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WILDFIRE LITIGATION ATTORNEYS SERVING NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

The North Bay wildfires, also called the Wine Country fires, have destroyed thousands of homes and other structures, burned through 20+ wineries and fields of crops, and claimed the lives of dozens of people who could not be evacuated in time. Frantz Law Group, APLC is currently looking into client cases involving the Wine Country wildfires. We are fully committed to providing steadfast legal representation to individuals and businesses alike that have been devastated by the blazes, which include the Tubbs Fire, Atlas Fire, Oakmont Fire, and many others. If you have lost your home, your business, your winery, your annual crop, or a loved one due to the North Bay wildfires, please do not hesitate to call or contact our wildfire litigation attorneys online to learn if you have a valid claim.

EVIDENCE POINTS TOWARDS PG&E LIABILITY

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has already stated that it is not liable for the North Bay wildfires, and a company representative even said such notions were “speculative.” Regulators from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) seem to see the situation differently, as there is already ample evidence to show that PG&E could be found liable, at least partially, for the devastating inferno that consumed the region. The PUC has demanded that PG&E, as well as several telecommunication companies active in the Wine Country, preserve any and all electronic or physical evidence that could be related to the blazes. In particular, PG&E cannot change, alter, or tamper with equipment retrieved from areas affected by the fire, as well as internal communications discussing vegetation and tree control efforts in the Wine Country.

Here are five facts that suggest PG&E may be responsible for the North Bay wildfires:

1. All of the blazes that contributed to the North Bay wildfire were reported in just a short amount of time – two hours between midnight and 2:00 a.m. on Monday, October 9, 2017.
2. Roughly 3 hours before the first reports of the fires, Sonoma County emergency dispatches sent fire crews to at least 10 different locations around the North Bay and Wine Country, following reports of downed powerlines, exploding transformers, and other serious electrical grid failures.
3. PG&E has admitted that severe winds on Sunday, October 8 had disrupted power in some areas and may have even caused damage to power lines.
4. In the spring of 2017, the California Public Utilities Commission concluded that PG&E’s negligent tree-trimming practices had caused the 2015 Butte Fire and ordered PG&E to pay a multimillion dollar fine.
5. Back in 1994, PG&E was found guilty of 700+ counts of negligence that ultimately caused the Nevada County blaze. In that case, it was determined that PG&E had not taken appropriate steps to remove trees from around the power lines which were knocked over by high winds and sparked a wildfire that destroyed dozens of homes and structures.

Preliminary investigations point towards the conclusion that PG&E power lines that were knocked over by windstorms and trees are the direct cause of the multiple blazes. It also appears that PG&E knowingly did not maintain its powerlines and the trees surrounding them in certain locations around Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Napa Valley, and the rest of the region. If true, this could place liability squarely on PG&E’s shoulders.

DAMAGES YOU CAN CITE IN YOUR WINE COUNTRY FIRE CLAIM

While many people affected by the fires in the North Bay area have insurance coverage for fire damage, there are many more types of damages caused by the blazes that will not be covered. Since the infernos have thoroughly destroyed nearly every acre they have touched, it is also highly likely that most property owners will not be able to receive as much money as needed to recover due to insurance policy limits. Winery owners in particular are facing millions in total damages due to burned structures, facilities, and crops, and the complete inability to create and sell wine for the foreseeable future. Receiving compensation for the totality of those losses from an insurance claim is not expected.

Our Wine Country fire attorneys are here to help you fight for all of your losses and damages, such as: