How a class action works, and what it means for you.

One lawsuit brought by a few people on behalf of everyone harmed the same way by the same defendant. Instead of 50,000 separate cases, the court handles one, and the result, a verdict or a settlement, applies to the whole class. It exists so that people whose individual losses would never justify a lawsuit on their own still get paid.

No. We work on contingency: the firm advances the costs of the case, and our fee comes out of the recovery at the end, subject to court approval. If there is no recovery, you owe nothing.

You still have a claim. Evacuation costs, lost wages, the days your business was closed, and the experience of being ordered out of your own home are all compensable. Class actions are built for exactly these claims.

Yes. Insurance pays what the policy covers, then the insurer goes after the company itself. Your claim against the company is for what the policy did not cover: the deductible, the underinsured difference, contents, loss of use, emotional distress. That is usually substantial.

Not before a lawyer reads the paperwork. Direct-payment programs run by the defendant are voluntary, are designed to limit the company's exposure, and almost always require you to give up your right to sue. Sometimes they are a fair deal for a particular family. Often they are not. We will tell you plainly which it is.

Longer than anyone wants. Large disaster cases commonly take two to four years to resolve, sometimes with partial settlements along the way. We will tell you where the case stands whenever you ask, and we will not hold your claim hostage to a bigger one.

Most class members never set foot in a courtroom. The named plaintiffs and a small number of witnesses carry the case. If your testimony matters, we will prepare you for it and be beside you.

Everything. Photos and video of damage, smoke, ash, pests or odor. Receipts for hotels, food, gas, repairs and cleaning. Medical records and doctors' notes. Pay stubs or business records showing lost income. Insurance correspondence. Anything the company or the government sent you.

California generally allows two years for injury claims and three for property damage, counted from the event. But insurance, government claims and defendant-run programs can have deadlines of months. The safe answer is: contact us now, and we will tell you which clocks are running on your claim.