Lawsuit filed against PG&E on behalf of wildfire victim’s family

Some people in Arizona may have heard about the 2018 Camp Fire in California, and Pacific Gas & Electric is facing a lawsuit on behalf of the family of a victim. The fire started on November 8 and resulted in more than 80 deaths along with the loss of thousands of homes and hundreds of businesses. According to the lawsuit, this fire occurred because PG&E failed to maintain its equipment properly.

The man was found dead outside his home along with his stepson, who lived with him, and their dog. They appeared to be trying to escape the fire.

The plaintiffs are two of the man’s children. According to the lawsuit, PG&E had been sanctioned for such problems in the past but did not change its practices. Among the company’s specific failures, according to the lawsuit, was not adequately dealing with vegetation growing around its equipment and power lines despite the risk of fire. It also says that the company knew the infrastructure was unsafe, but it did not take steps to prevent hazards during weather conditions that presented a high risk of fire. Due to the lack of action on the part of PG&E, the suit alleges, California’s deadliest wildfire occurred.

When a person dies, and his or her death is the fault of another party, it might be possible for certain family members to file a lawsuit against the responsible party. There may be several reasons a family wishes to file this type of lawsuit. The compensation could be important to the support of dependents. The lawsuit might also bring attention to a company’s negligent practices and could lead to changes that save the lives of others.

Source: Market Watch, “Lieff Cabraser Announces Filing of Wrongful Death and Negligence Lawsuit Against Pacific Gas & Electric on Behalf of the Family of 2018 Camp Wildfire Victim Ernest ‘Ernie’ Foss,” December 13, 2018