If you have suffered property damage, physical injury, or the loss of a loved one due to a wildfire in California, you may face significant obstacles to recovering the compensation you deserve. You need a compassionate attorney who understands the effect this destruction has had on your life yet is unwavering in the fight for justice for your family.
Wildfire Law Center stands up for victims of California wildfires by fighting back against insurance companies that shamefully offer lowball offers. Our California fire damage attorneys have the experience and resources to take on negligent utility companies that cause destructive fires. We help homeowners, renters, and business owners recover compensation for losses caused by wildfires.
Our legal team has over 60 years of experience fighting for injured victims and their families. We are strategic, aggressive trial attorneys who routinely handle complex cases. We work tirelessly to help you get the compensation to help you rebuild. Initial consultations are free, so call now or contact us online today.
How Wildfire Law Center Can Help With a Fire Damage Claim in California
We understand the urgency required in handling insurance claims and investigating potential civil liability after a wildfire. You may have lost family members or your home or business. You may have nothing other than what you were able to grab during a hectic evacuation.
You do not need to be fighting with the insurance companies or be pressured to accept an offer while you are grieving or trying to figure out how to provide the basic necessities for your family. Our lawyers have earned numerous distinctions for their unmatched client service and successful outcomes by national organizations such as SuperLawyers, BestLawyers, and Top 100 High Stakes Litigators. We have what it takes to win.
Our California fire damage lawyers will begin to help immediately by:
- Monitoring the progress of insurance claims and handling all communications and negotiations with insurance companies
- Fighting back against undervalued or denied claims
- Properly interpreting your insurance policy to identify all available coverage
- Determining whether you’re eligible to file a class-action lawsuit
- Identifying any non-covered causes of the fire and determining whether you may have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit
When catastrophic wildfires damage hundreds of homes, businesses, and lives, insurance companies are overwhelmed with claims. They will do everything they can to reduce the amount they pay out to claimants. We hold them accountable and make sure they are investigating and handling your claim in good faith.
We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay nothing unless we win. Initial consultations are free, too, so don’t wait. Call now for a free case evaluation.
Overview of California Wildfires
Seven out of the ten largest wildfires in California have occurred since 2017, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). Fires across the world are more frequent and more destructive. The cost of fire suppression in CA was $608 million in 2015-2016, and projections for 2020-2021 put costs at $1.76 billion, an astronomical increase in just a few years.
More than 2 million properties in California were at high to extreme risk of damage in a wildfire as of 2021, a year when 9,260 wildfires burned more than 2.2 million acres across the state.
And the damage doesn’t stop once the fire is out. The destruction of the landscape after a fire makes it vulnerable to mudslides and dangerous debris flow during heavy rains.
We’ll Help You Recover Compensation for All Fire Damages
Wildfires can destroy entire towns. People may suffer physical injuries, death, and property loss. We help you recover compensation for any damage you suffered as a result of a wildfire.
Sometimes that means accessing the benefits from an insurance policy that you purchased to protect your home or belongings. But we know some fires are caused by utility companies or other negligent parties, and you may be able to pursue a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages.
We regularly help people recover compensation for a wide range of physical, emotional, and financial damages, such as:
- Severe burns
- Cost of evacuation or temporary housing
- Prolonged hospitalization
- Rehabilitation
- Illness or injury from smoke inhalation
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Anxiety and depression
- Wrongful death
- Complete loss of home, business, or other real property
- Damaged or destroyed personal property
- Loss of income
When structures are not completely destroyed, they may require significant costly repairs. We frequently see homes or other properties with:
- Water damage
- Electrical damage
- Roof damage
- Smoke or ash damage
- Structural damage
- Erosion problems and mudslides
- Loss of vegetation, timber, or landscaping
- Loss of livestock
It is important to have properties thoroughly inspected to detect structural weaknesses that could cause problems down the road. We have access to highly-respected experts who know the extent of damage that fire can cause. They know what to look for, and they help us provide documentation to the insurance company in support of your claim. If needed, they’re available to testify in court to support causation or damages.
Who Is Liable for Fire Damage in California?
Most fires are started by humans, but determining fault is extremely complicated. Even when power companies are responsible, like in the devastating Dixie fire, determining and proving liability can be difficult. Wildfire Law Center has the resources necessary to support a complex lawsuit that may involve extensive investigation, contested motions, numerous depositions, and voluminous discovery.
Potentially liable parties could include:
- State or local government entities
- Utility companies
- Arsonists
- Railroad companies
- Construction companies
- Timber companies
- Property owners
In some cases, the liable party may also be facing criminal charges. In 2021, 149 people were arrested for arson in California, more than double the number just two years prior. We monitor all concurrent criminal or civil cases or investigations and coordinate with other agencies as necessary.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our California Fire Damage Lawyers
Did you suffer injuries or lose your home or business in a California wildfire? You deserve to be compensated for your loss. We know the aftermath of a wildfire is chaotic and can make you feel helpless. Wildfire Law Center will help restore hope for your future, and we will help you fight for the compensation you need to begin to move forward.
We offer 100% free and confidential initial consultations, and you don’t pay our legal fees unless and until we recover a settlement or win at trial. We are here to help, not to add to your financial burden. So call today to speak with one of our California fire damage lawyers.