Smoke Damage

Throughout California, wildfires are destroying homes, rental property, businesses, and vehicles. While we all know how devastating wildfires can be in California, you don’t often hear about the damage the smoke from those wildfires can do.

Smoke Damage

All of our initial consultations are 100% FREE & Confidential. Fill out this form to request a FREE Consultation.

By submitting this form, you consent to being contacted by The Wildfire Lawyers via phone, text, or email.

Smoke Damage

Enormous clouds of smoke can swallow up entire cities, towns, and homes and may cause health problems to you, your family and friends, your animals, and vegetation. Additionally, smoke can also cause extensive damage to homes, businesses, rental properties, and vehicles.

It’s important to remember that many of the California wildfires are not accidents or an act of nature. Most wildfires are caused due to negligence from power companies, campers, and contractors who are incompetent. If you have suffered damages due to smoke damage, you can hold these negligent people or business accountable for the damage caused to you and your personal property.

The Sargent Law Firm can assist you in navigating through the process of collecting those damages and how to make these types of claims.

personal-property-damage-in-a-california-wildfire

CALIFORNIA SMOKE DAMAGE FROM WILDFIRES

If you live in an area where the wildfire has caused damage to your home, business, vehicle, and rental property and you have suffered a total loss, there’s probable cause to believe that your personal property has also suffered severe smoke damage as well. Keep in mind that smoke damage can occur even in an area the fire didn’t touch.

Smoke from the wildfires is comprised of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, ash, and a multitude of possible chemicals, depending on what material is being burned. In a raging fire, smoke travels faster than gases because it contains ash and carbon monoxide. Additionally, it adheres to anything it makes contact with. Cleaning smoke off almost anything is extremely difficult and generally permanently damages anything it has contact with.

Your home, rental property, and/or business is especially vulnerable to smoke damage because of their layouts. Hallways and catwalks make it easy for the smoke to travel uninhibited through your home, and air conditioners assist the smoke in spreading even faster.

To properly assess how the smoke damage, you have due to a California wildfire, you will need to document all the places the smoke penetrated your home, rental property, or business. If the temperature is warmer around the wildfires, the heat from the fire will make the gas rise, and the hot smoke can be pulled by the colder air in your air conditioner bring the smoke into the coolest part of the structure.

Because smoke particles are positively charged, they are attracted to metal and some synthetic materials which is explains why smoke can cause extensive damage. Carpets, rugs, and other material made of cloth are particularly vulnerable to smoke damage.

Did You Home Incur Smoke Damage? - CALL TODAY!

FREE CONSULTATION

FILING SMOKE DAMAGE CLAIMS WITH CALIFORNIA INSURANCE COMPANIES

While most California homeowner’s insurance policies include some kind of smoke damage coverage, it’s important that you make sure it does. However, there can still be issues when you go to file a claim for smoke damage.

One of the most important items is to get your homeowner’s insurance company to pay for the total losses due to the smoke damage, and for any cleaning/restoration costs that are associated with both the smoke and the fire.

It’s important to note, that most California homeowner’s insurance companies are going to be much more open to cleaning/restoration than total replacement. Disputes may arise when your insurance company says an item can be cleaned rather than replaced.

There are steps you can take to reduce the damages as soon as they occur. This includes:

Turn off your central air and heating systems to stop any trapped smoke from going elsewhere in your home.

Open the windows and run any fans toward the windows to help chase out the smoke that’s in your house.

Walk through your home, business, or rental property and document anything that has smoke damage. The more you can document, the easier your claim may be. Be sure to be in contact with a California attorney who has the knowledge and experience to litigate your smoke and fire damage.

Smoke damage can cause thousands of dollars in claims and remember that just because your home didn’t get burned, doesn’t mean it didn’t suffer smoke damage.

personal-property-on-business-policy-california

Just Because You Didn't Get Burned Doesn't Mean You Didn't Suffer Smoke Damage

Call Attorney Ryan Sargent Today

When your California homeowner’s insurance company doesn’t agree to replace or clean your personal belongings, the attorneys at Sargent Law Firm can help. They have the skill necessary to litigate your fire and smoke damage anywhere in California. Your first consultation is free, and, as always, there’s no obligation.

Contact Us

Free Case Review

All of our initial consultations are 100% FREE & Confidential. Fill out this form to request a FREE Consultation.

By submitting this form, you consent to being contacted by The Wildfire Lawyers via phone, text, or email. 888.501.6083