Personal Injury Lawyers Must Think Twice Before Taking on Fire Claim

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This week, I was one of many attorneys who received an e-mail from Richard Alexander, a very accomplished and knowledgeable personal injury attorney in San Jose. The subject of Alexander's e-mail was very relevant especially at this time when the wildfires that have ravaged Southern California are subsiding and people affected by the fire are starting to look for adjusters and attorneys to help file claims and rebuild their lives.

Here's the crux of Alexander's advice to personal injury attorneys. If you don't know much about what it takes to handle a fire claim, don't touch it. Sure, it is natural for us personal injury lawyers to want to go the rescue of those in need. We are natural consumer advocates. But Alexander rightly warns us about the pitfalls that are involved in handling fire claims, especially when we do not have the depth of knowledge, experience or expertise to get into these issues.

Here's his main advice on the matter: "If you don't have experience and clearly do not know how much work it is to process a property damage claim, the last thing anyone should do is take on a fire damage case on a pro bono basis. You are looking at a major tar baby. Don't doubt that for a minute."

If someone came to me about one of these cases, I'd surely get Richard Alexander on my side. Depending upon the cirmstances I'd ask himi to partner it with our firm or refer the case off to him.

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