Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino Counties File Lawsuits Against PG&E
According to Sonoma County’s lawsuit,
“the Wine Country Fires started when electrical infrastructure owned, operated and maintained by PG&E . . . came into contact with vegetation that PG&E was obligated to have inspected and maintained but failed to do so in a manner that would have prevented or mitigated the effects of such contact.”
On February 26, 2018, Sonoma County and others, filed a lawsuit against PG&E for damages relating to the Tubbs Fire, Nuns Fire, and Pocket Fire. According to Sonoma County’s lawsuit,
“the Wine Country Fires started when electrical infrastructure owned, operated and maintained by PG&E . . . came into contact with vegetation that PG&E was obligated to have inspected and maintained but failed to do so in a manner that would have prevented or mitigated the effects of such contact.”
Napa and Mendocino Counties have brought cases against PG&E with similar allegations.
Do You Have a Case Against PG&E?
If you lost your property or suffered serious injury as a result of the fire, you may be eligible for compensation from PG&E, even if you’re well insured. Get a free consultation about your potential claims by calling 707-781-8313, or join us at on of our upcoming community meetings to learn more.
Why did the Counties File Lawsuits Now?
According to Sonoma County Counsel Bruce Goldstein, the lawsuits were filed because “oftentimes negotiations don’t begin until lawsuits begin” and “you have to protect your rights.” Ultimately, the County is “seeking to make sure the taxpayers don’t bear the brunt of the losses caused by these fires.”
Goldstein also said: “[w]e believe based on an investigation attorneys put together that PG&E was a significant cause of it.”
“Despite the incomplete state investigations, county supervisors felt it was time to move forward. The court has acted swiftly to consolidate the cases and set hearings, signaling it does not want to see litigation languish. Officials said it was important to be part of the process at an early stage.
‘You either choose to be moving with them or they start stepping away from you,’ [Sonoma County Board of Supervisors Chairman James] Gore said.” (from the Santa Rosa Press Democrat)
What Do the Counties’ Lawsuits Seek?
The Counties’ lawsuits will not compensate residents for their lost homes or personal property, but rather seek money for the Counties’ costs and losses.
In Sonoma County’s complaint, it seeks damages for the following:
- Loss of natural resources, open space, and public lands
- Loss of public parks
- Property damage
- Damage to infrastructure
- Fire suppression costs, including personnel and materials costs
- Evacuation expenses
- Economic damages, such as loss of tax revenue and losses from impacts on business-like activities
- Costs associated with recovery, including debris removal, emergency response, etc.
About Northern California Fire Lawyers
The law firms of Danko Meredith, Girard Gibbs, and Corey, Luzaich, de Ghetaldi & Riddle each has experience representing California businesses and families that have suffered losses in previous fires, and we have successfully litigated against some of the largest and most powerful corporations in the country.
Attorneys Dario de Ghetaldi and Amanda Riddle of Corey, Luzaich, de Ghetaldi & Riddle were co-liaison counsel for nearly 50 families in litigation against PG&E concerning the September 2010 explosion of a 30-inch natural gas transmission line in San Bruno. They currently represent over 200 families who are victims of the 2015 Butte Fire that devastated over 70,000 acres.
The attorneys of Danko Meredith have earned hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for their clients; Mike Danko serves as co-lead trial attorney on behalf of victims of the Butte Wildfire, and was recently honored as Trial Lawyer of the Year by San Mateo Trial Lawyers Association.
Gibbs Law Group’s attorneys bring more than two decades of experience representing clients in complex cases against utility companies, banks and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The Daily Journal named Eric Gibbs to its prestigious list of “Top Plaintiff Lawyers in California” for 2016 and Law360 recognized Eric as a “2016 Consumer Protection MVP,” the only plaintiff-side lawyer in the country selected in that category.