Bozeman, MontanaBozeman Burn Injury
Bozeman Burn Injury Lawyers: Gas Explosion, Propane, Electrical and Fire Burns in Gallatin County
Boland Aarab PLLP.
Severe burns suffered around Bozeman are usually treated first at Bozeman Health Deaconess, but Montana has no American Burn Association–verified burn center, so many patients are transferred to Idaho Falls or Salt Lake City. A burn claim may run against a property owner, contractor, utility or product maker. Most claims must be filed within three years.
Burned in a fire, explosion or electrical accident in the Gallatin Valley? Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.
Where are Bozeman burn victims treated?
This is the first thing families ask, and the answer affects everything that follows:
- Initial care. Bozeman Health Deaconess Regional Medical Center, listed by the state as an ACS Level 3 / State Area Trauma Hospital, and Big Sky Medical Center, a Trauma Receiving Facility, evaluate and stabilize burn patients (DPHHS, Nov. 2025).
- Burn center transfer. Montana does not have its own verified burn center. Patients who need a burn unit are commonly sent to the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, whose burn center earned American Burn Association verification (EIRMC), or the University of Utah Health Burn Center in Salt Lake City (University of Utah Health).
- Long recovery. Grafting, reconstructive surgery, therapy and scar management can go on for years, often with repeated trips out of state.
The out-of-state treatment, travel and time away from work are real costs that belong in the claim.
What causes burn injuries in and around Bozeman?
- Natural gas and propane. Bozeman knows this risk. In March 2009, a natural gas explosion destroyed much of the 200 block of East Main Street and killed a woman working there. Today, propane is common in mountain homes, construction sites, food trucks and outdoor heaters around Big Sky and the valley, and leaks, faulty fittings and improper installation cause fires and explosions.
- Construction. Electrical contact, arc flash, hot work such as welding and torch-down roofing, and temporary heaters used on winter job sites.
- Restaurants and resort kitchens, where cooking fires, grease and scalding liquids injure workers.
- Lithium-ion batteries in e-bikes, scooters and other devices, which can ignite while charging in apartments, dorms and garages.
- Wildland fire at the edge of the growing wildland–urban interface around the valley.
- Vehicle fires after crashes on I-90 and U.S. 191, including tanker and fuel-hauler incidents.
What happens after a burn injury in Bozeman?
Investigation. Fires inside the city are investigated by Bozeman Fire and, where warranted, the Bozeman Police Department; outside the city, by the local fire district and the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office. Workplace burns may bring an OSHA inspection. Gas incidents are also investigated by the utility and state regulators.
Preserve the scene. Burn cases are won or lost on physical evidence: the appliance, the fitting, the battery, the valve, the wiring. Insurers and utilities often send their own investigators quickly. Do not let anyone remove or discard evidence before your own expert can examine it. We send written preservation demands immediately.
The court. A case over a Gallatin County burn is filed in the Eighteenth Judicial District Court at the Gallatin County Law and Justice Center, 515 South 16th Avenue, Bozeman (§ 3-5-101, MCA). Product manufacturers are usually out-of-state companies and frequently remove the case to federal court, which for Gallatin County is the Butte Division (D. Mont. L.R. 1.2).
Montana law that applies
Our Montana burn injury lawyer page covers these rules:
- Sellers of defective, unreasonably dangerous products can be held strictly liable (§ 27-1-719, MCA).
- An electrical burn can look minor on the skin and still cause serious internal damage (MedlinePlus), so follow-up care matters.
- If you were burned at work, workers’ comp covers your employer, but you may also sue a third party such as a contractor or manufacturer (§ 39-71-412, MCA).
- Most claims must be filed within three years (§ 27-2-204, MCA); punitive damages may be available where a company acted with actual malice (§ 27-1-220, MCA).
Why hire a Great Falls firm for a Bozeman case?
Burn cases depend on fire-origin experts, engineers and a careful chain of custody for the evidence. We are based in Great Falls and handle burn cases across Montana. Our attorneys come to Bozeman to see the scene and meet with you, and we can meet you in Idaho Falls or Salt Lake City while you are in treatment. We do not have a Bozeman office. We do take depositions, argue motions and try cases wherever they are filed.
The Boland Aarab Way
- Built for trial. More than 4,000 hours in the courtroom.
- Experienced against corporate defendants in federal court: more than 40 cases in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana over nine years.
- Appellate strength. Samir Aarab has argued twice before the Ninth Circuit; see our appellate record.
- Personal attention. The attorneys who take your call are the attorneys who handle your case.
We also handle catastrophic injury cases in Bozeman and workplace injury cases in Bozeman. See our Bozeman personal injury page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where will a severe burn from Bozeman be treated? Usually first at Bozeman Health Deaconess or Big Sky Medical Center, then, if a burn unit is needed, at a verified burn center out of state, commonly in Idaho Falls or Salt Lake City.
Can I recover the cost of treatment in Idaho or Utah? Yes. Out-of-state medical care, travel, lodging and time away from work caused by the injury are part of the damages.
A propane heater exploded on a Big Sky job site. Who is responsible? Possibly the heater’s manufacturer, the propane supplier, the general contractor or another subcontractor. If you were working, workers’ comp covers your employer, and a third-party claim may cover the rest.
My e-bike battery caught fire in my Bozeman apartment. Is that a product case? It may be. A battery or charger that is defective or unreasonably dangerous can support a strict-liability claim against the seller or manufacturer. Keep the battery, charger and packaging.
How long do I have to file a burn injury claim in Montana? Generally three years, but evidence at a fire scene can disappear in days. Call early so a preservation demand can go out.
Contact Boland Aarab PLLP for a free consultation at (406) 315-3737.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
