Mountain Fire Surpasses Burns Over 19,000 Acres – Wildfire Lawsuit Lawyers
The Mountain Fire has reached 19,643 acres as of early Thursday afternoon (November 7, 2024), and it remains with no containment. The fire has ravaged entire neighborhoods, burning homes to the ground. The fire has also damaged agricultural properties and equestrian ranches in Ventura County.
The fire originally started at approximately 9:30am on Wednesday, near Bradley Road and Balcom Canyon Road north of State Route 118 in the area of Camarillo and Somis. It started out as a 50-acre brush fire. However, because of the Santa Ana winds, the fire was fueled, the flames jumped the highway, and quickly burned through thousands of acres.
Both helicopter and ground footage showed homes on fire and residents of the community scrambling to evacuate with their belongings and their pets – many of them also with horses.
According to fire officials, thousands of homes in the communities of Moorpark, Camarillo, Camarillo Heights, and Santa Paula are still threatened by the fire as of Thursday. Over 10,000 people have been displaced due to mandatory evacuations. The authorities also said that ten damage assessment teams would be sent out to the affected areas to determine the exact number of homes lost due to the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Because of the smoke coming from the fire, the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District has issued an Air Quality Alert encouraging residents in affected areas to stay indoors or avoid strenuous outdoor activities. In addition, countless schools and entire school districts have announced that they will be closed.
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Without a doubt, wildfires can cause injuries, like burn injuries, smoke inhalation injuries, and more, as well as significant property damage. Based on the details surrounding the incident and resulting damages, those affected could have the right to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. Who is liable for harm and damages resulting from a fire? Who can I sue? Establishing liability for damages caused by wildfires can be complicated, especially if cause of the fire is unclear.
In cases where the fire was caused by a negligent party or entity, you could have the right to file a lawsuit against the party or entity. Some fires are sparked by faulty equipment from utility companies and fueled by a combination of factors (like wind, dry brush, and humidity levels, for example); in these cases, affected parties could sue the negligent utility company.
Regardless of the cause of the incident, you could have grounds to file a claim with your homeowner’s insurance company. You could file a claim for property damage caused by flames or from soot and ash, for example. Unfortunately, even with coverage, some people find it impossible to get a payout from their insurance companies because of bad faith (the insurance company intentionally failing to pay out valid claims). In these cases, affected parties could file insurance bad faith claims.
For more information about your right to file a lawsuit for damage resulting from a California wildfire, contact the experts here at our law firm today. Our experts are ready to guide you every step of the way.
Recommended Steps to TakeYou might be wondering what to do if a wildfire burned your house down or caused ash and soot damage. Consider some of the following recommended steps to take:
- Photograph all visible damage before any clean-up or repairs are made
- Speak to witnesses and collect their contact information (like neighbors, for example)
- Gather any video footage of the fire (like home surveillance footage)
- Contact your insurance company and provide them with the facts
- In case of insurance bad faith, ensure to – Keep records of communications between you and the insurance company
- Find a lawyer to help you with your claim
– Gather all evidence surrounding the property damage
– Gather all relevant insurance documents
File Your Claim On Time – most importantly, it is important that you pursue a claim within the appropriate deadline. All claims are subject to a statute of limitations (or a deadline to sue). If claimants do not file their claims on time, they can lose their right to sue entirely. In California, the statute of limitations for property damage claims is three years; this means that claimants will only have three years to file your claim. For insurance bad faith claims, there is a four-year deadline. For more information about the total length of time that you have to file your claim, contact us today.
If a California wildfire left you with property damage, it is important that you seek legal help as soon as possible. Here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group, our legal team has decades of experience and is ready to provide you with the guidance that you need to fight for your rights and get justice. Our team is committed to making the legal process as accessible as possible, so we offer free case reviews – specifically, free consultations and free second opinions. Our team will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns, ensuring that you have access to all the information necessary to take action. To schedule a free case review, contact us today.
Zero-Fee Guarantee: you will not have to worry about having to pay upfront legal costs for our legal services. In addition, our team works on a strict contingency structure, so our clients will not have to worry about paying anything if their claims are not successful. If you do not win, you simply will not be responsible for paying anything.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help!
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