly Law at (310) 552-6959 for a free, confidential review in English or Spanish. If you are still at UCI or recovering at home, we can come to you. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Common questions
Where are serious burns treated in Orange County?
At the UCI Health Regional Burn Center at UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, the county’s only ABA-verified burn center. Orange County Global Medical Center’s burn center is designated locally and listed by the ABA as another burn center.
Which courthouse hears an Orange County burn lawsuit?
Unlimited civil cases are handled at the Central Justice Center, 700 Civic Center Drive West, Santa Ana.
How long do I have to sue after a burn in Orange County?
Generally two years. If a city, the county or a school district is involved, a written claim is due within six months.
Who writes the fire report in my city?
OCFA covers 23 member cities, including Santa Ana and Irvine, and the unincorporated areas. In cities outside OCFA’s list, such as Anaheim and Huntington Beach, ask the city’s fire department for the report.
Can I sue if a product caught fire and burned me?
Often yes. California holds manufacturers strictly liable for defective products, so the focus is on the defect, and keeping the product is important.
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Burn injury lawyer — Beverly Law
If you or your child was burned because of someone else in California, Texas and Washington, talk to a burn injury attorney. Free, confidential, English or Spanish. You owe no fees or costs unless we win.
Related pages
Sources
- occourts.org/location/central-justice-center
- ucihealth.org/about-us/news/2025/04/burn-program-accreditation
- ameriburn.org/burn-care-team/resources/find-a-burn-center
- emsa.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/2025/12/CA-ABA-Verified-and-LEM
- emsa.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/2025/08/California-Designated-A
- ocfa.org/about-us/member-cities/
- abc7.com/silverado-fire-firefighter-dylan-van-iwaarden-released-from
- ucihealth.org/about-us/news/2025/09/burn-team-first-responder-awards
- ameriburn.org/resources/burn-incidence-fact-sheet/
- cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/5098-Tap-Water-Scalds.pdf
- scocal.stanford.edu/opinion/greenman-v-yuba-power-products-inc-27186
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml
- scocal.stanford.edu/opinion/li-v-yellow-cab-co-27850
Important: This page is general information, not legal or medical advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different; talk to a lawyer about yours. Texas cases are handled by the firm’s Texas-licensed attorneys, Joyce Ondich and John Efstathiou. Last reviewed: November 6, 2026.