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Jan. 7, 2026

Insurers stall contamination claims a year after Eaton Palisades fires

Southern California wildfire homeowners say insurers delay smoke and contamination claims, leaving families displaced nearly a year later, as attorneys allege companies downplay remediation needs following Eaton and Palisades fires.

Insurers stall contamination claims a year after Eaton Palisades fires
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One year after the Eaton and Palisades fires, some Southern California homeowners say their toughest fight has come not from the flames, but from their insurance companies.

Kabateck LLP managing partner Shant A. Karnikian, who represents Eaton and Palisades victims in insurance disputes, said in a phone interview Tuesday that insurers have generally paid total-loss claims from the fires more readily than claims involving smoke, ash and contamination - even as some families remain ...

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