California Wildfire Insurance Claim Lawyers

Were you or a family member harmed by the Wine Country wildfires? You may be entitled to financial compensation for the damage the fire has caused you and your family. We are currently investigating claims of negligence against PG&E as evidence is pointing to PG&E power lines as the cause. The fires have caused billions of dollars in damage, have burnt down thousands of homes, commercial properties and wineries. Worst of all, 42 people have died as the result of these wildfires. If you have been affected by one of the Northern California fires, please call our California wildfire victim attorneys today and find out how we can help. We handle all cases on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t need to pay us anything to hire us or if we fail to recover money for you. Call us now for a free consultation and find out your legal options.

We are investigating PG&E’s involvement in all fires, including:

• Atlas Fire
• Tubbs Fire
• Nuns Fire (Oakmont, Norrbom, Adobe, Pressley and Partrick)
• Pocket Fire
• Sulphur Fire
• Redwood Valley Fire

Recently, PG&E was fined more than $8 million for failing to maintain a power line, which is what started the 2015 Butte Fire in Amador  County. Many of the first 911 calls in the Wine Country Fires reported downed Pacific Gas & Electric transformers and power lines. We suspect that once again PG&E is to blame. If they are responsible, we will fight to make sure our clients are paid every penny they deserve for the harm caused by this fire. We have significant experience negotiating with large companies and insurance companies in order to get fair and just compensation for the clients we represent.

Wildfire Claims FAQs

Why Would I Need an Attorney?

One reason you might need an attorney is in the case that it is discovered that Pacific Gas & Electric or its contractors have been involved in the cause of the fire. When the utility companies (including their contractors) wrongfully cause a catastrophic fire that harms others, they have access to, and very often use, their huge resources. They can use these resources to argue against having to pay those who suffered losses, or to argue for minimizing payments to the survivors.

Experienced attorneys who have worked in similar wildfire or other catastrophic situations already know how to fight these resources to 1) prove that the utility or other company was responsible for the loss, 2) set a true value for the losses, which may be well-beyond the amount for which you are insured, and certainly doesn’t include your hardship from the fire.

Attorneys with substantial resources of their own can engage experts in areas including fire investigation, valuation of trees, personal property and rebuilding, plus hydrology, metallurgy, and erosion. Based on the discoveries of the experts, a law firm will have a much greater ability to get you reimbursed for losses and suffering, well-beyond insurance coverage and/or government assistance.

How Much will an Attorney Charge to Help Me?

In cases such as wildfires and other catastrophic disasters, you won’t pay the attorney a dime in advance. Ethical attorneys front all of the costs of the investigation and litigation, and are paid on contingency — this means that we agree on a percentage of the recovery we obtain. In the extremely unlikely case that we recover no monay for you, you will not owe anything to the attorneys. Remember that a lawyer that needs money up front – even just a few thousand dollars – cannot afford to do what is necessary to maximize your outcome.

Why Should I Contact an Attorney if I have Insurance?

Generally, insurance is a great idea. That said, insurance does not cover all losses – this is explained in four categories:

• you may be underinsured – most people are
• you may not be insured for the particular situation
• you may have coverage for depreciated value only, which means that the insurance money will not pay to fully replace the lost items (and, even if you are insured for replacement value, it can be months or years before you have a chance to organize, research, and re-purchase the items in question to get the remainder of the funds)
• insurance will never cover your time and annoyance, your emotional stress, your inconvenience or lost income, all the things on which one cannot put a price tag; furthermore it may never cover fully for things like landscaping and trees

An attorney will argue to make sure that those at fault for instigating the fire (for example, the utility company) make up the difference to you, so you end up more-completely compensated for the entire scope of the loss. We specialize in cases that involve all of California including the most recent fires in California:

• Nuns Fire Insurance Claims
• Tubbs Fire Allstate Insurance Claims
• Tubbs Fire State Farm Insurance Claims

What if I Don’t Have Homeowner’s Insurance?

Again, generally, insurance is a great idea. But, we as attorneys can help homeowners without insurance, and also renters without insurance.We help uninsured homeowners and renters. The law of the state of California allows recovery for uninsured and insured victims.

If the cause of the wildfire is found to be a company’s negligence and/or careless or deliberate actions, you are entitled to reimbursement for the harm – regardless of insurance coverage. Attorneys will work aggressively for your reimbursement.

