Utility Claim vs. Your Own Insurance in California
After a wildfire, two separate paths to recovery can exist, and understanding the difference matters. A claim on your own insurance and a claim against the utility that caused the fire are not the same thing, and pursuing one does not replace the other.
Two different claims
Your own insurance claim is based on the policy you bought, and it is often the first source of recovery — but it is limited by your policy limits and coverage. A utility liability claim is against the company whose equipment caused the fire, and it can seek losses beyond those limits, including full property, income, and the harm you suffered.
They work together
You can generally pursue both, and they are coordinated — your insurer may seek reimbursement from the utility for what it paid you. If your own insurer is also delaying or underpaying without a reasonable basis, that can be a separate bad-faith issue we can address.
How we help
We explain how both paths fit your situation, pursue the utility, and help coordinate any insurance recovery. The review is free and confidential. Se habla español.
Frequently asked questions
If I already filed with my insurance, can I still sue the utility?
Generally yes — they are separate claims and can be pursued together. Your insurance is based on your policy; a utility claim can seek losses beyond your limits. The two are coordinated, which we handle.
California law — what people ask
How long do I have to file an injury claim in California?
Generally two years from the date you were hurt. If a government entity is involved — a city vehicle, a public road, a public hospital — you usually have to present a formal claim to that agency within roughly six months before you can sue at all, which catches people out far more often than the two-year date.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault in California?
Yes. California uses pure comparative negligence, so your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault rather than barred — even if your share turns out to be the larger one. There is no cutoff percentage that ends a claim here.
Does California cap what I can recover?
Not in an ordinary injury case. Medical-malpractice claims are the main exception, where non-economic damages are limited by a cap that steps up over time. For most claims — car crashes, falls, defective products — there is no statutory ceiling.
What if more than one person was responsible?
California splits the analysis: defendants can be jointly responsible for your economic losses such as medical bills and lost income, while non-economic damages like pain and suffering are apportioned to each defendant by its own share of fault.
The driver who hit me had no insurance. What now?
Your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage is usually the answer, and it commonly applies to hit-and-run collisions as well. Check every policy in the household, not only the one covering the car you were in.
Will the jury hear that my health insurance paid my bills?
Generally not. California follows the collateral source rule, so a wrongdoer does not get credit for insurance you paid for. How your medical damages are measured is a separate and often contested question.
Injury law in California
California injury law shapes your case in a few specific ways worth knowing early.
- Filing deadline: You generally have two years from the date of the injury to file — and only about six months to put a government entity on notice before you can sue.
- Fault: California follows pure comparative negligence, so you can still recover even if you were partly — or mostly — at fault, with your recovery reduced by your share of the blame.
- Damage caps: An ordinary California injury case has no cap on damages; medical-malpractice claims are the main exception.
- Uninsured drivers: California sets minimum auto-insurance limits and uninsured/underinsured-motorist rules that affect what coverage is available.
Related topics
California injury law
This is general information about California injury law, not legal advice. Every case is different.
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