When To Get A Lawyer After A House Fire Explained In Washington

This section will explore why having legal representation after a house fire is a good idea.

How Lawyers Assist with Fire Damage Claims

A lawyer can prevent you from experiencing additional damage or loss. They can do this by negotiating with your insurance company or even arguing the case in court if needed.

They can help you through the fire insurance claims process, which also means you won't need to deal with the company by yourself.

The Consequence of Legal Aid in Claims Navigation

Lawyers help you compile evidence of things like personal injury, property loss, and wrongful death to prove that the fire directly caused them.

They also act with your best interests in mind, ensuring you reach a fair settlement with your insurer.

Securing Fair Compensation: Lawyer's Role

A lawyer can help ensure you receive your full insurance policy payout so you can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses by as much as possible.

If there's still some money left even after your claim is settled, an attorney can ensure that it gets returned to you rather than pocketed by the insurance company.

Fire-damaged home rebuilding is expensive. In fact, restoring a fire-damaged house cost can reach as high as $46,000 or more, depending on the extent of the damage.

As such, getting the full amount from your insurance policy can be a huge help.

Damages Eligible for Claims

Homeowners expect to get some (if not all) of their home-repairing funds from their fire insurance claim. Below are some damages you can claim.

Property Damage

Property value post-fire is negatively affected by the damage the house fire caused.

It's also worth noting that the fire department may actually cause more damage than the fire — most notably in the form of water damage.

Regardless, ask the fire department to file an initial report on the cause of the fire. These reports contain important details that can help in property damage claims.

Personal Injuries

If you suffered injuries from the fire, you can be reimbursed for medical bills, pain, and disability.

Say you suffered from carbon monoxide poisoning because of smoke inhalation or a broken leg because of falling debris. In such instances, a personal injury lawyer can be of help here.

Emotional Distress

Emotional distress is also eligible for claims. For example, you sustained emotional injury from witnessing a wrongful death or another person suffering because of the fire.

Income Disruption

You can recover your loss of income if the fire damage hinders you from going to work. In such cases, the insurance agent can help determine the coverage you can get.

Home Loss

You can recover some or all of your losses if a fire damages or destroys your house.

Similar to "income disruption" above, an agent can help determine the kind of coverage you can get — while still considering your possessions and their sentimental value.

Structural Impairment

If structural damage was caused by fire, smoke, and water damage from a house fire, then you can start a claims process for structural fire damage — which includes coverage for repairs and renovation costs.

Cleanup Expenditure

Extensive soot and smoke damage can be especially expensive to clean up. The expenses for cleaning up after a fire can be included in your structural damage claim.

Interim Housing Expenses

If the fire damage has left your house completely uninhabitable, you can be reimbursed for temporary housing expenses.

These may include hotel bills, rent, or staying with a family or friend while your house is being renovated.

Filing a Fire Damage Claim: The Procedure

An experienced lawyer can help you during the fire damage insurance claim process. However, knowing what to expect can make the process smoother.

Below are general steps you can follow when claiming insurance after house fire:

1. Thoroughly document the damage since the more proof you have, the easier it can be to get your claims accepted.
2. Secure your home from sustaining additional damage. However, don't start reconstruction or restoration until your claim is filed.
3. Call your insurance company to start the insurance claim process. Insurance adjusters must be sent to damaged properties within 15 days to check the damage and estimate how much repairs may cost.
4. Wait for your company to contact you, but they should respond to your claim within a reasonable amount of time. Follow up if it's taking too long.
5. If your claim is accepted, you should receive the money within the next 5 business days. If your claim is rejected, the company must give an explanation in writing.

IMPORTANT: Document all your interactions with the insurance company. Record the date, time, and content of phone calls, letters, and emails. These can come in handy if you have a dispute with them.

Apart from asking, "Should I get a lawyer after a house fire" it's ideal to learn fire safety practices.

A big part of fire safety is awareness of its leading causes and knowing what to do when fires break out.

Frequent Origins and Sites of House Fires

The most common cause of house fires is cooking, like leaving the stove unattended. Other leading causes include:

• Heating
• Smoking
• Faulty electrical equipment
• Unattended candles

A homeowner's or landlord's insurance policy may cover fire damages from the above causes. However, if it's a house fire by tenant accident, the tenant might have to cover the damages.

Immediate Actions Post House Fire

Immediate steps after a house fire include:

1. Find a safe place to stay and tell your family you're safe.
2. Document the fire damage.
3. Contact your insurance company and start the fire insurance claim process.
4. When the fire department deems your property safe to be entered, see what you can salvage from your items.
5. Replace important papers like family records, insurance policies, mortgage papers, vehicle titles, and other legal documents.

Preventive Measures for Future House Fires

Some residential fires could've been prevented if the proper fire safety measures were in place.

Fortunately, avoiding house fires is actually quite simple. Below are a few tips to minimize the chances of experiencing a fire:

• Safely store lighters and matches.
• Don't smoke near anything flammable, like the bed or near curtains.
• Don't leave cigarettes, candles, and stoves unattended.
• Have good smoke detector placement in home, such as putting one on every level.

Check the smoke alarms monthly.