Oregon Wildfire Attorney

Wildfires can cause billions of dollars in damage to property and people’s lives. In states such as Oregon, most of these events can be traced to human negligence. A wildfire may result from an individual allowing a campfire to burn out of control or an electric company’s wrongdoing. 

When you and your family have suffered losses in a fire event due to someone else’s careless action, you need the assistance of a qualified Oregon wildfire attorney. At Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC, we help victims file insurance claims and lawsuits against those who caused them harm. Contact us for a free consultation to learn more about your options. 

Oregon Wildfire Resources

To immediately access the resources at any point on this page, click the corresponding links below.

Why Choose Our Wildfire Attorneys?
What Causes Wildfires?
Injuries & Damages Associated With Wildfires
What is Disaster Unemployment Assistance?
Why Hire an Experienced Wildfire Lawyer?
Cataloging Fire Damage to a Home or Property
Potential Damages in a Wildfire Claim
Oregon Wildfire Wrongful Death Claims
What is the Statute of Limitations for a Wildfire Claim?
Cost of a Wildfire Attorney
Protecting Yourself & Your Property From Wildfires
Speak to a Lawyer Today

Why Choose Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC for Wildfire Litigation?

At Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC, we offer superior legal representation to those suffering after a wildfire event. 

• With over 50 years of combined legal experience, we pride ourselves on our reputation as top-notch personal injury lawyers. 
• We identify all negligent parties in your case and hold them accountable, seeking the maximum compensation.
• We ease your financial burden during the challenging time after a wildfire by accepting cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay us no legal fees unless we win.

What Causes Wildfires in Oregon?

Wildfires may result from natural causes such as lightning strikes, but the vast majority are caused by humans. The National Park Service reports that between 85% and 90% of wildfires result from negligence. These fires need three elements to grow into devastating events:

• Heat: Campfires, electrical wires, and stray embers can ignite a wildfire. Failure to take proper precautions can be all it takes to start a catastrophe.
• Fuel: When lack of rain and high temps combine, vegetation and fallen limbs can become bone dry, fueling a stray spark into a raging fire.
• Oxygen: Strong gusting winds push oxygen into small fires, triggering large burn events. Embers can travel for miles, causing the flames to truly “spread like wildfire.”

Critical land areas used for grazing, agriculture, or public recreation can be consumed in mere days. Additionally, homes and farms are often destroyed, and lives are lost when a wildfire starts and cannot be controlled. 

When you have suffered misery like this, you need a compassionate and skilled Oregon wildfire lawyer to help you understand what to do next. 

Injuries & Damages Associated With Wildfires

In addition to destroying land and buildings, wildfires interfere with communications, supply lines, and utilities. People can lose power and water service, leaving them stranded and unable to prepare their homes. Air quality is reduced, leading to inhalation illnesses many miles away from the actual fire.

When the cause of a fire can be traced to a specific individual or company, you may be able to file an insurance claim or initiate a lawsuit against them to recover your losses due to their actions. Part of your claim will include a list of your damages, such as:

Property Damage

For most people, the loss of their homes is overwhelming. Wildfires often burn so hotly that they leave nothing behind. Even if only part of your property is destroyed, you can still seek financial relief for repairs or replacement. Common damage claims include:

• Damage from melting or a roof collapse
• Damage to crops, landscaping, and trees
• Damage to farming sheds, barns, and fencing
• Loss of livestock, pets, or other animals
• Loss of personal possessions
• Loss or partial destruction of a family home
• Melting
• Mold and wood rot resulting from firefighting activities
• Plumbing, electrical, and water damage
• Smoke and ash damage

Lost Income and Business Earnings 

If you cannot work because your home was destroyed, you deserve compensation for your lost wages and benefits. You may lose career advancement opportunities while you are putting your life back together, leading to a reduced earning capacity that must be repaid. Your earnings and livelihood could be at stake if you run a farm or livestock business affected by the fire. 

Homeowner’s insurance can often assist with living expenses while you relocate and rebuild, but your policy will not cover many other losses. This is when having a qualified wildfire attorney in Oregon helps you handle all the insurance and legal complexities so you can focus on what matters most: taking care of yourself and your family. 

Physical Injuries

You may have significant medical bills if you and your family did not evacuate in time to avoid physical injury. Even being near a fire can lead to respiratory problems that can be life-threatening for certain individuals. Our attorneys have handled cases where the victims suffered injuries such as:

• Amputation or loss of a limb from burns
• Complications from treatment or infections
• Concussion injuries from explosions
• Eye and ear injuries
• Permanent disability
• Puncture wounds from flying debris
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Second- and third-degree burns
• Smoke-related injuries
• Respiratory system damage

Your wildfire attorney will have the experience to help you consider all your past, current, and future treatment costs. You should not face a financial crisis from medical debt because you need surgeries, nursing care, physical therapy, and disability accommodation after your initial medical care. 

Pain and Suffering

Along with the physical pain, you and your loved ones may suffer significant emotional damage and mental anguish after surviving a wildfire. Many people feel they cannot ask for compensation for their intangible suffering, but you are entitled to seek relief for how your life has been impacted by another’s negligence.

You may find yourself suffering some or all of these conditions:

• Chronic pain
• Depression and anxiety
• Grief over the loss of loved ones, your home, or pets
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Loss of intimacy with your spouse or partner
• Loss of vision or hearing
• Permanent disability or disfigurement
• Physical pain and discomfort
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Sleep disorders

What is Disaster Unemployment Assistance?

Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is a FEMA program that pays benefits for those affected by a major disaster, as declared by the President. To qualify, you must have lost your job or be unable to reach your workplace as a direct result of the disaster. 

You can also qualify if you are now the breadwinner in your family due to the death of your head of household from the fire. Finally, if you are injured as a direct result of the fire, you can receive benefits from this program. 

Why Hire an Experienced Oregon Wildfire Lawyer?

At Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC, we have developed valuable experience managing personal injury cases for people just like you. We understand the laws and precedents governing wildfire cases and are seasoned trial lawyers. Our team does not back down from holding large companies accountable when their carelessness brings misery to others.

We connect you with medical, construction, and fire experts to correctly assess your injuries and damage, allowing you to understand the full extent of your losses. We then gather and analyze all relevant evidence to determine your compensation demands. With robust documentation and a compelling narrative, we tenaciously pursue all avenues for financial restitution on your behalf.

How to Catalog Fire Damage to Your Home or Property

Presenting a strong case for compensation relies on having abundant documentation and evidence. Your wildfire lawyer in Oregon will make use of these materials in addition to sources they can access as officers of the court.

After a fire, take these actions to catalog the fire damage to your home and property:

• Make a list of your valuables: Keeping a list of valuable items is a smart move against fire damage, burglary, or other losses. 
• Photograph everything: Along with a list, photographs of your items before a disaster can reflect their value. Take photos from different angles to capture all of your home and other property, and enable timestamps.
• Take new pictures after the fire: As much as possible, recreate your pictures to show the damage. Include timestamps again, and you will have a collection of before-and-after evidence to support your claim. 
• Find comparable items to show replacement value: Searching through websites or acquiring letters of provenance for your items or similar ones can help you document their replacement value.
• Consult with your attorney: Insurance providers are not interested in paying you what you deserve. Your lawyer can advise you on how to work with them or negotiate for you to ensure you are not treated unfairly. 

Potential Damages in an Oregon Wildfire Claim

Under Oregon law, you are entitled to recover damages after a wildfire. These can include your property losses, medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, rebuilding and repair costs for buildings, and emotional distress. You can also ask for replacement costs for crops, equipment, and livestock or any other damages you suffered when your business was destroyed.

For wildfires, you are eligible to recover your full amount of economic damages (those with a fixed price) when you file a lawsuit or insurance claim if the fire was not a result of someone’s negligence or intentional act. However, if your losses result from a wildfire where someone was charged with gross negligence, willfulness, or malice, you can receive twice the amount of your economic and property damages.  

Oregon Wildfire Wrongful Death Claims

When the worst happens, and you lose a loved one to a wildfire, you must deal with this grief on top of your other tragedies. While no amount of money can bring them back, you can seek certain damages in a Portland wrongful death claim, including:

• Burial and funeral costs
• Compensation for the deceased’s income, insurance, and other benefits
• Loss of the loved one’s care, love, and companionship
• Loss of consortium
• Lost value of household services
• Medical expenses before they died
• Property loss
• Your loved one’s pain and suffering before they passed
• Your personal grief and mental anguish

When your loved one was the family’s main source of income, you do not deserve to suffer the fear of losing your home and future. Our Oregon wildfire attorneys will fight for every penny of what you deserve so you and your family can move forward with peace of mind. You deserve justice and closure to continue your life without the deceased.

What is the Statute of Limitations for a Wildfire Claim?

The statute of limitations in Oregon for personal injury cases is only two years from the date of injury. This means you have a very short time to collect evidence, determine liability, and file your lawsuit after the fire. If you do not do so within the timeline, you could lose your chance to seek compensation.

With wildfires, however, the extenuating circumstances may affect your ability to file. It is best to rely on the services and advice of a skilled Portland personal injury attorney who works with cases related to wildfires. 

How Much Does an Oregon Wildfire Attorney Cost?

When you have lost everything in a wildfire, you may question whether you have the resources to hire an attorney to help you. During your initial free consultation, we will determine the merit and potential of your case. When you become a client, we work on a contingency fee basis, meaning our fees are paid as a percentage of your settlement or jury award.

This gives you the security of trustworthy legal assistance without paying a large retainer upfront. We only get paid when we win for you. 

Steps to Take to Protect Yourself & Your Property From Wildfires

While you cannot protect against every disaster, there are critical steps you can take to secure yourself and your home from wildfire damage:

• Be prepared: Creating a defensible perimeter, collecting emergency supplies, and planning an evacuation route before a fire can keep you from being caught off-guard. 
• Stay aware: Watch local news for updates on the fire’s progress and be ready to leave quickly.
• Leave early: Get out early to protect your life and keep the roads free from congestion. 

Speak to an Experienced Oregon Wildfire Attorney Today

Dealing with the aftermath of a damaging and deadly firestorm does not have to ruin your life when you work with an experienced Oregon wildfire attorney. At Paulson Coletti Trial Attorneys PC, we have won millions in jury awards and settlements for our clients.

We are ready to listen to your story and help you recover physically, emotionally, and financially. Do not wait to contact us and schedule a free initial case evaluation to understand your rights and options for compensation. Use our convenient online form to speak with an attorney today.