Wildfires can cause damage to structures, homes, land, and even death. Wildfires often displace individuals from their homes through forced evacuations. Often people will not know how bad the damage will be until they return days or weeks after the fire. Many wildfire victims think that since they have insurance, they do not need to file a lawsuit to recover their losses. While it may be true that an individual may be well covered, insurance companies may not be fully cooperative and may not meet the needs of an individual during this stressful time.

Many fire victims find out that their insurance does not provide sufficient reimbursement to rebuild or restore what was destroyed by the fire and subsequent erosion. Victims have the option of filing a wildfire lawsuit to seek financial compensation from those responsible for the fire.

Some potential claims are:

• Wrongful death – Individuals who have lost a loved one to a wildfire may be eligible to file a wrongful death suit.
• Property damage and personal property losses – If an individual has insurance, policy limits may be lower than the amount it would cost to restore all of the property owned, personal property losses, additional structures that may have been on the property, and what it would cost to rebuild the home.
• Emotional distress and trauma from wildfire evacuations – Insurance policies do not cover the emotional distress that is suffered from victims that escape their homes and seek refuge from a life-threatening situation.
• Loss of income – Any income that is lost during the period of displacement and evacuation may be recoverable. Loss of income relates to business owners and all employees who may have lost income as a result of a wildfire.
• Displacement – Displacement is a legal term that is used in wildfire lawsuits to describe the experience of being forced to relocate and find a new home, alter lifestyles in order to accommodate wildfire restoration workers, drive additional hours to and from work and other acts that may result from a number of causes such as wildfires.
• Personal injuries – Any injuries that are suffered as a result of a negligent or intentionally caused wildfire may be recovered.
• Cherished belongings – Most policies do not provide coverage to restore loss of cherished items that do not have an appraisal or financial worth. Victims will want wildfire attorneys who can include items like these and seek the maximum recovery for claims.
• Trees and vegetation – Typical home insurance policies do not cover landscaping, trees, family gardens and other vegetation destroyed by a wildfire.
• Loss of enjoyment – Anything that was loved about an individual’s home, community, and environment and how it was severely altered is also something that is not covered by insurance policies but may be recoverable through legal action.