We Have Filed Our First Lawsuit Against PG&E
Pacific Gas & Electric is one of the largest utility providers in California, and the company now faces tremendous legal trouble for their role in several recent wildfires in California, caused by their faulty equipment and poor maintenance standards. Although the cause of the most recent Camp Fire remains unknown, it is highly likely that Pacific Gas & Electric bears some degree of responsibility.
Now, a group of lawyers in California known as the California Wildfires Lawyers are taking legal action, and the Eric Ratinoff Law Corp is playing a major role in the legal proceedings. Our firm has already filed our first lawsuits against Pacific Gas & Electric, citing two power outages on the day of the attack as cause to believe the company bears responsibility for this devastating wildfire. The source of the Camp Fire was in the same area as these reported outages.
PG&E’s Responsibility for the Camp Fire
Recently, several California residents reported that PG&E employees visited their homes to inform them that the company would be performing maintenance on their power lines, including removing tree limbs and debris near the lines. However, those residents reported that the PG&E workers marked the trees designated for trimming but never returned to actually complete the work.
Additionally, and perhaps more disturbingly, many survivors received automated text messages from PG&E the night before the Camp Fire warning of possible preemptive power outages and a fire danger in the area. If the fire started from faulty power lines and PG&E already knew the lines were faulty, then the company clearly bears liability for the devastating damage caused by the Camp Fire. When a utility company learns of a problem with one of their structures that could potentially cause a fire or other type of damage, they have a legal duty to address and correct the issue immediately before it has the chance to hurt anyone.
Damage and Liability
According to reports, the recent Camp Fire caused more than 85 deaths, destroyed thousands of structures, and displaced hundreds of thousands of residents in the affected areas. Survivors face a very difficult road ahead in terms of recovery, rebuilding, and managing insurance concerns. The number of devastating wildfires in California over recent years has led to insurance premiums skyrocketing as more home and business owners seek to add wildfire protection to their insurance coverage, a relatively high-risk form of coverage in the eyes of most California property insurers. As of now, the estimated reconstruction cost is nearly $9 billion.
Utility companies have a duty of care to perform appropriate maintenance on their structures and protect residents from damage caused by their utility structures, including power lines. PG&E faces billions in potential liability for several recent fires due to their apparently lax attitude toward brush clearing, power line repair, and overall safety of their work.
How the Eric Ratinoff Law Corp is Helping Camp Fire Victims
Our firm is committed to helping our clients recover from wildfire damage and holding the responsible parties accountable, to encourage safer, more effective safety practices in the future. An attorney can do much more for wildfire victims than simply filing lawsuits against negligent power companies. We also help manage insurance claims and deal with difficult claims adjusters who attempt to deny claims for covered events or make low settlement offers for legitimate claims. We can help clients manage their personal finances and locate relief services and support networks to help them find new homes.
Anyone affected by the recent wildfires in California who wants to learn more about how to recover compensation should contact California Wildfires Lawyers. The attorneys taking part in this effort are working around the clock to help the victims of the California wildfires recover and return to normal life.
