Aitken Aitken Cohn is one of California most respected law firms known for its client-centered focus and its landmark results.
Aitken Aitken Cohn is one of California most respected law firms known for its client-centered focus and its landmark results.
18
attorneys named in
best lawyers in
America
Our Santa Ana personal injury attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers of America for 32 consecutive years. Best Lawyers… read more
Our Santa Ana personal injury attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers of America for 32 consecutive years. Best Lawyers is the only purely peer review™ guide to the legal profession.
9
attorneys named as
super lawyers including
top 10 in America
Our personal injury lawyers in Orange County have been selected to Super Lawyers since the Southern California list was first… read more
Our personal injury lawyers in Orange County have been selected to Super Lawyers since the Southern California list was first published in 2004. Super Lawyers provides lawyer ratings of selected lawyers and helps you find the rated attorneys in your location focused on all legal issues.
50+
years of
experience
Aitken * Aitken * Cohn was founded in 1872 and has earned a national reputation for the quality of our… read more
Aitken * Aitken * Cohn was founded in 1872 and has earned a national reputation for the quality of our Orange County personal injury lawyers’ trial skills.
Fairview Fire Lawyers
AAC Evaluating Riverside County Wildfire Cases as Fairview Fire Grows
Firefighters are scrambling to contain a deadly wildfire near Hemet that has ballooned to over 27,000 acres. According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, the fast-moving Fairview fire that sparked on Labor Day killed two people inside a vehicle who tried to escape the flames. A third victim suffered severe burns and is recovering in the hospital.
Our hearts go out to the families affected by this devastating wildfire which is compounded by the excessive heatwave throughout the Inland Empire. Our firm closely monitors these situations and evaluates cases involving wildfire injuries, damage, and destruction.
What We Know
News outlets report that the intense wildfire has destroyed at least seven structures and mandatory evacuations remain in place for about 3,400 homes south of Stetson Avenue, north of Cactus Valley Road, west of Bautista Canyon, and east of State street.
According to KTLA, Southern California Edison reported circuit activity shortly before witnesses spotted the first flames. An investigation is underway to determine if the utility’s equipment played a role in starting the wildfire.
In December 2021, SoCal Edison was fined more than $550 million for their role in sparking the Thomas, Woolsey, Rye, Meyers, and Liberty fires. The Thomas fire erupted in December 2017, burning nearly 282,000 acres and destroying more than 1,000 structures across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. It was previously considered the state’s largest wildfire in history.
The Woolsey Fire was a destructive wildfire that first ignited in November 2018 and spread throughout Los Angeles and Ventura County. According to Cal Fire, nearly 97,000 acres were burned by the Woolsey fire, damaging more than 1,500 structures. In December 2018, 170 homeowners and businesses whose properties were damaged or destroyed by the fire filed mass tort lawsuits against SCE over their part in starting the fire. In October 2019, Southern California Edison admitted that its equipment was responsible for igniting the wildfire and issued a settlement for agencies affected.
We want to listen and offer solutions within our power to help.
Our Primary Focus is You, the Client
Aitken Aitken * Cohn is nationally recognized for its success in the courtroom – but we’re most proud of our client-focused approach. From the free initial consultation to the final court proceedings, our case strategies are entirely informed by your needs. Our personal injury lawyers in Santa Ana strive to maintain regular, consistent communication to ensure that we are as transparent as possible regarding case status, investigations, or any other legal decisions we make along the way.
Additionally, we understand just how financially devastating a personal injury can be for you and your loved ones. That’s why we represent your interests on a contingency fee basis – you don’t pay any initial fees, and there are no upfront costs. If our injury lawyers don’t secure a favorable settlement or verdict on your behalf, your total legal costs are zero.
we're here to help.
