Burbank Wind and Earthquake Damage Lawyers Here for You
A damaged roof, shifting foundation or fallen tree can leave a Burbank household or business facing urgent repairs and uncertain insurance coverage. Our Burbank wind and earthquake damage lawyers can open the claim, review the applicable policies and handle the insurer from the first report through inspection, negotiation and any coverage dispute. You can contact Noravian Law Firm before a denial or payment offer.
Call 818-548-8000 for a free consultation about wind or earthquake damage to your home, rental property, business or belongings.
Wind and Earthquake Damage Trends in Burbank and Los Angeles County
Caltech’s Southern California Earthquake Data Center lists Burbank among the communities near the Verdugo Fault. Building design also matters: Burbank’s soft-story retrofit program addresses older wood-frame buildings with weak, open first floors. These sources explain local exposure, but neither establishes the cause or extent of damage at an individual property.
Wind presents a different set of insurance questions. Burbank Fire Department’s storm-preparation guidance explains that strong winds and saturated soil increase the risk of falling trees and branches. We document whether the loss involves impact damage, an opened roof, rain entering the building or another cause, because the sequence can affect which coverage applies.
Common Causes of Wind and Earthquake Damage in Burbank
Wind and earthquakes can damage a building, its contents and nearby structures in different ways. Examples include:
- Roof damage from high winds peeling back shingles or tiles on older Burbank homes
- Broken windows and damaged siding from flying debris during Santa Ana wind events
- Structural cracks in foundations, walls and ceilings after ground shaking
- Total or partial collapse of buildings during significant earthquakes
- Fallen trees or utility poles crashing into homes or vehicles throughout residential neighborhoods
- Fires sparked by broken gas lines following seismic events
- Water damage from rain entering wind-compromised roofs
Our lawyers investigate the cause, document the covered loss and pursue the benefits available under your own insurance policy.
What to Do After Suffering Wind or Earthquake Damage in Burbank
Taking immediate and strategic steps after property damage occurs can strengthen your claim and protect your financial recovery:
- Prioritize your safety and evacuate if necessary
- Call emergency services if there are immediate dangers like gas leaks or live wires
- Take photos or video from a safe location; do not enter an unstable building or delay emergency protection to document it
- Prevent further damage if it is safe to do so, such as boarding up broken windows
- Contact our firm promptly so we can open the claim and notify the insurer for you. If you cannot reach us right away, do not let your policy’s notice deadline pass.
- Save all receipts for emergency repairs and temporary living expenses
- Contact Noravian Law Firm at 818-548-8000 before accepting any insurance settlement
Our team obtains policy documents, coordinates the insurer’s inspection and tracks the deadlines that apply to your claim. Save photos, receipts and messages you already have; we request the additional records and professional findings needed to explain the loss.
Challenges in Wind and Earthquake Damage Insurance Claims
Dealing with insurance companies after a natural disaster can be overwhelming. Common issues Burbank property owners face when filing wind or earthquake damage claims include:
- Disputes over the cause of damage, such as wind versus flood versus earthquake
- Denial of claims based on policy exclusions or coverage gaps
- Undervaluing the true cost to repair or rebuild damaged structures
- Delaying claim investigations and delaying payment while you are left without a livable home
- Disputes over which deductible applies and how the insurer calculates it
Our lawyers compare the insurer’s explanation with the policy, inspection findings and itemized repair estimates. We address missing work, disputed causes and unsupported deductions, then pursue the payment supported by the covered loss.
Understanding Wind and Earthquake Insurance Coverage
Wind, ground shaking and damage that follows an earthquake may be treated differently. We obtain and review the relevant policies and explain distinctions such as:
- Wind damage is generally covered under standard homeowners insurance policies unless specifically excluded
- Earthquake damage typically requires a separate earthquake insurance policy, available through private carriers or the California Earthquake Authority (CEA)
- Fire following an earthquake may be covered by homeowners insurance even when ground-shaking damage is excluded; other resulting damage requires a separate policy review
The California Department of Insurance’s earthquake guide distinguishes shaking damage from covered fire following a quake. Our firm identifies the available coverage, opens the appropriate claims and coordinates the insurers when different parts of the loss fall under different policies.
Types of Property Damage Claims We Handle in Burbank
Our Burbank wind and earthquake damage lawyers handle a wide range of property damage cases, including:
- Partial or complete roof loss from high winds or debris impact
- Structural collapses or foundation damage caused by seismic events
- Foundation cracks and wall separation following an earthquake
- Business property damage and resulting income loss where the commercial policy provides coverage
- Personal property losses such as destroyed furniture, electronics, and valuables
- Fire and water damage resulting from natural disaster events
- Debris impact damage from trees, signs, utility poles, or other structures
A damaged home, rented apartment and commercial building can involve different insured property and benefits. We separate the building, contents, temporary housing and business-income issues, then document the benefits available under the applicable policy.
