Fire Loss Claims

Insurance Attorneys Representing Victims in Detroit and Beyond

Fires may cause serious property damage, as well as injuries or even death. Although you may have purchased insurance specifically to guard against the possibility of losses due to a fire, insurers are often more concerned with their bottom line and protecting profits than making sure that you receive the benefits to which you may be entitled. A personal injury attorney may be critical in protecting your rights. At Feldheim & Wilenkin, our Detroit fire loss claim lawyers can help you bring a claim, whether it involves property loss, personal injuries, or death.

Fire Loss Claims

Often, fire loss claims are covered by a homeowner’s or business policy. The homeowner’s policy is purchased for accidental losses. In most cases, the fire loss will be covered, even if there is some negligence on the part of a homeowner. Unless you purposely set the fire, which is arson, your property losses and injuries should be covered.

However, some homeowners or business owners erroneously believe that their insurers will determine the total amount of the loss, and damages will be paid automatically. To the contrary, as a claimant, you should properly document the total amount of your claim and submit the documentation to your insurer. These losses may include a building, personal property, business property, inventory, machinery, equipment, business interruption, additional living expenses, replacement costs, and actual cash value.

When fire restoration costs are at issue, an insurer is likely to send a cause and origin investigator to try to figure out the cause of the fire. They may ask you numerous questions or ask for a sworn statement. It is often a good idea to retain an insurance attorney to guide you through the claims process. An experienced attorney can retain accountants, appraisers, and public adjustors to make sure that the insurer understands the total amount to which you may be entitled.

An insurer may ask for an examination under oath, during which you will need to answer questions posed by your insurer’s attorney in front of a court reporter. You may need to submit certain requested documents, particularly financial records, at that time as well. You may need to answer questions about these documents. Sometimes these examinations last for hours, and you should have an experienced insurance lawyer represent you during this process.

If you suffer injuries or lose a loved one because of a fire, the cause of the fire may become crucial to your right to recovery. You may recover compensation from someone whose negligence was the cause of a fire that resulted in your injuries or a loved one’s death. What you need to prove varies depending on the context of the fire. For example, if you were staying as a guest at a hotel, the hotel failed to adequately maintain its electrical wiring, and you suffered burns during an electrical fire that reached your room, you might be able to bring a premises liability claim against the hotel and its insurer. You would need to establish that the hotel knew or should have known about the faulty or degraded wiring that resulted in the fire.

Consult a Fire Loss Claim Lawyer in Detroit

Insurance companies often retain attorneys with considerable experience with fire loss claims, including investigation techniques and methods for evaluating damages. If you need to bring a claim after a fire, you should be as well represented as the insurer adjusting your claim. The Detroit fire loss claim attorneys at Feldheim & Wilenkin represent people who suffer property damage as well as injuries throughout Southeast Michigan, including in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties. Call us at 248-737-0700 or contact us via our online form to schedule a free consultation. We are also available if you need a life insurance attorney or guidance in seeking other forms of benefits.