Wylie Aitken
Founding Partner
He was recently inducted in the LawDragon 500’s “Hall of Fame,” is repeatedly designated a “Southern California Super Lawyer,” and is featured in the Best Lawyers in America and The… read more
Known as a persistent, aggressive trial attorney who takes a “turn every stone” approach toward the legal matters he handles, he has received numerous awards and accolades for his results…. read more
Darren has been recognized and awarded consistently throughout his career for his professional accomplishments and was named the Orange County Trial Lawyers “Top Gun–Personal Injury Lawyer of the Year” in… read more
Chris graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Political Science Major. He obtaines his Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Southern… read more
Casey obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from USC Law School in 2002, graduating in the top quarter of his class. At USC Law School, he was a member of the… read more
After graduation, he returned to Tokyo and worked at Toyo Corporation. Mr. Penn obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Chapman University School of Law in 2004 and was elected student… read more
Megan received departmental honors in both Political Science and Peace Studies. Megan served as Chapman University’s Student Body President from 2012-2013. As Chapman University Student Body President, Megan worked to… read more
Ashleigh is a former federal prosecutor, practicing in the Los Angeles and Santa Ana Office of the United States Attorney in the Central District of California. While serving as an… read more
The California Department of Insurance offers some tips to homeowners who have suffered fire damage and are looking to file a claim:
Before the immediate threat of fire danger, homeowners should understand their insurance policies and ensure adequate coverage for extensive property damage. Make sure you obtain a complete report of your policy for your records.
If your home has already sustained fire damage, filing a home insurance claim as quickly as possible is essential. The sooner you file a claim, the quicker the recovery process will begin.
If your home is uninhabitable due to fire damage, take note of your Additional Living Expenses limits, which will help pay for hotels, restaurants, and other expenses. Make sure to track all your expenses.
Document all your conversations with your insurer/adjuster about your claim and policy limitations in a dedicated “claim diary.” If your adjuster says something is excluded, limited, or subject to certain conditions, ask the adjuster to point out the specific provision in your policy being cited.
If your home experiences smoke and ash damage, you’ll want to ensure your property and possessions get correctly inspected, tested, and documented. Take pictures of all visible damage and if you’re suffering from any health problems, go to your doctor.
If your insurance company cancels your coverage, you may qualify for the California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan (FAIR), which offers basic fire coverage to homeowners who lost their property insurance because of wildfires.
Aitken Aitken Cohn has an extensive background handling major cases involving Southern California Edison. The Aitken trial team has previously secured a confidential settlement against the utility company in a wrongful death case involving the electrocution deaths of three family members caused by down SCE power lines. In the settlement, SCE admitted to violating the Public Utilities Code and claimed their electrical poles and power lines in and around the area had been poorly constructed and inadequately maintained per their standards. Our firm also represented the family of a man who was electrocuted in Cabazon after approaching a vehicle that had crashed into an SCE utility pole.
Our firm also has a longstanding background in handling Insurance Bad Faith cases. Insurance bad faith, also known as “insurance fraud,” describes the mistreatment of consumers and businesses by insurance carriers. Unfortunately, it is a common occurrence in Orange County. Wylie Aitken previously secured a $17 million verdict on behalf of two homeowners who claimed their insurance company failed to properly investigate the loss after filing a claim following a house fire that damaged 80% of their home and personal property.
If you or anyone you know was affected by the Fairview Fire, fill out the form below or call one of our Orange County personal injury attorneys at (866) 434-1424 today.
client reviews
This firm is 100% reliable and trustworthy.
No question about it, this firm is 100 percent reliable and trustworthy. I felt very comfortable about continuing my case with this firm based on the first impression they gave me: professional.
Jose L.
Extremely competent and really cared about our family
The law firm provided us complete guidance and direction in our legal matter, but at the same time, they didn’t make our decisions for us. It sure was nice to have confidence in knowing we were going to be taken care of.
Andrea and Larry W.
This firm has a great reputation, even amongst other lawyers.
I was referred to by a lawyer friend and had Richard Cohn as my attorney. He was personable, compassionate and took his time explaining everything to me. His assistant was also very personable and easy to contact.