What if I am Renting my Home?

Even those renting a home will have significant personal property losses in the event of a fire. In fact, they typically lose all of their possessions. In addition to the expenses of having to replace all furniture, kitchen utensils and cookware, clothing, shoes and accessories and other special items collected over the course of life, there are still the same intangible damages that homeowners experience:

• being underinsured
• particular items not being covered
• the difference between depreciated value and replacement costs
• the stress and anxiety from dealing with the situation, on top of normal work and family obligations

How can I contact you to get the Fastest and Best Response?

Contact us by the method most convenient for you!

I am not Fond of Lawsuits, Why Should I Consider an Attorney in this Case?

There are many issues on your agenda right now, many things you need to attend to on behalf of yourself and your family. Most of them are not related to a lawsuit at all, including

• handling your insurance claim and coverage
• registering with government groups that may provide help or aid
• working with the local government on cleanup
• working with the local government on permitting for your rebuilding

Hopefully, this is the first time you’ve had to deal with all of these issues. For most homeowners, that is the case. Attorneys who specialize in the aftermath of catastrophes have been through the entire process before, many times over, in various counties and states. If you have such experienced attorneys as a part of your team, they can help you navigate these issues, so that you are not “reinventing the wheel”. You will always have easy access to helpful team members who know the process and can help you maximize the recovery you deserve, in the shortest amount of time.

Won’t the Lawyer Take a Percentage of the Money I Would Get from Insurance Anyway?

Not our firm. Our California fire lawyers assist WITHOUT taking a portion of the insurance recovery. In other words, the contingency payment does not apply to insurance money due. Our opinion is that homeowners are due more than just proper insurance payments. Compensation for the losses, beyond the ones covered by insurance, can be complicated, and it is wise to have an attorney help navigate this complicated process. When companies like utilities have substantial resources, the litigation process can be overwhelming for a single homeowner. Utilities might count on you being overwhelmed in order to minimize the amount of money they offer or pay to those with losses. When an attorney comes with a team of experts in metals and in electrical engineering, fire investigation, erosion and the proper valuation of trees, homes and other areas, that team can establish proper liability and prove it.

I Have Business Interruption Insurance – What Happens After My Limits Are Reached?

Most business insurance policies include ‘Business Interruption Insurance’ or ‘Business Interruption Coverage’. This means that the policy is meant to add to, or replace, your business’ income during a down-time – for example, if you cannot operate your business due to the aftermath of the fire, or if customers cannot reach your brick and mortar business due to the aftermath of the fire. In the case of a catastrophic event like the Northern California wildfires, the policy limits may be reached very quickly, long before the business can get up and running again. Expert attorneys can be of enormous help here; first by evaluating and ascertaining the business interruption, ad then by maximizing the claims. Our goal is to recover losses beyond those covered by insurance, from the appropriate responsible party, i.e. the utility. Remember, our payment is on contingency, but only on the amount above what your insurance pays. We don’t take a portion of the insurance proceeds, only a percentage of the additional recovery we help secure for you. Your insurance payment is yours – regardless of our success with additional recovery.

Am I Only Hurting Myself Because Pacific Gas & Electric Will Raise Rates to Pay for Any Lawsuit?

Actually, rate increases must be approved by an entity called the Public Utilities Commission. In some cases, attorneys can argue to defeat the attempts by utilities to raise rates. But in any event, your losses are your losses, and you are entitled to compensation now, regardless of what the utility might do in the future.

What Types of Losses are there in a Fire or other Catastrophic Event?

The usual types of losses in a catastrophic events such as a regional wildfire include:

1. Damage to Property

• Damage to your home
• Damage to other structures on your property
• Damage to personal property
• Damage to the contents of your home
• Damage to Trees and Landscaping
• Damage from Erosion

2. Expenses of Evacuation and/or Alternative Living Arrangements

• Hotel
• Food
• Gas
• Rent for temporary living

3. Lost Income

• Personal Income
• Lost Sick Days
• Lost Vacation Days
• Business Income

4. Emotional

• Fear for your safety
• Fear for the safety of your family
• Stress
• Inconvenience
• Disturbance

Additional FAQs

• Allstate Fire Claims FAQs
• State Farm Fire Claims FAQs
• Farmers Insurance Fire Claims FAQs

If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us at anytime. We can help!