California Wildfire Lawyers

Holding Corporations Accountable for Wildfires

If your life has been changed forever by a California wildfire that was started due to negligence, Greene Broillet & Wheeler, LLP can help you seek justice. Our law firm is the only firm that has represented family members of each and every person who passed away in the tragic Woolsey fire, one of the most destructive fires in the history of California.  Our fifty years of experience as a nationally recognized trial law firm provides the strength, resources, and tenacity needed to handle any wildfire claim, no matter the complexities or what company’s wrongful conduct is involved. 

We have the resources to bring a wildfire claim against any California utility company, such as:

• Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E)
• Southern California Edison (SCE)
• San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)
• PacificCorp
• Bear Valley Electric
• Liberty Utilities

Investigations have repeatedly found utilities to be at fault for wildfires as a result of negligence and the  failure to comply with safety standards designed to prevent the ignition of wildfires. If you’ve been affected by a wildfire caused by a utility, a California wildfire lawsuit attorney from Greene Broillet & Wheeler can help you pursue financial compensation.

Request a free consultation. Call (866) 634-4525 now with our California wildfire lawyers.

Downed Power Lines Cause Wildfires

Wildfires can be caused naturally, such as when lightning strikes a high fire risk area. However, you might be surprised to find that many, if not most, wildfires in California are caused by human negligence. Specifically, the California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety reports that “roughly half of the most destructive fires in California history” have been caused by power lines. When considering dangerous but not necessarily “destructive” wildfires, the percentage of those caused by power lines is likely even higher.

What Utility Companies Should Do to Prevent Wildfires

What do utility companies do to prevent wildfires? Procedures and protocols exist to help reduce the risk of a wildfire starting due to a damaged, downed, or defective power line.

To help prevent wildfires, utility and electric companies should follow protocols regarding:

• Regular maintenance: Some of the worst wildfires in California history have been caused by power lines that came into contact with dry vegetation due to high winds and a lack of maintenance.
• Emergency shutoffs: When winds pick up in an area, it is known that the risk of a power line falling over or a branch striking a power line increases significantly. Utility companies should have emergency procedures to quickly shut down power in a high wind area, even if that means shutting off power to customers for a period of time. 

Unfortunately, some utilities have placed their profits over the safety of the public, making the decision to save money rather than to proactively prevent wildfires, including doing needed maintenance and repair on equipment.  Some utilities may also fail to shut off the power as required during storms where it is foreseeable that their aging equipment will start a fire, all in an effort to avoid losing revenue. 

Utilities that start fires and damage your private property may result in inverse condemnation, which does not require that proof that the utility is even at fault.  To learn if you have a case against a utility, speak to a California wildfire attorney from Greene Broillet & Wheeler

California Wildfire Lawsuits

Two of the most common lawsuits after a California wildfire are:

• Wrongful death: If you lost a loved one to a California wildfire, then you can trust us to respectfully handle the wrongful death claim. Financial compensation can’t undo what happened, but it can help bring a sense of justice and closure, as well as deserved financial stability.
• Property damage: If you lost valuable property like a home or business to a wildfire, then a lawsuit can compensate for those losses and damages. We can stand up to nationwide insurance companies on your behalf.

Schedule a Free California Wildfire Case Consultation

Since opening our doors in 1970, GBW has handled complicated claims and litigated high-stakes lawsuits on behalf of our clients, including many who have lost their livelihood and loved ones to wildfires. If an unthinkable catastrophe hurt you and your loved ones, we want to help you hold those responsible accountable and to obtain justice. Get our California wildfire lawyers on your side today.

For a free consultation, you can dial (866) 634-4525 at any time.