Wildfire Lawyer Serving Sonoma County, CA

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For many families in Sonoma County, California, the thought of a wildfire outbreak is terrifying. The sheer pace of spread, destroying property and lives along the way, can devastate a community in just a matter of hours. In an area known for its natural beauty, it is hard to imagine the devastation that can take place so quickly.

What is particularly devastating in these cases is that, many times, the cause of these fires is an avoidable action. Something, someone, did put this fire into place, and now you and your family are suffering incredible loss from it.

At Danko Meredith, we stand by victims of these wildfires and provide unending support as you navigate your legal options to recover damages. If you need a wildlife lawyer serving Sonoma County, California, you can expect our legal team to provide you with the guidance necessary to prepare and litigate your case to the fullest extent allowed under the law. Request a free initial case evaluation from our California utility fire lawyer. 

Sonoma County Fire Dangers

A look at the Sonoma Valley Fire District map on any given day shows the risk of fire and the threat that the area often faces. Conditions change throughout the county often, with one region becoming a higher risk than others based on various factors.

Communities such as Santa Rosa and Cloverdale are some of the highest risk factors for fires, according to CAL FIRE. Santa Rosa has 475 acres at a very high risk and 3081 acres at a high risk level. Much of the very high risk in Sonoma County centers around unincorporated areas of the state, with more than 7555 acres at a very high risk level and an additional 9149 acres at a high risk.

Within the region, some of the most at-risk communities include:

  • Cloverdale
  • Cotati
  • Healdsburg
  • Petaluma
  • Rohnert Park
  • Santa Rosa
  • Sebastopol
  • Sonoma
  • Windsor

Note that just because these are high-risk and very high-risk areas does not mean fire cannot break out in other areas. Much of the region is under some level of threat. The same is true for Napa County, which has seen significant increases in fire risks in the last few years.

If you live in or near one of these areas, working with a wildlife lawyer in Sonoma County, CA, allows you to gain insight into what your rights may be should your property suffer serious damage as a result of the negligence of others.

What Are Some Causes of Wildfires in Sonoma County, CA?

For those who live and work in these areas, the question of “why” is often asked. How can this happen? Why did it occur? Sometimes, there are no answers, but other instances clearly indicate that there is a party (or more than one) that could be to blame for the injuries and losses suffered.

Utility companies are one of the most common reasons for such fires to break out in the area. In fact, companies like Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) have been behind many of the largest fires to occur throughout Sonoma County in recent years.

Consider the Dixie Fire, which caused 775,000 acres of land to be burned. That is one of the largest wildfires caused by a utility company, if the company is found to be at fault. This fire occurred when a PG&E utility pole was struck by a fallen tree. That happened in July of 2021. The fires roared on through September.

In 2018, the Camp Fire burned through 153,000 acres of land in the region, about 100 miles to the north of Sacramento. This fire, too, was the result of PG&E’s equipment failures and is considered one of the most destructive fires to have ever hit the region. More than 18,000 structures were burned, and 85 people died in that fire.

PG&E is one of several utility companies operating in the area, and many of them have been implicated in fires that break out throughout the region, including in Sonoma County.

Utility companies are not the only cause of fires in the region, of course. The Tubbs Fire in Northern California took place in October of 2017 and was one of the most destructive in the region, spanning parts of Sonoma, Napa, and Lake counties. When contained, it is estimated that 36,810 acres were burned, claiming the lives of 22 people. The cause of this fire is believed to have been due to a private electrical system adjacent to a residential structure. However, PG&E later agreed to settle claims from those who suffered losses during this fire.

Can a Wildfire Attorney in Sonoma County, CA Help Me?

Any time a fire starts in the region, people race to put it out, knowing the destruction it can cause and the difficulty of containing even a minor fire in the area. Yet, not enough effort is put into preventing them, and that puts property owners and people themselves at risk.

At Danko Meredith, we know that a potential fire in Sonoma County can be caused by the neglectful acts of electrical companies, including utility companies. That includes large organizations such as PG&E, which fail to maintain their equipment to a standard that could prevent such fires from happening.

When you are facing losses due to the mistakes of a huge company like this, having a utility fire lawyer in Sonoma County, CA, by your side can prove to be critical. There are several ways our legal team can help you navigate your rights in these situations:

  • Fault: Our attorneys will work very closely with investigators while also conducting our own investigation to determine who might be at fault for such accidents. We do not stop with just the upper layer of how the fire started, but also what could have been done to prevent it.
  • Excellent experience: Our law firm has helped victims of wildfires in many regions of the state recover damages. This is critically important. Experience in holding utility companies accountable for losses is an essential step in protecting your rights.
  • Aggressive representation: As our history proves, we are aggressive utility fire attorneys. We know the risks to you and your family, and we know how much you deserve the best possible outcome. We work aggressively to protect your rights in every way we can.

If you lost your assets due to the wildfires in Sonoma County, California, do not agree to any settlement until you speak to our attorneys. In nearly every situation, you are owed more compensation than what they may offer, and there is no one working on your behalf to ensure you receive a fair settlement besides the attorney you hire. Count on us to be there.

How to Prove a Utility Company Is Responsible for Your Fire Damage

Our Sonoma County wildfire lawyers will always provide you with very hands-on legal support while also fully investigating your claims. There are many reasons that wildfires break out in this area, such as utility company failures. Some of the most common in our experience include:

  • Lack of maintenance of lines often allows vegetation to grow over them
  • Poor maintenance of equipment, such as failures of automatic shutoff systems
  • Poor management decisions aimed to reduce employee labor costs, which often come at the cost of a lack of preventative actions and measures
  • Lack of investment in new technology and resources to minimize future fire risks, knowing the risks exist
  • Not shutting down fire threats in warning areas soon enough, often causing the fire to spread faster and further
  • Unsafe practices in terms of the maintenance and management of systems
  • Poorly trained employees who make critical mistakes

It is critical that no accusations occur without a comprehensive investigation. Our Sonoma County wildfire attorneys work to build a case using evidence from the incident, your home, and many other factors to demonstrate who was accountable and why.

