Camp Fire
Consumer Alert: Were You, Or A Loved One, Affected By The 2018 Camp Fire?
Review Your Claim with a Camp Fire Attorney
If you suffered damages as a result of the Camp Fire, you may be entitled to pursue a claim against PG&E for compensation. Claims include personal injury, property damage, business losses, and wrongful death.
PG&E’s electrical equipment has been implicated in the Camp Fire, and mounting evidence suggests the utility company may be responsible for sparking the blaze.
Is the Camp Fire lawsuit a class action proceeding? No, civil claims for Camp Fire victims are filed on an individual basis. This means you will have your own attorney to represent you, and your case will be resolved according to the unique facts of your case and the damages you experienced. In a class action, by contrast, a select few plaintiffs would file a single lawsuit on behalf of all victims with any recovery divided amongst the class members. No such class has been certified related to the Camp Fire.
What types of damages are you entitled to pursue? While each case is different, common damage categories include: the cost to repair or replace your home and personal property; the loss of use and enjoyment of your property; depreciation in the value of your land; damage to trees, timber, or underwood; business losses; lost wages; loss of crops; harm to pets or livestock; emotional distress; personal injury; and wrongful death. Even if you have insurance, you will likely experience a shortfall in some areas of coverage as well as damages that fall outside the policy.
How much work will be required of you if you choose to pursue a claim? The Camp Fire litigation is still in the early stages, but more than likely, your case will be coordinated into a mass tort proceeding. This means your level of personal involvement will be less than in a traditional, single event lawsuit. You are unlikely to be required to give deposition testimony, respond to burdensome discovery requests, or proceed through a jury trial. Instead, your attorney will work with you to gather proof of your damages and prepare your claim for potential mediation or pre-trial resolution.
Will you have to pay any legal fees? No, our Camp Fire attorneys represent clients under a contingency fee arrangement. This means you do not pay any case costs, litigation expenses, or attorneys’ fees out of pocket. Instead, we recover fees and costs as a percentage of the amount recovered on your behalf and only if your case is successful. We invite your questions about our firm’s contingency rate and why we have lowered this percentage for our wildfire clients throughout Butte County.
Will the attorney take any portion of your insurance payments? No. Our law firm does not claim any percentage of your insurance coverage payments. We wish to see you recover the maximum amount under your policy following this disaster, and we are available to offer guidance to you throughout the insurance claims process.
What is the deadline for filing a lawsuit? You will have two years from the date of the Camp Fire to file a claim before certain legal rights expire. Nonetheless, we encourage recent fire survivors to consult an attorney in a timely manner. Your lawyer can help you document your losses for purposes of the PG&E lawsuit, as well as offer guidance on insurance and other matters that might arise. Of course, you should take the time you need to find housing, care for family members, and attend to your health and well-being until you feel prepared to discuss your claim.
Contact us today to get expert representation on your case!