The McKinney Fire in Siskiyou County, CA, began in July 2022. The fire resulted in multiple deaths and destroyed hundreds of private homes. Fire evacuation orders disrupted the lives of thousands of Californians.
An investigation into the McKinney Fire has shown that poorly maintained infrastructure owned by electric utility company PacifiCorp likely caused the fire.
If the McKinney Fire has impacted your life, you may be eligible for compensation.
Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, LLP, has managed thousands of wildfire claims, successfully gaining compensation for clients impacted by avoidable wildfires in California. We can identify the amount of money your damages qualify you for and pursue compensation on your behalf.
Contact the wildfire attorneys at Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, LLP, today to learn more about McKinney Fire compensation.
Victims of the McKinney Fire Can Recover Fire Damage Losses
Victims impacted by the McKinney Fire may be eligible for compensation. Upon completion of the investigation, the party responsible for the fire can be held accountable for both financial and non-financial losses caused by the destruction.
Both business owners and homeowners can file claims for properties lost in the fire. Even if the McKinney Fire did not destroy your home, you might recover compensation for loss of income.
When the victims of a preventable wildfire take legal action with the help of a wildfire lawyer, they can receive fair compensation for their suffering. They also help to prevent similar tragedies from impacting others.
Fire damage lawsuits hold companies accountable for negligent business practices that kill or injure innocent victims and destroy their properties.
How Our Wildfire Lawyers Can Help You
The wildfire lawyers at Reiner, Slaughter , & Frankel know what steps to take to thoroughly and successfully take on a wildfire claim. Our legal team begins with an independent investigation into what you and your family lost in the fire.
Independent investigation is one of the many benefits of working with a wildfire lawyer. In wildfire cases, we collect documentation and collaborate with parties like the police, firefighters, and the U.S. Forest Service.
We understand that your financial well-being hinges on the work of committed investigators to prove fault for the fire. Our team works tirelessly to uncover the evidence needed to hold the negligent party responsible.
Our wildfire attorneys also work with you to identify how the McKinney Fire caused damage to you and your loved ones. We consider all aspects of how a wildfire has impacted your finances and well-being to determine a target amount that compensates you fairly for the damages you’ve suffered.
Whether your compensation ultimately comes through an insurance settlement or a court verdict, our wildfire lawyers fight for your rights every step of the way.
Act Now
Although the official investigation is incomplete, victims may take action against PacifiCorp based on the current evidence.
Some victims of the McKinney Fire have already begun initiating legal action, and more should soon follow suit. Involving a wildfire attorney now has several benefits. Since the investigation is still ongoing, there is still much investigative work for an attorney to do that can help strengthen your claim.
It takes time for a wildfire lawyer to move through the steps of investigating the fire, assessing your losses, negotiating with insurance, and filing a fire damage lawsuit, if necessary. If the McKinney Fire has impacted you, begin the process of gaining compensation today by calling Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel.
If someone else is responsible for a fire that destroyed your home or business, we can help.
Fire damage lawsuits can not only help you recover your losses, but also make sure that the people responsible for starting the fire are held responsible. These lawsuits can force them to take preventative measures so other people don’t experience the same catastrophe in the future.
Compensation claims can include:
- Damage to your home
- Damage to your business property
- Damage to your ranch lands or equipment
- Business disruption
- Lost income or living expenses
- Emotional distress
- Personal injury
- Wrongful death
What Can We Do to Help You?
When Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel takes on a claim, we start with an investigation. We advance those costs, as well as litigation expenses.
Our experts will conduct their own independent investigation and will, when appropriate, work with police, the U.S. Forest Service, and firefighters to determine whether PG&E started the fire and if it resulted from the utility’s negligence.
We also evaluate how you and your family were impacted by the fire. We calculate your current losses and project your future losses the fire caused. With this information, we negotiate a fair settlement with the at-fault party.
We are trial lawyers, and while we make every effort to settle cases when doing so would be in the best interests of our clients, we always prepare to go to court. We find the best way to get a case to settle is to be prepared to go to trial. Should we come to an impasse because the at-fault party refuses to pay what is fair, we can take your case to a jury and prove exactly what compensation you deserve.
When you hire us as your lawyers, you do not pay us directly. We will never send you a bill or ask you to advance any costs associated with your case. You will only pay us a percentage of what we recover for you. If we cannot secure a settlement or judgment in your favor, you will owe us nothing.
What Caused the McKinney Fire?
The McKinney Fire damaged over 60,000 acres of land and over 200 buildings, many of which were family homes.
An investigation into the fire by NBC Bay Area found that the fire began below utility cables used by Pacific Power, a utility company owned by PacifiCorp. The investigators identified that PacifiCorp had not appropriately maintained its infrastructure. Sparks from the utility lines may have caused nearby vegetation to catch fire.
Weather conditions in late July and early August contributed to the destruction caused by the fire. It’s believed that heavy rain helped to slow the fire’s spread. However, the burnt area—called the “burn scar”—combined with the heavy rains led to landslides and flooding in impacted areas, furthering the damage.
