The recent Palisades fires have caused widespread devastation, leaving homeowners and businesses facing significant property loss. If you have suffered damages, understanding your legal rights is essential to securing the compensation you may be entitled to. You are not alone and understanding your rights and legal options is critical to getting your lives back to some semblance of normalcy.  Many wildfires in California, including this one, have been linked to negligence by public agencies, Cities, States, utility companies, corporations, or other entities, meaning you may have legal options to recover for your losses.

You’re Not Alone

The Palisades fire devastated the Westside community, leaving families and businesses with property loss and financial hardship. As a Westside firm, we are here to help.

Many people ask us:

  • “Can I seek compensation for partial home loss or just smoke damage?”
  • “Is it really possible to sue against LADWP? I heard that you can’t.”
  • “If I have insurance, can I still pursue legal action? Should I still pursue legal action?”

The short answer to all these questions is yes. You have options and we can explain what they are.

Who We Are

We, at Munck Wilson Mandala are a nationwide firm with an award-winning litigation practice. We have unique experience handling community wide, large scale, catastrophic loss cases that include claims against Cities, public agencies, and utility Companies. 

The Firm’s large property subrogation section deals almost exclusively with fire claims. Combined our team has over 100 years legal experience between with fire damage litigation.  We know how to follow proper guidelines for fire investigations and vigorously pursue recoveries from parties responsible for fire damage throughout the country.   We work with top expert witnesses for all phases of our cases.

Munck Wilson Mandala is one of a few go to firms for major insurance companies including AIG and Travelers Insurance, to recover on large loss matters.  Our experience includes, represented clients in the Bastrop wildfire near Austin Texas, for claims against the utility company and its tree trimming contractor for failing to maintain the power lines. Likewise, we were appointed to represent a major insurer for losses it paid out arising from the ERCOT grid failure in 2021. We brought suit in that case against power generating companies for failing to properly winterize their lines and equipment, which caused outages killing hundreds of people and damaged billions of dollars in property. We also litigate claims against municipalities, to include Garden City Michigan, for damages arising out of its defective sewer system. And we have pursued and successfully recovered for losses arising from natural disasters such as hurricanes and establishing that our damage claims were caused by a party’s negligence as opposed to the Act of God.

How We Can Help

Our experienced legal team is committed to helping homeowners and businesses navigate the legal landscape by:

  • Investigating the cause of the fire – We collaborate with industry experts to determine liability, whether it be negligence, improper maintenance, or failure to act by a government agency or private entity.
  • Filing compensation claims – We pursue financial recovery for property damage, loss of use, and additional costs incurred due to the fire.
  • Navigating legal processes – Our extensive experience dealing with municipalities, insurance companies, and other involved parties ensures that your claims are handled efficiently and fairly.
  • Advocating for your rights – We understand the challenges homeowners and businesses face after a disaster and are committed to fighting for a fair resolution.

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has been impacted by the Palisades fires and are unsure about your next steps, we encourage you to reach out for a consultation. Our team of attorneys is here to provide guidance, answer your questions, and help you understand your rights.