Pre-Settlement Funding for the Families of Heroes
After a lightning strike had ignited some dry brush a few miles outside of town, “Jake” (not a real person) was just one of hundreds of firefighters who had been called to help contain the resulting wildfire. It was part of the job; Jake usually got called out to at least a few wildfires every summer.
None of them had ever been quite like this one, though. Strong winds had helped quintuple the size of the fire within a day of its discovery. Roads into the area were shut down. Firefighters from neighboring states were called into assist. Jake’s wife, Melissa, heard that Jake and nine other members of his fire department had been deployed to set up a firebreak in a dry riverbed that separated the fire from an area of rich pasture.
It was an assignment they never should have been given. Even in ideal weather conditions, it would have been challenging to keep the fire from spreading into the farmland. And these were not ideal conditions. The area was in prolonged drought; the ground and all its vegetation were dry tinder. All the fire needed to jump the riverbed was for the wind to change direction.
A few hours after Jake and his crew reached the site of the proposed firebreak, the wind did, in fact, change direction. After a few panicked minutes of radio transmissions calling for assistance, the command station lost contact with Jake and the rest of his crew. Two days later, searchers confirmed the worst: all ten firefighters had been killed in the blaze.
In the wake of her grief, Melissa and the other firefighters’ families wanted answers. Why had their loved ones been sent to defend unoccupied land that was so indefensible? Why had property been valued ahead of the firefighters’ lives? Melissa retained counsel and sued the local and state agencies responsible for managing the fire response. It would later emerge that the position of safety officer had been vacant for months, and that other officials had disregarded clear regulations that would have precluded Jake and his colleagues being asked to build such an untenable firebreak.
Melissa’s case was strong, but her finances were not. She was struggling to replace Jake’s lost income as she worked to raise their three children on her own. Her attorney recommended that she call USClaims.
We were able to review Melissa’s case with her attorney and approve her application for pre-settlement funding almost immediately. While Melissa’s legal counsel works to ensure that Jake’s wife and children receive a fair settlement, Melissa is now able to meet her living expenses. Money problems shouldn’t pressure you into letting your chance for justice go up in smoke. If you’re facing insolvency after losing a loved one to someone else’s negligence, first call your lawyer. Then call USClaims.
At USClaims, we offer pre-settlement funding, if a case is qualified for pre-settlement funding then we would purchase a portion of the proceeds of the anticipated court judgment or settlement for some cash now. USClaims only gets paid if a case is won or has reached a settlement! Apply now or call us today at 1-877-USCLAIMS to learn more.
