Texas Fire Damage Claim Attorney

Having a fire at your home can be an extremely stressful event. Items not damaged by the fire can still be ruined by smoke or could be soggy with water used to put out the fire. Anything you can salvage will probably still require careful cleaning. There may be broken windows or holes cut in the roof by firefighters as they try to save your home. Fires can be damaging to your health and the health of your family as well. Fire ash can irritate the skin, nose, and throat, causing nosebleeds and chronic coughs. Fine particles from the ash can be inhaled deeply into the lungs, aggravating conditions like asthma, and making breathing difficult. Fire damage restoration can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months; while minor damage may only take a couple of weeks, extensive damage can take as long as a year. Since you want to move back into your home and begin rebuilding your life, it is hoped that your insurance company will cooperate, helping you get your life back on track as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Insurance companies may delay your settlement, stretching out the time you are not in your own home. The insurance company can also deny your claim altogether or offer you an amount that won’t begin to repair all the damage. At a time when you and your family are already displaced and distressed, a recalcitrant insurance company can compound your devastation. Having an experienced Texas fire damage claim attorney from Gulf Coast Insurance Attorneys can make a significant difference in the outcome of your home fire.  

How Do Home Fires Often Start?

According to State Farm, there were 356,500 home fires in the United States in 2020. The number one cause of home fires is cooking, followed by faulty heating systems, hazardous electrical systems and lighting, intentional fires, and smoking. Cooking fires often occur when forgotten food is left simmering on the stove, or when there are things near the stove that can catch on fire (oven mitts, wooden utensils, curtains, or food packaging). 

Older space heaters that don’t turn off automatically when tipped over or overheated are the second most common cause of home fires, along with chimneys that have not been cleaned and inspected, fireplaces without a screen, older furnaces, and flammable liquids used to start fires in wood stoves or fireplaces left close to the fire. 

Homes that are older are more likely to have faulty wiring that can inadvertently start a home fire. Arc faults are the result of an electrical short that produces hot sparks that start a fire. An arc can also occur in a frayed extension cord or an appliance cord. Power surges can also damage appliances, resulting in a home fire.  Warning signs of faulty wiring include discoloration around electrical outlets, lights that flicker, a burning odor, and blown fuses. 

People who smoke inside—and particularly those who smoke in bed—are at a higher risk of a home fire. When a cigarette is not out all the way, it can start a fire, and smoking cigarettes around medical oxygen is never a good idea—even when the oxygen is turned off, it can catch on fire. Around the holidays, Christmas trees are another cause of home fires. When the lights on the tree are left on, the dry pine needles can catch on fire while the family sleeps, causing a potentially deadly fire.