Pacific Wildfire Attorneys

Property damage claims are comprised of real property (your home) and personal property (your belongings) claims. Often homewoners and renters will have some insurance to cover at least a portion of their real or personal property losses. Unfortunately, many times homeowners or renters have no insurance or are underinsured for the full extent of their losses. To make matters worse, some insurance companies will make undervalued policy settlement offers. If you think you are uninsured or underinsured, then PWAs will file the necessary claim or case against Southern California Edison seeking to recover the difference between what you have been paid and what you are legally owed. Often these claims are worth thousands of dollars.

A wildfire claim in California is a request for compensation for losses caused by a wildfire. This can include damage to your property, personal injury, medical expenses, smoke inhalation, other health impacts, lost income, business interruption of operations and lost profits, evacuation or relocation expenses and emotional distress from the psychological trauma caused by the disaster.

Not all insurance companies are difficult to deal with or will seek to make you undervalued policy settlement offers. However,  you are dealing with a profit oriented business that wants to minimize its losses. Be involved in the claims process and document all communications. Take detailed notes and maintain a good paper trail. Take time to properly calculate the total value of your Wildfire Claims (as described above) and maximum insurance benefits available to you under your policy. Don't sign legal documents (particularly release agreements) without first consulting a qualified attorney. If for any reason the amount of your Wildfire Claims are not being fully and properly compensated, call the Pacific Wildfire Attorneys.

Business interruption insurance coverage replaces business income lost in a disater, such as a fire or natural catastrophe. Business interruption insurance is typically added to a property/casualty policy or included in a comprehensive package policy as a rider. This type of insurance also typically covers operating expenses, moving to a temporary location, payroll and taxes, and business loan payments. Unfortunately, this is an area ripe for dispute with many insurance companies that will argue whether all or a portion of claimed damages are covered under the terms of applicable insurance.

Personal injury is an injury to a person's body, mind, or emotions, as opposed to an injury to a person's property. Personal injuries from wildfires in California can include burn injuries, smoke inhalation, trauma, and heat-related illnesses. In California, a wrongful death is when someone dies due to the negligence, recklessness, or misconduct of another person or entity. Parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, grandparents, children of a deceased spouse, and next of kin may be eligible to make a wrongful death claim. Lawsuits have been filed against SCE alleging its equipment was defective and dangerous, and that the utility failed to turn off power despite repeated warnings about extremely dangerous fire conditions.

A smoke and ash damage claim in California is a request for insurance for damage to a home or property caused by smoke and ash from a wildfire or brush fire. Examples include smoke, soot or ash damage to roofs, walls, studs, and other structural elements of your home or other buildings. It can also include smoke, soot or ash damage to your personal property such as vehicles, clothing, electronics, furniture and other personal items.

Emotional distress is a psychological response to a traumatic event that can include suffering, anguish, anxiety, or humiliation. In wildfire cases it often results  from being forced to evacuate and having to flee from the oncoming fire or sheltering in place as the fire rages around you. It can also result in damages for annoyance, discomfort, nuisance or loss of the use and enjoyment of your home or important possessions. These damages are compensable in a personal injury case.