SAN DIEGO — People still working to recover from January’s devastating floods were treated to a warm breakfast by Alliance San Diego. The event brought together people to learn more about resources and legal options available to them.
“To see if I can get any help because I'm already tired of promises and promises and promises,” San Diego Resident, Elmer Pineda said.
Alliance San Diego brought in the law firm Singleton and Schreiber to talk to flood victims who have questions and concerns.
Pineda lives in an apartment complex affected by the floods. Right now his family is staying at a hotel.
“I don't know who needs to step it up, but they got to step it up and give us our help,” Pineda said.
Brett Schreiber of Singleton and Schreiber let flood victims know that they only have six months from the date of the disaster to file a claim with the government.
“So we intend to use litigation as well as political coordination with our community partners to not only ensure that this community gets rebuilt but to ensure that this doesn't happen again in the future,” Schreiber said.
Some victims have worried that immigration status might impact their ability to file a lawsuit, but Schreiber said it's not an issue.
“I want to be very clear about something," he said. "We have very good laws in California that protect people of any type of immigration status from bringing a claim in our civil justice system."
Schreiber says people looking to pursue legal action should document mudlines and flood lines in their homes to create a record of what their home looked like post-flood.
Schreiber said there is no class action lawsuit currently.
“It is not, its what we call a mass action which means each and every claim is worked up individually,” Schreiber said.
He said every single claim rises and falls on its own merits because each claim is an individual person, family or owner.
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