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What to do if You are Affected by Fire Damage From the Woolsey Fire
Los Angeles County is just getting started on the road back to recovery after experiencing the worst wildfire in modern history. As one of the deadliest fires in California’s history, the Woolsey Fire burned more than 97,000 acres in LA and Ventura counties after being ignited on November 8, destroying 1,500 structures and killing nearly 80 people. Thanks to recent rains and firefighter efforts, the blaze is now fully contained, but now there’s a new threat: mudslides.
If you or a loved one has been affected by the Woolsey Fire, you may be confused as to where to turn. Los Angeles County and its agency partners are working together to provide comprehensive services so those affected can start rebuilding their lives. Read about Woolsey Fire Resources to get information on everything from air quality to mental health counseling. You can also report damage and register for federal assistance.
Next, contact Power Legal Group, your trusted fire damage attorney, for a free initial consultation at 800-323-POWER to determine if you are entitled to compensation.
We’ve put together some helpful Q&As with our lead fire damage attorney, Bobby Yaghoubian about how we can provide a helpful solution to your current displacement from the Woolsey Fire.
Q: Why Do I Want to Help?
A: “The answer is simple. I’d like to do what I can to help the community. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley area, I’m familiar with Malibu, I went to school, law school, and business school at Pepperdine. I lived in Malibu for quite some time. So now that I see what the Malibu and surrounding areas look like, it’s devastating, and I’d like to do what I can to help people that have suffered as a result. The scale and scope of the devastation are just huge. There are so many people that have been affected and so many lives that have been changed forever. When they add in the number of homes and businesses that have been damaged or destroyed, the number of people that have been affected, and the sheer size of the fire, this just makes for a huge number of potential involved victims.”
Q: What is the first thing someone should do if they suffer fire damage?
A: “You should be familiar with the language of your policy and the coverages available in this type of situation. With our clients, we take a look at the language of the policy, and we make sure our clients know what types of coverages are available to them. Also, it’s always a good idea to have had an inventory of your valuables and personal possessions. And if you have expensive personal items such as bank keys or jewelry, you want to make sure that those are properly endorsed and properly insured.”
Q: If I was someone who was affected by the wildfires, how would I know if it’s even worth it to file a claim?
A: “Any time you have the covered loss, I would say it’s worth it to file a claim. And that loss could range from ash or soot damage to your building to a complete or total loss of the building and property. You do have to consider certain conditions that may result in there being an exception. But generally, I would say it’s worth it as long as you have the covered loss.”
Q: What makes Power Legal Group Different from other law firms?
A: “I’d say the thing that distinguishes my firm from others is the sheer experience. So over the last few years, we’ve dealt with a number of clients who’ve sustained property damage and damage as the result of wildfires. When dealing with an attorney, you want to make sure that your needs and your questions are all taken care of. You want to make sure that the attorney is hands-on, the team that’s helping you is hands-on, well informed, and experienced in dealing with your specific need.”
Q: What if I run a business out of my home?
A: “I’ve come across people running various businesses from their home, such as working remotely from home to running adult health care centers in their home. So, over the years I’ve come across all types of homes and all types of businesses that were run from the home. And the complexity of having your home-run business in conjunction with damage as a result of wildfire, it is an unfortunate set of circumstances; however, there are a lot of situations where the victim, the homeowner or the business owner could have lost their house, and fortunately we were able to help them avoid that.”
“The key with anything like this is what coverages do you have available on your insurance policy? Sometimes there are exclusions in homeowner’s insurance, like home-based businesses, and sometimes there are not. And many of our clients do run a home-based business, and actually purchase business insurance. So some of the things that they are entitled to if they offer it, a business from their home, will be the loss of business income. And that can be a huge factor when you’re talking about not working and not earning income and being out of your home.”
Get a Free Consultation
The only way to truly know if you have a case is to give us a call for a free consultation. This will consist of 30 minutes to an hour of an attorney’s time to review the policy with you, go over the coverages, outline the types of losses you’ve sustained, and tell you what options you have available. And at that point, you can make the most informed decision possible. Timing is critical. Call us now at 800-323-POWER.