Nearly 2,000 first responders were assigned to fight the McKinney Fire. The need for over 60 bulldozers, fire engines, and water tenders, along with the creation of fire-fighting structures, have led to considerable vegetation damage.
This vegetation damage puts the area at risk of subsequent erosion, flooding, and landslides due to the necessary efforts to stop the fire’s spread.
In recent years, authorities have blamed PacifiCorp infrastructure for two wildfires that led to death and destruction. The Oregon Labor Day Fires of 2020 killed nine people, damaged over 1,000 homes, and burnt over a million acres.An investigation into the fire found that oversight by PacifiCorp was likely the cause of the extensive destruction.
Ongoing Investigation in the McKinney Fire
Investigation into the cause of the McKinney Fire is currently still ongoing. Initial research shows that radio dispatches place the fire’s origin directly beneath a PacifiCorp-owned power line circuit that had been experiencing issues just hours before the fire began.
Although it may take time for an official investigation to formally place fault with the power company, these initial reports found few other reasonable causes for how the blaze began.
Let our team help you get the compensation you deserve:
Testimonials
“This is a great big “Thank You” to Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, and in particular to Mr. Russell Reiner for the excellence with which he and his staff handled my recent litigation. They made the process very clear and concise with all the support I needed to make the correct information available in a timely manner. The directions they gave me were succinct and easy to follow. All concerns were addressed without delay resulting in my case being resolved very efficiently and proficiently. I would not hesitate to again consult with Mr. Reiner should I have any future legal concerns.”
- Deborah
“I would recommend this law firm to anyone who needs legal representation. [They] did an amazing job at being there to guide me, answering all of my questions and informing me of each step along the way of what to expect. April and her staff always responded to me in a quick timely manner if I had any questions…
Whether your case is big or small, [they] take care of you and looks out for your best interest. I love this law firm and would trust them with any case that comes their way.”
- Amanda H.
“Russ Reiner and his team did a great job! One reason that we picked Russ Reiner is because he is local. As local business owners, it was important to us to have a local guy represent us. Their staff was always available, provided a shoulder to cry on and kept in contact. We had never been involved in a lawsuit but had no worries as we knew we were in good hands.” –
- Suzanne B.
“Mr. Reiner and his team were extremely patient and kind with us. They explained everything twice if needed and went above and beyond what was required of an attorney. They made a very difficult situation bearable, handling parts of our case they normally don’t. They didn’t have to do that. If we ever needed an attorney again we’d definitely use them and definitely recommended then to others.”
- Janet C.
How we can help you:
- We advance all costs necessary to investigate and litigate our client’s case.
- We rely on our team of medical and investigative experts to work with the authorities and conduct additional investigations to determine if the fire was, in fact, caused by the negligent acts of a person or entity.
- We gather evidence to show how the at-fault party acted negligently, and how that carelessness led to the fire.
- We gather evidence of the losses our client has already faced, and we demonstrate, through economic projections, the loss in profit or income our client and their family will suffer as a result of the fire damage.
- We present this evidence to the at-fault party. We then attempt to negotiate a fair resolution that takes into consideration all of the ways our client’s life has been impacted.
- If the at-fault party does not accept our demand, we refuse to settle for less than what our client’s case is worth. We use our team of experts and our skill as trial lawyers to prove to a jury exactly why our clients deserve full compensation for their losses.
- Our clients only pay us if we win.
Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel is Here for You
When Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel takes on a claim, we start with an investigation. We advance those costs, as well as litigation expenses.
Our experts will conduct their own independent investigation and will, when appropriate, work with police, the U.S. Forest Service, and firefighters to determine whether PG&E started the fire and if it resulted from the utility’s negligence.
We also evaluate how you and your family were impacted by the fire. We calculate your current losses and project your future losses the fire caused. With this information, we negotiate a fair settlement with the at-fault party.
We are trial lawyers, and while we make every effort to settle cases when doing so would be in the best interests of our clients, we always prepare to go to court. We find the best way to get a case to settle is to be prepared to go to trial. Should we come to an impasse because the at-fault party refuses to pay what is fair, we can take your case to a jury and prove exactly what compensation you deserve.
When you hire us as your lawyers, you do not pay us directly. We will never send you a bill or ask you to advance any costs associated with your case. You will only pay us a percentage of what we recover for you. If we cannot secure a settlement or judgment in your favor, you will owe us nothing.
Using Evidence to Prove Negligence
California law has a strict procedure for holding a negligent party financially responsible for the damages caused by their actions. If the official investigation names PacifiCorp cable lines as the cause of the McKinney Fire, the steps for gaining compensation are straightforward.
Once we establish fault, our wildfire attorneys must show a direct line of causation between the fire and a victim’s losses.
Plaintiffs must prove that:
- The company acted negligently by not properly maintaining the cables
- This negligence resulted in the fire and the subsequent harm
- You suffered losses due to this negligence
- You can offer legal proof of your losses and sue for negligence
Proof of losses can take many forms, from medical bills to photos showing destroyed lands or structures and corresponding property appraisals.
