My neighbor set up house on fire...

[Ja Rhule]

My dog woke me up on Sunday morning, around 7:20am... When I woke I realized someone was pounding on our front door and windows.  It was my neighbor from street down from us.  When I open the door she yelled that my house was on fire...  I was shocked because I just wake up.  I went in, grub my fire extinguishers and ran outside barefoot.  Two neighbors from accross the street tried to put out the fire with empty water buckets by stomping burning pineniddle and grass to no effect.  I put the fire out, I burned my toes pretty bad and my house have pretty bad external damage.  When fire department arrived, fire was gone but I had no idea who started it or why.  Fire Department called Police and Fire Marshalls.  Apparently my neighbor who was pounding on my front door, her grass was also on fire and she lives on next street.  She said she saw some neighbors shooting flare, 1 landed on her front yard grass and second flare landed somewhere else but couldnt tell where.  She put her fire out and got in the car to look for another flare and thats when she saw my house on fire. 

 

Neighbor across the street who was putting fire with empty buckets all of the sudden start acting like he got shot with a gun, he fall down on my front porch and start rolling in pain.  Cops called ambulance and they took him away.  10 minutes later about 10 police cruisers arrived with K9 units and they start doing whole blown investigation.  An hour later Fire Marshall knocked on my door and told me they know who did it.  It was my neighbor who pretended like he got shot.  Apparently his parents went out of town on vacation and he invited his friends over, they been doing drugs all night.  Around 7am they found a flare gun and tho it be great idea to shoot it...  They set that lady grass on fire and my house on fire.  They saw my house on fire but tried to hide inside the house.  Lady saw them and told em they need to do something, they refused... so she threw a tentrum after what they ran to assist. 

 

His parents got home later that day but they been avoiding me.  Fire Marshall said that their home insurance will pay for my damages but when I got police report today, it called me a victim and said criminal investigation still ongoing...  Means I can't call their insurance and my house is damaged... wtf should I do?  I don't want to submit a claim through my insurance... I have a deductable plus my insurance will go up.  What's my options?  Lawyer up?

 

 

PS: The guy who set my house on fire is 24 years old and he had other run-ins with the police so I think he might see jail time for arson.  Cops also asked him if know who was shooting flares and he said he had no idea...

[mr beauxjangles]

Wow. Man you have some crazy stories. Really really glad that you are safe and your house is not a total loss. And I thought my day was stressful...

[Ja Rhule]

Wow. Man you have some crazy stories. Really really glad that you are safe and your house is not a total loss. And I thought my day was stressful...

 

Yes sir.  I was a sleep with my wife and 1 month old... I'm glad my neighbors gave a poo about me. 

[Johnny Rockets]

I'm beginning to think you may be safer back in the Ukraine.

 

Sheesh, you have some weird sh*t going on in your neighborhood. Glad you and the family are ok.

 

I would call your insurance agent and explain what happened and see what he/she advises. Your insurance may just go after their insurance and not affect your premium or you may have to deal with the damage until it gets resolved. Regardless, do what you have to in order to secure your house and just keep your receipts. Not necessarily fix cosmetic stuff, but do what needs to be done to make it secure / liveable.

[Doc Holiday]

I'd lawyer so fast it would make my neibeors head spin, especially when dealing with insurance companies.

 

A good lawyer should be able to get enough to cover house damages, plus medical expenses(pain suffering and anything else they can dream up) and probably get you enough to pay him plus make you a pretty penny too.

 

I'b be calling someone right now.

[Ja Rhule]

I called Fire Marshall and Police department...  They said because of ongoing criminal investigation, they cannot provde me with 2nd page of a report that have all my neighbors information.  After me being me, apparently they will provide me with a 2nd page tomorrow.

[Ja Rhule]

I'd lawyer so fast it would make my neibeors head spin, especially when dealing with insurance companies.

 

A good lawyer should be able to get enough to cover house damages, plus medical expenses(pain suffering and anything else they can dream up) and probably get you enough to pay him plus make you a pretty penny too.

 

I'b be calling someone right now.

 

That's what I'm thinking but I feel bad for my neighbors... it sad that their son is an idiot.

[Doc Holiday]

That's what I'm thinking but I feel bad for my neighbors... it sad that their son is an idiot.

 

They set your house on fire, it could have resulted in a worse case scenario with you and your family lost, and not just a house or minor external damage.

 

while the neighbors who's son set your house on fire may not be happy(they will be even less happy then with their son). I dont think any of the other neighbors would blame you. I know I wouldnt.  Never get mad at someone for doing the same thing you would do if the tables were turned.

[Doc Holiday]

Every time you think about not going after them with a lawyer, think about the fact that this could have killed you.

 

But I'm also not a very empathetic person to begin with when dealing with stuff like this.

[Ja Rhule]

I'll talk to my wife, my other neighbors said we should sue em as well.

[Scrumtrilescent]

For the 10480814th time.....it may not be the best idea for you to own a home.  

[Ghost of Steve Smith]

Sue! It's the American way.

[Doyle]

Are they charging the person with arson that set Arsens house on fire? 

[Big A]

You may want to wait on an attorney since you may be spending money unecessarily. First off, you have the families insurance to pay for your damage which should make you whole. That process isn't going to happen overnight, especially with an ongoing investigatio, so paying to retain an attorney before there has even been contact with their insurance company may be wasted money,.

Also consider the guy is an adult at 24. If he is solely responsible for the negligence that caused the fire, your neighbors ip aren't could kick him out and refuse to have themselves or their insurance associated with case. Then you are left with a solid case against a 24 year old druggie deadbeat, and good luck collecting on any judgement anytime soon.

You should contact your insurance company and make them aware of what happened and they should be able to reach the other insurance company and start getting a dialogue going. Insurance companies like to make cases go away without court or arbitration and will probably willing to work to resolve this quickly, but if you go out and hire an attorney and have them begin making inquiries and sending demand letters, you could get the other insurance company work very slow and looking to distance themselves. My sister is a products liability attorney, but more on the corporate level. If you would like, I can run it past her and see what she or so,some at he firm think.

Also, you need to decide what you want, do you just want you house fixed and be done with it or do you want to try to milk this for extra money, because depending which one it is will affect how you should best proceed.