How Noravian Law Firm Builds Strong Damage Claims
Building a successful property damage claim takes far more than submitting an insurance form. When you hire Noravian Law Firm, we will:
- Conduct an independent investigation into the cause and full extent of damage
- Work with structural engineers, contractors, and damage assessment experts
- Prepare a comprehensive claim package with complete supporting documentation
- Negotiate with insurance adjusters using the policy, itemized estimates and inspection findings
- Take legal action if necessary to compel payment of all covered losses
We handle insurer and adjuster communications, submit claim documents and supplements, and coordinate inspections with appropriate professionals. If the insurer requires a statement, we prepare you and guide you through it. New damage uncovered during repairs can require a documented supplement rather than relying on the first estimate alone.
Liability Beyond Insurance
In some cases, third-party negligence contributes to wind or earthquake damage, creating the possibility for additional legal claims outside of your insurance policy. Examples include:
- Builders who used substandard materials that fail during seismic events
- Property owners who neglected trees or unstable structures that collapse onto neighboring Burbank properties
- Utility companies that failed to maintain equipment, causing secondary fires or additional damage during wind events
These circumstances can raise a separate liability claim. For your insurance claim, our firm obtains available cause and maintenance records, addresses the insurer’s explanation of the loss and reviews proposed releases for their effect on policy benefits and the insurer’s recovery rights. A possible claim against someone else does not replace prompt notice under your own policy.
Time Limits for Filing Damage Claims
Reporting the loss and filing a lawsuit are different steps. We review the policy and handle notice promptly. For coverage governed by California Insurance Code section 2071, the usual suit period is one year from the loss, extended to two years for a qualifying declared-emergency loss. Other coverage, including a separate earthquake policy, may have different deadlines. We calculate the applicable dates and any pauses or extensions from the policy and claim history.
Proof-of-loss documents and replacement-cost payments have separate requirements, including qualifying disaster extensions. We prepare the required documents and request available extensions; a longer repair or replacement period does not automatically extend the time to sue. Call 818-548-8000 promptly so we can review the deadlines while managing the claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Noravian Law Firm promptly so we can open the claim and handle notice. The time to sue is a separate deadline and can be much shorter than a general property-damage lawsuit period. We check the applicable policy, date of loss and claim history, including any declared-emergency extension. A separate earthquake policy may use different terms from your homeowners policy, so we review both when both may apply.
Homeowners insurance generally excludes damage caused by earthquake shaking unless that coverage was added or purchased separately. However, fire following an earthquake may fall under homeowners coverage. We review the cause of each part of the loss and the policies in force to identify available benefits. We cannot create earthquake coverage after the loss, and a possible claim against another party is a separate legal issue.
Temporary housing and other additional living expenses depend on covered damage making the home uninhabitable and the policy’s terms and limits. We document the added costs and pursue available benefits while repairs proceed. For a CEA policy, loss-of-use coverage has no deductible when included or purchased. Save receipts you already have; our team handles the supporting submission and insurer communications.
Earthquake deductibles may be a percentage of the insured limit rather than a flat dollar amount. For example, a hypothetical $500,000 dwelling limit with a 15% deductible produces a $75,000 dwelling deductible. CEA explains its percentage deductible options and separate coverages. Our lawyers check the actual policy and calculation, including whether different benefits have separate rules; we do not assume one deductible applies to every part of the claim.
The Verdugo Fault, Santa Ana Winds, and Burbank’s Seismic and Wind Risk Profile
Burbank’s seismic and wind exposures call for different evidence. A post-quake foundation inspection answers different questions from an assessment of a wind-damaged roof or a fallen tree. We coordinate the appropriate professionals and connect their findings to the policy.
The Verdugo Fault is near Burbank, but a fault map alone does not establish why a particular wall cracked. Burbank’s mandatory soft-story retrofit ordinance took effect January 10, 2025 and addresses older buildings with vulnerable open first floors. For a damaged building of that type, our firm obtains available retrofit, permit and earlier-condition records, along with a structural assessment, to address an insurer’s claim that all damage predates the earthquake.
Los Angeles County’s January 2025 Santa Ana wind warning illustrates the region’s potential for damaging winds and power disruption. For an actual Burbank loss, we obtain available event records and inspect the damage pattern. A roof opening followed by rain, a branch impact and water entering from ground level can present different coverage questions. We document the sequence rather than treating every wet room as the same type of loss.
Our lawyers handle the wind or earthquake insurance claim from the initial report through any dispute. When the same event causes fire damage or water damage, we document those connected losses within the broader Burbank property damage claim.
Nearby Areas We Also Serve
In addition to Burbank, our attorneys represent wind and earthquake damage victims in nearby communities including Glendale, North Hollywood, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Van Nuys, East Los Angeles, Northridge, Toluca Lake, and throughout the San Fernando Valley.
Don’t see your city? Call us anyway at 818-548-8000 — we may be able to help regardless of where your property damage occurred in California.
Contact Our Burbank Wind and Earthquake Damage Lawyers Today
If wind or an earthquake has damaged your Burbank property, Noravian Law Firm can open the insurance claim, explain the coverage and handle the insurer. We document covered repairs and expenses and challenge an unsupported denial, omission or deduction.
Call 818-548-8000 today for a free consultation. Accepted cases are handled on a contingency-fee basis: attorney fees are owed only if we recover compensation. Case costs are separate, and the written agreement explains how both fees and costs are handled.
Nuestro personal habla español y puede ayudarle con sus preguntas. Consulte nuestra página de abogados de daños por viento y terremoto en Burbank.