Wildfire Claim Experience that Goes to Work for You
Wildfire claims are a specialized legal action. Building a solid case that holds up in court and maximizing your compensation require the expertise of experienced wildfire attorneys.
The wildfire lawyers at Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel have over 40 years of experience in the legal field of fire damage lawsuits. Our legal team knows how to effectively conduct independent investigations, build a case for maximum compensation, and represent our clients in insurance negotiations and court proceedings.
Our in-depth knowledge of local factors like the justice system, expert witnesses, and police lends your case credibility and respect in the eyes of the local courts.
A Wildfire Attorney Helps Prove What the McKinney Fire Cost You
Once authorities officially identify a company like PacifiCorp for a wildfire like the McKinney Fire, they must pay for the harm they caused. However, individual compensation values in a McKinney Fire claim can vary widely.
Successfully gaining compensation is achieved through the work of a wildfire attorney collecting as much detailed information as possible about how the fire impacted your finances and other areas of the life of a victim and their family members.
Damaged Homes
The McKinney Fire damaged around 200 structures, many of which were private residential homes. Additional homes suffered damage that is repairable but often costly.
Our wildfire attorneys can help you recover compensation for both homes and personal property lost in the McKinney Fire. We can also help victims recover reimbursements for the cost of necessary home repairs.
Lost Income
An estimated 2,000 Californians needed to evacuate their homes due to the McKinney Fire, which destroyed 200 structures. For many, this led to either a temporary or permanent loss of employment.
The McKinney Fire also resulted in multiple deaths and injuries. In these cases, the victims or their loved ones may be eligible to receive compensation for the loss of anticipated lifetime income when death or injury has impacted a victim’s ability to provide financially for dependents or other family members.
Business Losses
Many business owners were impacted financially by the McKinney Fire. Businesses lost in the fire are eligible for compensation. Some business owners may qualify for the loss of revenue caused by the fire.
Also, some evacuation-related expenses may be recoverable through proprietor-mandated evacuation under a company’s business interruption coverage.
Injuries
Personal injuries from an incident like the McKinney Fire include far more than immediate physical injuries like burns. Victims often sustain additional injuries while getting themselves, their loved ones, and their pets to a safe place.
However, fire-related injuries can appear over time as well. The toxic fumes inhaled while breathing smoke-filled air can lead to many physical problems related to heart and lung health, increasing the risk of life-threatening conditions like heart attack and stroke.
Wrongful Death
When a loved one dies in a wildfire, immediate loved ones such as a spouse, parent, or child can file a wrongful death claim seeking compensation for the premature loss of a loved one’s life.
Emotional Damages
Living through a wildfire, especially one that has taken the lives of other victims, can be a deeply traumatizing experience. Victims needed to evacuate their homes and abandon personal property. Many lost their homes forever, along with irreplaceable possessions.
In some cases, the trauma of a wildfire can lead to compensation for pain and suffering.
A Wildfire Lawyer Represents You in Insurance Negotiations and at Trial
Our team of wildfire attorneys goes to work to recover the compensation you deserve. We know how to negotiate with insurance companies to maximize the compensation value you’re eligible for under the policies of the parties involved.
When insurance cannot sufficiently reimburse your damages, our trial lawyers are ready and willing to take your case to trial. Not every law firm has the expertise to win a trial case. Still, the wildfire attorneys at Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel have the resources and experience it takes to produce successful trial verdicts for our clients.
Restoring Justice to Families Affected by the McKinney Fire Tragedy
Although the investigation is still underway, current evidence strongly suggests that tragic losses caused by the McKinney Fire were the preventable result of corporate oversight. When a company’s negligence causes death and destruction that impacts the well-being and livelihood of countless families, a wildfire attorney serves as an advocate for the victims.
No money can resolve the loss of life or emotional trauma caused by the McKinney Fire, but taking legal action can provide financial support to help victims in their time of loss. When loss of property, business assets, or income impacts a family’s finances, a wildfire lawyer can help see that you receive compensation for your losses.
Contacting a lawyer doesn’t just help you and your loved ones. When a company like PacifiCorp is held responsible for negligence and forced to pay for the damages it has caused, it is financially motivated to make the infrastructure and policy changes that can prevent such a tragedy from happening again to others.
If the McKinney Fire has impacted you, don’t hesitate to seek the compensation owed to you.
Representing families who have suffered losses due to wildfires is what we do.
Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, LLP, has obtained more than $600 million for our clients–including clients who have suffered losses in wildfires. We have built a reputation for handling the most complex and high-stakes personal injury lawsuits involving catastrophic injury, permanent disability, disfigurement, or wrongful death.
If you need our help, don’t hesitate to contact us. We won’t charge you for a confidential consultation, and we would be happy to discuss how to get the assistance you and your family need. Call us today at (530) 241-0290 or write to us using our contact page for your free case evaluation.
This is a great big "Thank You" to Reiner, Slaughter & Frankel, and in particular to Mr. Russell Reiner for the excellence with which he and his staff handled my recent litigation...All concerns were addressed without delay resulting in my case being resolved very efficiently and proficiently. I would not hesitate to again consult with Mr. Reiner should I have any future legal concerns.
~ Deborah
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