What To Do If You Are Victim Of A Fire

If you are a victim of a fire, you may need legal guidance to address damages, recover
compensation, and rebuild your life. Here’s a general overview of steps and guidelines that
might help:

1. Make Sure You And Your Loved Ones Are Safe

• Get the necessary medical care for any injuries, including burns or smoke inhalation.
  • Do the same for your kids and pets
• Make sure you have a safe place to stay through family, friends, or emergency assistance (e.g., the Red Cross or local government).  Call 211 for emergency community services including Airbnb’s in safe areas where you can stay for free
• Document everything by taking photos or videos of the damage, if safe to do so.

2. Call your Mortgage Bank or Landlord as soon as possible.

• If you are a homeowner, notify the mortgage holder.  Sometimes they can stop your obligation to pay mortgage for a time or give you a few month’s reprieve until you get your finances in order.
• If you are renting, your landlord could:
  • Give you access to temporary housing paid for by the landlord’s insurance policy
  • Give you a chance to stop paying rent for a while (rent abatement);
  • Terminate your lease so you would not be responsible for rent, or
  • Have a fire hazard insurance policy that could provide coverage for you.

3. File an Insurance Claim As Soon As Possible

• Notify your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance company as soon as possible.  If your business has been lost,  your business insurance can provide help.  Also consider umbrella policies which in some cases provide coverage.
• Notify any other insurance that can apply such as the following:
  • Auto, if you lost your car
  • Your umbrella policy
  • Any other insurance policy you may have
• Provide documentation of:
  • Property damage (could be your photos or videos);
  • Personal belongings destroyed or damaged;
  • Expenses related to temporary relocation.
• Request a copy of your insurance policy and review coverage details, including fire damage provisions.
• Do not accept denial of an insurance claim as final.  A lot of times insurance companies deny a claim a few times until with persistence and providing the correct documents, they accept. Sometimes an attorney must get involved to secure coverage for you.

4. Understand Potential Legal Issues Involved

Depending on the circumstances, you may have legal claims for damages, including:

• Negligence: If the fire was caused by another party’s actions (e.g., faulty wiring, negligence of a landlord, or an accidental fire from a neighbor).
• Defective Products: If a product (e.g., an appliance) caused the fire due to defects.
• Landlord Responsibility: Landlords have a duty to maintain safe premises, including providing functional smoke detectors and adhering to fire codes.

5. Consult an Attorney

• Consider hiring an attorney to:
  • Evaluate your legal rights.
  • Pursue claims against responsible parties.
  • Negotiate settlements with insurance companies.
  • File lawsuits, if necessary.
• If the fire was large (e.g., a wildfire), you may join a class-action lawsuit against entities like utility companies or government agencies.

6. Take Advantage of Disaster Relief: Seek help from government programs like FEMA, which may offer financial assistance for housing, medical needs, and other expenses. Remember 211 for emergency community services including Airbnb’s in safe areas where you can stay for free

7. Document Everything

• Keep records of all communication with insurance companies, landlords, government agencies, attorneys, and others involved.
• Keep all receipts for fire-related expenses (e.g., hotel stays, replacement items).

8. Understand Emotional Aspects and Seek Support Resources

• Fires can be traumatic. People get very distraught.  Especially children who may not be able to properly express their feelings. Seek counseling or support groups as soon as possible to cope with emotional and psychological impacts.

9. Reconstruction and Future Planning

• Work with reputable contractors for repairs or reconstruction.
• Review safety measures to prevent future fires, such as installing smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and creating an evacuation plan.

If you need specific advice for your situation or location, we at Ghassemian Law Group would be happy to help. 

This post is for informational purposes only, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and does not take the place of specific advice from an attorney.  You should not rely on this information alone.