Under California law, utilities like PG&E and Southern California Edison are legally responsible for damage caused by their equipment even when there is no showing of negligence. This is called "inverse condemnation." The idea is that when government entities or utilities cause major damage to private property, their actions are in essence a taking of that property. Property takings are…Read More
Earlier this month, Governor Jerry Brown announced the creation of a special committee to reassess state policy on financial responsibility for wildfires. Under current law, utilities like PG&E and California Edison can be held liable for wildfires sparked by their equipment even if they're not found negligent. This is called "inverse condemnation," and it's a big issue for the utilities.…Read More
Pacific Gas & Electric Corp (PG&E) recently released an estimate of its expected losses from last year's Northern California wildfires. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, PG&E said it planned to take a $2.5-billion charge against its profits for the quarter ending June 30. However, the utility admitted that charge represented the low end of the reasonable…Read More
Officials from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) recently released a report tying Pacific Gas and Electric to 12 Northern California fires last fall. Those fires resulted in the deaths of 18 people and caused billions of dollars in damage. Many of them were reportedly sparked when trees or tree parts fell onto PG&E lines, or…Read More
California utilities PG&E Corp. and Edison International have been fighting in the courts to avoid liability for damage from last year's wildfires, which were the most destructive in history. Although it has not yet been determined that the utilities were responsible for starting any of the fires, they have been seeking a court ruling that they can't be held liable…Read More
Whether you own land, a home or a business, you have likely put a great deal of time, money and other resources into buying and maintaining it. As such, property owners across California take their ownership rights and protections very seriously. For instance, if the government takes or damages to your private property through direct condemnation (eminent domain), you have…Read More
As we discussed in our last post, the California constitution gives property owners the right to hold utility companies financially responsible for losses caused by their equipment, even if the utility followed state safety rules. Property owners can bring inverse condemnation claims against the utility for the losses they incurred. Inverse condemnation is part of eminent domain law. In California,…Read More
