Palisades Fire claim eligibility

The Palisades Fire started in the dry and windy morning of January 7, 2025, and burned through hillside neighborhoods, affecting thousands of Palisades and Malibu residents. According to CAL Fire, it razed over 23,000 acres and damaged 6,000 structures in Los Angeles.

The death toll from the Eaton and the Palisades fire has reached 30, with 12 people dead from the Palisades Fire and 18 lives lost from the Eaton Fire. These January fires are the second-deadliest fire incident in history after the Camp Fire in 2018, which killed 85 people in Northern California.

Key areas impacted by the Palisades Fire: 

• Pacific Palisades, with a population of about 23,159
• Eastern Malibu, including Big Rock and Carbon Canyon
• Residents left their homes as fires threatened Brentwood and the San Fernando Valley
• Topanga neighborhood and beach in Los Angeles County
• Santa Ynez Reservoir, Santa Barbara County’s major water supply source

What caused the Palisades Fire

A combination of human activity, drought, and wind makes an environment that’s prone to wildfire. Weather conditions were volatile on the day of the Palisade Fire, with peak wind gusts over 60 mph and relative humidity down to 10%. While the cause of the Palisades Fire has not been officially identified, many theories have been brought up. These include theories that arsonists started the fire, or that a New Year’s Day blaze reignited it a few days later.  

One of the most serious allegations is that a power line caused a second wave of fire, prompting lawsuits from residents against the City of Los Angeles and its public utility agency.

Palisades fire victims file lawsuits against the city

At least 18 residents, including former Iowa Hawkeyes basketball player Kevin Boyle, filed a lawsuit against the City of Los Angeles in March 2025 for the Department of Water and Power (LADWP)’s role in starting the fire and halting firefighting operations due to a lack of water supply. The complaint alleged that one of LADWP’s power lines ignited the fire. The department previously stated that it had been “de-energized” for years, but later admitted that it was energized when the Palisades Fire started.

Earlier, on January 13, a lawsuit had already been filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court claiming that the city should have maintained the water supply in the Santa Ynez Reservoir. The reservoir could hold 117 million gallons of water, but it had stayed empty since 2024, according to the complaint. On April 15, dozens of senior citizens, seeking compensation for property damages, filed a complaint against the city for keeping lines energized despite windy conditions and failing to keep fire hydrants operational.

How to file a Palisades Fire claim: eligibility and requirements

If you suffered damages from the Palisades Fire, inform your insurance company immediately. You may qualify for a claim if the Palisades Fire negatively affected you through the following:

• Property damage (your residence or rental unit)
• Personal injury, including medical expenses, or wrongful death
• Business loss or inventory damage
• Evacuations and displacement costs (including additional living expenses)
• Pet or livestock harm
• Agricultural land damage
• Vehicle damage

Steps to ensure a smooth Eaton Fire claim process

1. Document the extent of the damages, including hidden damages caused by water, smoke, and ash.

• Keep a list of all the properties and items affected, including photos and videos for evidence.

2. Notify your insurance provider of your situation as soon as possible.

3. Track all expenses, including everything you have spent or lost when you evacuated or returned to your damaged home. Keep the receipts, especially of the following:

• Temporary lodging while your home is lost or damaged
• Meals and medical expenses
• Costs incurred when you evacuated
• Lost business income or wages

4. Keep all records of communication.

• Save a copy of all warnings, emails, texts, and letters received from the LA officials, insurance companies, investigators, and adjusters. Include cost assessments and quotations from contractors if you are having your home repaired.

5. Seek a lawyer to help you file an insurance claim or lawsuit.

• Atraxia Law can help you find an attorney after we evaluate your case and assess your eligibility.

Some wildfire survivors reported receiving low settlement offers and being denied certain damages to their property. If you are covered by the state’s last-resort insurer for high-risk areas, the California FAIR Plan, you may experience any of the following, as reported by victims of both the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire: 

• Denying claims for smoke and ash damages
• Delaying home inspections
• Refusing to cover all repair costs
• Misclassifying fire-related damage as non-permanent

Having a skilled attorney to represent you ensures that you stay protected from insurance bad faith while negotiating over claims and compensation. We can evaluate your case, assess your eligibility, and connect you with an attorney to study all levels of coverage you can get.

How much compensation can you get for Palisades Fire damages?

According to Accuweather, the estimated damage and economic loss from the January wildfires is around $250 billion. Insurance firms have already paid at least $4 billion by the end of January 2025, based on an estimate by the Insurance Journal. The actual compensation for victims would differ depending on damages, but this generally should include the following:

• wrongful death
• medical expenses and treatment for personal injury
• emotional distress
• loss of crops
• business loss
• lost wages
• evacuation costs (including temporary housing)
• land value depreciation
• harm to pets or livestock
• damage to trees, underwood, or timber
• the expenses incurred to repair your home (including smoke and ash damage)
• additional living expenses if the home remains uninhabitable

Palisades Fire claims statute of limitations

Wildfire victims may have 30 days to two years to file an insurance claim, depending on state laws and insurer policies. In California, wildfire victims usually have one (1) year to file an insurance claim. Lawsuits have more complicated deadlines, especially in the case of the Palisades Fire, where government-related suits are being filed. These are the deadlines for filing different types of lawsuits under California law:

• Personal injury: two (2) years from the date of injury (or death of a family member)
• Property damage: three (3) years from the date the damage occurred
• California government actor: six (6) months from the date of injury; a written claim must be filed before filing a lawsuit.
• Federal government actor under the Federal Torts Claim Act: two (2) years from the date of the incident; a pre-litigation claim must be filed before suing

Atraxia Law can help you in filing your Palisades Fire claim

If you suffered injuries and property damages in the 2025 Palisades Fire, Atraxia Law can help you through these filing deadlines. We evaluate wildfire cases and determine your eligibility for claims, then we connect you with a lawyer to represent you in pursuing compensation for all fire damages. Contact us today to get your free case evaluation.