To investigate these cases, you can expect us to look at factors such as an analysis that demonstrates where the fire started and why it spread. This also includes gathering information about warnings issued about fire risk, using the science from meteorologists and engineers to better understand threats, and looking at maintenance records to demonstrate failures and oversights.

Potential Compensation Rights in a Wildfire Claim in Sonoma County

A fire disaster can strike at any time of the year, and no matter where it does or how it starts, gathering evidence to prove your losses is critical. When you hire our wildfire attorneys serving Sonoma County, we will handle all of the evidence-gathering and research necessary to build your case. Our objectives are to fully understand what you are facing, now and into the future, because of the liability of the other party.

Some of the damages you may be owed include economic, non-economic, and punitive damages. It is also critical to remember that in wildfire accidents, your home is likely one of many. You do not want to be ignored, and you certainly do not deserve to have your losses minimized because of others. For this reason, we encourage you to reach out to our Sonoma County wildfire attorneys before you file any claim.

Economic damage in a wildfire may include:

  • Medical bills: Any type of medical bill you have from the emergency care received could fall into this category. This might include broken bones, burns, smoke inhalation, as well as other illnesses that develop weeks or months later.
  • Property damage: This is often where families focus, and there is no way to put an accurate value on some of the possessions you have. However, our objective will be to document all of the losses possible in these cases, including any personal belongings, your home, vehicles, and other valuables lost or damaged.
  • Income: If you were unable to work for a period of time, you may be owed compensation for those losses, including added costs such as having to travel further to go to work if you could not live at home.
  • Business loss: For those who lose a business in a fire, the losses can pile up quickly. This could include losses related to replacing and rebuilding your business, inventory, and lost revenue in the meantime.

Non-economic losses in a wildfire might include:

  • Pain and suffering: Most people will suffer intense pain and suffering from both the physical and emotional toll of such an event. It is always our objective to ensure you have a full opportunity to express these losses.
  • Emotional trauma: A fire is a traumatic event, often leading to the onset of conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and severe anxiety, all of which impact your quality of life.
  • Loss of quality of life: You may have long-term injuries and losses you cannot simply recover from due to their impact on your ability to live and manage your life.
  • Permanent disability: For some people with long-term physical or emotional loss, compensation for permanent disability may be in order, allowing you to maintain your quality of life if you cannot go back to work.
  • Grief: Our attorneys work closely with families who lose loved ones in such tragic events. This includes family members, friends, and pets. Let us help you get justice for those losses.

Punitive damages in California are typically limitedly awarded. When they occur, they are awarded by a jury to punish the at-fault party for particularly reckless actions that cause the incident. Our Sonoma County wildfire attorneys will work to ensure this is a consideration when appropriate in your case.

The value of any of these losses can be hard to place. Yet, our Sonoma County utility fire lawyers know how to do so based on previous cases like your own, as well as the severity of your case. We recommend setting up a consultation with our team, even if you are not sure you wish to move forward, to learn more about the losses you have and your right to compensation for them. Review our case results and client testimonials to learn more.

You Cannot Assume Insurance Companies Will Treat You Fairly

Insurance companies representing organizations like PG&E have no intention of paying you the full level of compensation owed to you until – and unless – you demonstrate what your losses are and prove that they are obligated to compensate you.

Your life is overwhelming right now, and all you want is the funds available to help you start the rebuilding process. Before you agree to any settlement, keep the following in mind:

  • PG&E and other utilities fully recognize the risk of being held liable. They have some of the most powerful insurance companies and lawyers working on their behalf.
  • They know how to mitigate losses. That often means shifting the blame away from them or trying to blame victims for at least some of the losses they incurred.
  • Most utility companies and insurance companies know that they are facing increasing financial loss due to continued fires in Sonoma County, as well as Napa, and areas like Eaton and Sunset.

If you are suffering losses from a wildfire, our objective as your Sonoma County utility fire attorneys will be to carefully document your losses, make it clear that the utility company is, in fact, responsible, and outline exactly what you expect. Because of our extensive experience in these matters, we will hold them accountable for the losses they created.

Do not wait for the insurance company to come to you. Do not settle quickly just so you can start rebuilding. Instead, let us fight for fair compensation for you that includes all of your rights to the financial support you deserve because of the incident. Expect us to be aggressive, fair, and efficient in processing your claim.

What Happens When You Put Our Sonoma County Utility Fire Lawyers on Your Case

We encourage you to act quickly in these cases. The statute of limitations in California provides you with time to take action (California Code for Civil Procedure § 335.1 provides for two years for personal injuries, while California Code for Civil Procedure §338 provides you with three years for property damage claims).

Knowing this, it is best to reach out to our legal team immediately. Let us work on building a strong case for you, backed by evidence that demonstrates your losses. You should not have to worry about your future because of the preventable mistakes of big companies like utility companies.

Contact Our Wildlife Lawyers in Sonoma County, CA Now

We hold utility companies to the law. If you are struggling as a result of the actions of others, contact Danko Meredith immediately. We will provide you with a free consultation to discuss your case. There is no way to minimize the risks of losses you face, but there is no risk in hiring our legal team to defend your rights. Contact us now to speak to a wildfire lawyer serving Sonoma County, CA.