Economically impacted during the evacuation? You can try filing a claim
If you were economically impacted by the Lake Oroville spillway incident and February evacuation, you can file a claim with the state to potentially be reimbursed.
Your chances of actually being reimbursed, and for what sorts of expenses ... well, nothing’s for sure.
According to the Department of Water Resources’s website, residents can file claims with the California Department of General Services (go to www.dgs.ca.gov/orim to print out a government claim form).
Calls to the Department of General Services were forwarded to the Office of Risk and Insurance Management before being transferred to the government claims program.
A representative with the government claims program, under the Office of Risk and Insurance Management, who would only gave her first name (Gretchen) said claims for the Oroville spillway incident would be treated like any other claim filed with the state. Once someone files a claim, an analyst will review it. She said each individual claim is taken on a case-by-case basis.
Gretchen did not specify what would and wouldn’t be acceptable reasons for filing a claim.
“Whatever they feel that was within that realm, put it on there. It’s better to have too much than not enough,” she said.
Gretchen said those that file should also provide receipts or documentation, if possible, to support the claim.
All you have to do is print out a claim, fill it out, pay the $25 filing fee and send it to: Government Claims Program, P.O. Box 989052, MS 414, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9052. The deadline to file is Aug. 11.
Claims can also be delivered to the Office of Risk and Insurance Management at 707 3rd Street, 1st Floor ORIM, West Sacramento, CA 95605.
Those who cannot afford the filing fee can fill out a “Filing Fee Waiver Request,” which can also be found at www.dgs.ca.gov/orim. For more information, the government claims program can be reached at 1-800-955-0045.