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Personal injury and insurance attorneys offered Los Angeles fire victims practical tips during an hourslong info-session hosted by the Beverly Hills Bar Association on Tuesday, cautioning against hiring public adjusters and attorneys quickly or taking money from FEMA, while detailing actions victims should take now to get insurance claims timely adjudicated.

The nearly three-hour discussion covered a wide range of topics among panelists Amanda L. Riddle of Corey Luzaich De Ghetaldi & Riddle LLP, Stacy Monahan Tucker of Monahan Tucker Law, and Kramer Trial Lawyers' John Torbett, David Paletz, and Daniel Kramer.

The panelists kicked off the discussion by warning that victims of the Southern California fires — including the ongoing Palisades and Eaton fires — should be skeptical of anyone telling them they must hire an attorney or public adjuster quickly, particularly since some adjusters and attorneys have been walking around shelters and other places where fire victims have congregated seeking work.

"The very fact that they're trying to do that is a very good indication that they're not somebody you want to be working with," Tucker said.

Beware of Scammers and FEMA Rules

The panelists noted that public adjusters should only be hired further into the insurance claims process as a "last resort," if a policyholder is running into obvious trouble with their insurer, because adjusters take a portion of any insurance payout, and although that portion is usually around 5%, some have been asking for 15% to 20%, according to Tucker.

The panelists also noted that some attorneys are claiming fire victims must sue right away, and although some lawsuits have already been filed, there's a three-year statute of limitations on property damage claims and a two-year statute of limitations on personal injury claims, so they have time to find legal representation. And, the panelists said, it will take years to litigate any claims.

"Don't rush into something because somebody scares you," Paletz said.

Instead, fire victims should focus on filing claims with their insurance companies and documenting losses and displacement expenses over the coming weeks.

The panelists warned that most policyholders are likely underinsured and won't receive enough money to fully rebuild, but they repeatedly warned policyholders not to take Federal Emergency Management Agency funds.

"FEMA cannot help you with losses covered by insurance," Riddle said, adding that's true even if a policyholder has a high deductible.