One of the most common questions we get from clients is “what are the attorney fees to hire a California fire lawyer?“
Like many plaintiff firms, we operate on a contigency-fee-basis. This means we only get paid a percentage of the recovery if we successfully resolve your case.
We’ve heard of other law firms charging up to 40% of the total recovery to handle fire lawsuits. However, for many wildfire victims, paying such amount is not economically practical, especially for property damage claims.
To make our legal services cost effective and readily available to Palisades and Eaton wildfire victims, our attorney fees are broken down by the specific claim being made. The two main wildfire claims are:
- First party claims- these include property damage claims with homeowner’s insurance or for businesses a loss of income / business interruption claim with the commercial insurance carrier;
- Third party claims – these include bodily injury or loss of income claims against any parties responsbile for the fire.
If you would like to speak with our Palisades and Eaton wildfire attorneys, schedule your free consultation today or call us at 866-837-1010.
Our Attorney Fees for Contested Property Damage Claims Is 7%
At Fob James Law Firm we undertstand that paying a huge chunk of money to an attorney to assist with your wildfire claim is difficult. After all, you have already suffered umeasurable harm and damage. The last thing you need to to pay an attorney fee where the numbers don’t work.
As an initital matter, if you submit a property damage claim and are happy with your insurance carrier’s appraisal and offer, then you likely don’t need an attorney. However, if you feel that the insurance company is not paying a fair amount, then you may need to retain an attorney to fight for you.
You can breathe a sigh of relief when you retain our wildfire attorneys. For unconstested property damage claims with a total loss, we don’t charge a fee.
For contested property fire damage claims, our attorney’s fee is 7% of the amount recovered if the claim is resolved without litigation. If the case goes to litigation or arbitration, our attorney’s fee is 25% of the recovery. Importantly, if we do not obtain a recovery, then you do not owe us a fee.
Keep in mind the property damage claim with your homeowner’s insurance policy pays for damage related to your home and its contents:
- cost to repair or rebuild home
- fire, smoke, and ashe damage
- structural damage
- value of personal property lost in the fire including art, jewelry, furnishings, etc.
One value add we provide is that we retain expert appraisers to challenge low ball appraisals from the insurance companies.
Given that the cost of construction in Los Angeles County is $1000+ per square foot, the dipsute in appraisal value or construction costs can be in the millions of dollars.
To schedule your free consultation with a wildfire injury attorney, contact us online.
Our Attorney Fees for Third Party Fire Injury Claims is 20%
If you’ve suffered an injury from a California wildfire, you may have a personal injury claim. Our attorney fees for CA fire injury claims is 20% of the total amount recovered.
Many victims of California wildfires suffer a wide range of personal injuries, including:
- severe burns
- smoke inhalation / lung injuries
- broken bones
- cuts and lacerations
- mental anguish
- emotional distress
- death
One challenge with third party fire injury claims is that you need to indentify a negligent party responsible for the fire. Without a negligent party, you do not have a personal injury claim.
Often, California wildfires are triggered because of the negligence of the electric company or its contractors. For example, if the power company negligently maintains a power line, and it falls down starting a fire, you may have an injury claim against the electricity company.
We thoroughly investigate how the wildfire started so we can identify the responsible parties.
Early reports suggest that Southern California Edison (SCE) may have waited too long to turn off electricity in the Eaton/Altadena areas thus contributing to the spread of the Eaton fire. Other reports indicate that officials are investigating whether SCE’s downed equipment contributed to the Eaton fire.
If SCE is responsible for the Eaton fire, even in part, victims that suffered a fire-related injury may have viable personal injury lawsuits against SCE.
If you suffered an injury from the Eaton or Altadena fires, do not delay. Call our Eaton fire injury lawsuit lawyers for a free consultation.
Contact A California Wildfire Attorney If You Need Help
Fob James Law Firm is honored to represent victims and their families in connection with their fire damage and bodily injury claims.
If you would like to discuss a California wildfire claim, please call us toll free at (866) 837-1010. You can also reach out online today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Ray Kermani, of counsel, is a member of the California bar. Mr. Kermani is the attorney of record on cases in California.
Fob James
Fob James obtained a B.S., in software engineering from Auburn University and then continued his education by getting his J.D. from Vanderbilt University School of Law. After working for a large regional firm for several years where he obtained awards for both individual and corporate clients, Fob found that his passion was fighting for individuals who have been seriously injured or wronged by others. Fob believes that the jury is the great equalizer to the power and influence that large corporations have in society.