Brian Colón, Managing Partner at Singleton Schreiber in New Mexico, was recently featured in the Santa Fe New Mexican in their article, "FEMA Claims Process Drags on for Victims Long After Wildfire," that was published on April 5th, 2025.
The article covers the personal account of Samuel and Elisa Aragon, who lost their 200-year-old ancestral home and winery in the 2022 Hermit's Peak/Calf Canyon Fire; the struggle that the Aragons (and over a thousand other impacted families) have faced in being compensated by FEMA despite Congress allocating $5.5 billion; and how the compensation has been slow & costly for the Aragons despite submitting required documentation including a notice and proof of loss.
Santa Fe New Mexican also covers how the Aragons hired Singleton Schreiber as one of dozens of lawsuits against the government; how these lawsuits allege that FEMA violated provisions of the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act (including failing to process claims within 180 days); and how FEMA has not compensated for noneconomic damages like emotional distress.
The article closes by discussing the current status of the case, including how a U.S. district judge ruled that noneconomic damages are compensable; how FEMA has filed a motion for clarification; and includes statements from FEMA's External Affairs Officer Dianna Segura, who argued that 75% of claims have been paid, that the organization has acknowledged documentation issues, and that a hiring freeze has impacted FEMA's capacity to speed up responses.
From Mr. Colón: "The problem is FEMA systems and staffing has failed miserably. … In fact, the victims of the Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire have literally been retraumatized by FEMA’s process and its failures."
“There are a substantial number of families still hurting right now, and it doesn’t seem the federal government has increased its urgency to put these families in a position to move on with their lives. We’re not going to let up. We are going to file more lawsuits until the federal government rightfully compensates these victims.”
