How To File Your Claim

Bringing a claim against a major corporation such as PG&E might sound complicated and expensive. At our law firm, our mission is to protect your legal rights and minimize these burdens. Below are the simple steps to follow if you wish to pursue compensation for your wildfire losses.

Step-By-Step Guide: Your PG&E Wildfire Claim

1. The first step in pursuing your claim is to obtain an initial case review from a knowledgeable attorney. Our lawyers have over 25 years’ experience in complex mass tort cases and provide legal consultations at no cost.
2. If and when retained, your attorney will review records to confirm that your property damage, business losses, personal injuries, and all other legal damages are properly documented. Depending on the complexity of your case, your attorney might enlist experts at this stage to further substantiate your damage claims.
3. Following your damages workup, your attorney will advise you on the appropriate legal strategy for your case. As of January 2019, wildfire claims will now proceed through the bankruptcy court as part of PG&E’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Your attorney will prepare all the necessary filings for your case and work to maximize the recovery on your claim.
4. As the bankruptcy proceedings continue, you are not likely to experience significant demands on your time. Your lawyer will have the information needed to carry your claim forward and will keep you informed of all developments in the case.
5. Most claims will not proceed to a jury trial. The majority of wildfire claims will be resolved as part of PG&E’s overall plan of reorganization, which the bankruptcy court must approve. Following plan confirmation, the process of allocating funds to individual wildfire claimants will take place. You and your lawyer will review any settlement offers together and decide whether to accept or appeal the amount allocated for your claim.
6. In the rare event your case goes to trial, your attorney will discuss in detail what additional actions may be required of you.
7. At no time will you be required to pay out-of-pocket legal fees or expenses. Our firm represents clients on a no-fee, contingency basis. This means our fees and costs are recovered only as a percentage of any favorable result we achieve at the end of your case.

Our attorneys can answer additional questions about the litigation process and the PG&E bankruptcy during a free phone consultation.

Be Aware of Time Limits

As part of the bankruptcy proceedings, the court will announce a bar date for wildfire claims against PG&E. Once the bar date passes, no further claims may be included in the proceeding or compensated. This deadline is often shorter in bankruptcy than the statute of limitations period in civil court. Accordingly, we encourage you to consult an attorney in a timely manner to understand your legal rights and begin preparing your claim. Reach our office at (707) 757-7610 or through our brief online form at any time to get started.