Wrongful Death Due to the Butte County Camp Fire

Losing a loved in a fire, such as the Butte County Camp Fire, can be devastating. It’s important to hold those who contributed to the disaster liable for their actions. The compassionate wrongful death attorneys at Demas Law Group understand what you are going through. We have helped thousands of families and individuals recover the full and fair compensation they deserve after losing loved ones in avoidable accidents.

Don’t try to cope with this loss on your own. If you have lost a loved one due to the Butte County Camp Fire, our lawyers can help. Schedule a free consultation with our wildfire litigation lawyers today. We will outline your options for demanding compensation that can help you move forward with your life.

Causes of Wrongful Death due to Wild Fire

• Smoke Inhalation – This is the leading cause of death due to fires. Smoke inhalation blocks oxygen from your lungs and also releases toxic chemicals into the body.
• Burn Injuries – Deaths resulting from burn injuries usually arise from complications, not the actual burn itself. These type of complications include shock, infection, organ failure, and respiratory problems. Death usually occurs within one week of the incident.

Wrongful Death Laws in California

California law provides certain relatives the right to recover compensation, or financial damages, through legal actions known as wrongful death claims.

Under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 377.60, surviving family members of an individual killed due to the negligent or wrongful actions of another may hold the responsible party(s) accountable for various damages. However, only specific beneficiaries of the deceased may be eligible to file a wrongful death claim. Those eligible, in order of priority, include:

• The deceased’s surviving spouse or domestic partner
• Children of the deceased
• Dependent stepchildren
• Dependent minors who lived in the deceased’s house for a minimum of six months before the injury that led to the deceased’s death occurred
• Dependent parents

If no survivor falls into any of the categories above, then under laws of intestate succession, the following potential heirs of the estate may be entitled to make a wrongful death claim:

A wrongful death victim’s personal representative can also bring a wrongful death action on behalf of the individuals listed above. A personal representative is someone appointed by the probate court to handle the wrongful death victim’s assets, or estate. When proceeds are received from the wrongful death lawsuit, they may be distributed by the personal representative according to the wrongful death statute.

It is not uncommon for multiple claimants to come forward in a California wrongful death case. Conversely, legal problems arise if there are multiple dependents or relatives entitled to bring a wrongful death claim but only one of them wants to do so.

Considering the diversity of family makeup today, it is beneficial to contact an experienced California wrongful death attorney if you have questions about your or your relatives’ rights in a potential claim. At Demas Law Group, our knowledgeable lawyers can assist you from the start to help prevent “in-fighting” and bad blood between members of the deceased’s extended family.

Get Help Now: Wrongful Death due to the Butte County Camp Fire

It is important to start work on a wrongful death investigation as soon as possible. The Butte County Camp Fire case is extremely complex and requires exceptional preparation to be successful. Consult with our experienced California wrongful death attorneys as soon as possible. Our California law firm can answer your questions explain your rights to compensation.