Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is no longer actively retaining Dixie Fire victims. |
Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is actively retaining victims of the Dixie Fire. PG&E has been found responsible for starting the fire, and California law holds utilities responsible for damages caused by fires they start.
We are representing Dixie Fire victims on a contingency-fee basis, meaning no fee is charged until and unless we obtain a financial recovery.
You may be eligible for financial compensation if you or a loved one had property damaged or destroyed by the Dixie Fire.
Why Hire Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers?
There are many reasons to work with an attorney from our firm on your Dixie Fire case. For one, we are local to you. Many other law firms currently advertising for Dixie Fire claims are based in other states. By hiring Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers, you will have peace of mind knowing that the attorneys representing you and your family are local and accessible to you.
We are experienced California wildfire lawyers who have pursued claims against PG&E on behalf of clients who suffered injuries and losses in the Camp Fire of 2018, Wine Country Fire of 2017, Butte County Fire of 2015 and the Kincade Fire of 2019. Our firm has filed over 200 legal actions for fire victims, including homeowners, businesses and vintners who lost much of their property. Today, we’re still pursuing legal action against PG&E.
Attorneys on our legal teams have held leadership positions in past PG&E wildfire litigation. Additionally, many of our attorneys manage mass tort cases regularly, so we can determine if your case qualifies to join the court proceedings against PG&E.
Our Access to Experts
We have the necessary resources and experience to take on PG&E because we’ve done it before. Among our resources are the experts we refer to regularly for our cases.
Based on your unique case, our team may refer to fire liability causation experts, weather experts, residential and business valuators, and public adjusters. These experts can help us corroborate the evidence we need to build your case and establish PG&E’s negligence as the cause of your damages. They can provide invaluable testimony supporting what happened to you and your family.
Our Firm Operates on a Contingency Basis
There is no upfront cost for our services, and the initial consultation with a member of our team is free. We only collect a fee if a recovery is made, and this fee is simply a portion of the recovery amount. This payment structure allows fire victims like yourself to afford legal representation to pursue the best possible outcome.
Our Results
Our wildfire attorneys in California have recovered over $750 million for our clients. Here is a sample of some of the 5-star reviews we have received from past clients:
- “Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers put in extra effort to win my case. I appreciate all of their hard work.” – Brad L.
- “I truly believe that they had my best interests at heart and got me a lot more than the insurance company really wanted to pay.” – J. Johnson
- “I trusted them and they did not let me down.” – Judith C.
We are proud to have received hundreds of positive reviews on top consumer review websites, such as Angie’s List, Yellowpages and Yelp. Our team will work just as hard for you as we do each one of our clients. We are not afraid to stand up to the big utility companies and fight for the compensation and justice you deserve.
Our local office is located in Quincy, CA in Plumas County.
231 Main Street
Suite 202
Quincy, CA 95971
Call us now for a free, confidential consultation. We are here to help you.
Should I File a Claim for Compensation With the Fire Victim Trust?
Currently, the Fire Victim Trust does not assist victims of the Dixie Fire. This may or may not change in the future. The Trust was established to help victims with claims arising from the 2015 Butte Fire, 2017 North Bay Fires, and 2018 Camp Fire.
Our firm can assist you and your family if you were hurt or suffered damage in any of these California wildfires.
Can I Pursue Dixie Fire Compensation Directly From PG&E?
PG&E has an online claims portal for victims of the Dixie Fire. However, this may not be the best course of action since the company could diminish your claim and devalue your damages, which would reduce your payout.
Instead of pursuing compensation directly from the company, you may want to consider working with a Dixie Fire attorney from our firm. Your attorney can protect your rights and ensure you are seeking the full and fair compensation you need to recover.
What Dixie Fire Compensation Am I Entitled To?
The types of compensation you may be entitled to in a Dixie Fire lawsuit will vary depending on your circumstances. You may be entitled to many types of compensation, including compensation for:
- The cost to replace or repair your home and property
- Personal property and belongings lost in the fire
- Land value depreciation
- Damage to timber, trees, or underwood
- Crop loss
- Harm to or loss of your livestock or pets
What Started the Dixie Fire?
CAL FIRE, in a January 4, 2022, statement, concluded “after a meticulous and thorough investigation” that the Dixie Fire was started when a tree contacted PG&E’s power lines west of Cresta Dam.
The Dixie Fire, according to an electrical incident report PG&E sent to state utility regulators, was first spotted by a PG&E troubleman at around 4:40 PM on July 13, 2021. The troubleman was responding to a PG&E outage system indication that power was lost at Cresta Dam off Highway 70 in the Feather River Canyon at about 7 AM.
The troubleman, according to the PG&E report, observed a tree leaning into PG&E’s power lines, two blown fuses, and a fire on the ground below the tree.
ABC 10 reported that the PG&E worker told a PG&E dispatcher, “There’s a tree on a line that started a fire,” and when asked if he was sure, responded, “Correct. No, that started it… it fell, fell into the line.”
Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey implied that one reason it took PG&E almost 10 hours from the time of the Cresta Dam outage to detect the fire was that PG&E failed to make the ticket they put in to inspect the Cresta Dam outage a high priority ticket, meaning the troubleman had to first attend to higher priority tickets before attending to the Cresta Dam outage report.
PG&E, in a July SEC filing, acknowledged that it is “probable” the utility will incur financial losses related to the Dixie Fire.
The Dixie Fire, as of September 28, 2021, has:
- Become the second-largest wildfire in California’s history,
- Destroyed the towns of Greenville and Canyondam,
- Burned 963,309 acres of land in Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Shasta and Tehama Counties,
- Led to one fatality, and
- Destroyed 1,329 structures
Can I Sue PG&E Over the Dixie Fire?
Yes. We intend to sue PG&E over the Dixie Fire, alleging negligence.
“Clueless” tree crews left at-risk trees standing near power lines in the area near the Zogg Fire’s ignition point, according to NBC Bay Area. The California Public Utilities Commission later placed PG&E into enhanced oversight for failing to give enough priority to clearing vegetation around high-risk power lines.
It is negligent, as well as a violation of California laws and regulations, to fail to clear vegetation from the vicinity of power lines when the vegetation is too close to power lines. We believe that the Dixie Fire started for the same reason the Zogg Fire started: PG&E’s negligent failure to keep dangerous vegetation away from their power lines.
California law allows fire victims to collect financial compensation for their losses from utilities found responsible for fires. We intend to hold PG&E responsible for their negligence and obtain financial compensation for your Dixie Fire losses.
What Should I Do if the Dixie Fire Destroyed My Property?
Document all property and possessions lost in the fire and immediately contact your insurance company.
Contact Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers for a free consultation to see if you are eligible for a Dixie Fire lawsuit and, if so, how much you may be able to obtain in a lawsuit.
Will My Insurance Cover My Dixie Fire Losses?
Your insurance company may not cover all of your Dixie Fire losses. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused prices of all kinds to increase, including the prices of lumber and other materials used for building. Increased prices, as well as high labor costs resulting from high contractor demand, may cause your rebuilding costs to exceed the limits of your insurance coverage.
Insurance companies are leaving California to avoid wildfire payouts, and some victims of the 2018 Camp Fire are still fighting to receive insurance payouts almost three years later.
Filing a Dixie Fire lawsuit against PG&E may help to cover any Dixie Fire losses your insurance won’t cover.
Judge William Alsup Questions PG&E
On August 6, 2021, U.S. District Judge William Alsup requested information from PG&E about the Dixie Fire and Fly Fire. PG&E submitted a response on August 16, 2021. Alsup had requested photographs of the tree suspected of starting the Dixie Fire, and PG&E provided 15 photos.
Drone Seen Near the Fire
Alsup had asked about a drone seen near the fire on the day the fire started; the drone apparently interfered with firefighting efforts. PG&E responded that it doesn’t know who was operating the drone or why the drone was there.
Power Line Inspection Dates and Risk Ratings
Alsup had asked when the section of power lines suspected of starting the Dixie Fire was last worked on, and what its risk ranking was. PG&E responded that a detailed inspection of the span last occurred on May 13, 2021, and that the inspection determined that no corrective action was necessary. PG&E also responded that the last tree work performed near the span was done in June 2019 and that the last vegetation management patrol performed on the span was completed on January 14, 2021. The patrol, according to PG&E, did not identify the tree suspected of starting the fire.
PG&E told Alsup that the section of power lines was ranked 11 out of 3,635 circuit sections in terms of equipment failure risk and 568 out of 3,074 circuit sections in terms of probability of contact from vegetation.
Alsup Notes Inconsistencies
Alsup then had follow-up questions for PG&E on August 17. Alsup noted in the questions that a photograph of a thoroughly burned tree stump doesn’t match up with other photos of the fallen tree showing that it was green and mostly unburned.
Alsup noted that PG&E had told a monitor that it believed the drone which interfered with firefighting efforts was, in fact, being operated by a PG&E contractor. Alsup also asked why the span of power lines in question was given such elevated equipment failure and vegetation contact risk ratings.
Alsup Notes Further Inconsistencies, Questions Troubleman’s Role in Fire
Alsup had further follow-up questions for PG&E on August 18. These questions seemed to imply that Alsup suspected that a PG&E troubleman may have actually started the Dixie Fire.
Alsup stated that it “does not add up” that the line disruption suspected of starting the fire was recorded at 6:48 AM on July 13, yet when the PG&E troubleman saw the fire after 4:40 PM, it was only 600-800 square feet in size. Alsup noted that nobody saw the fire until the troubleman arrived, and asked what, if anything, the troubleman did that may have started the fire.
Alsup specifically asked if the troubleman tried to replace a fuse while the tree was still leaning on the power lines and the circuit still had a good load, possibly causing arcing and a fire in the process.
Alsup submitted an order on August 19 stating that answers to his questions shall be sworn under oath.
Has PG&E Claimed Responsibility for the Dixie Fire?
California’s fire management agency has stated that PG&E was responsible for the Dixie Fire. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the company is responsible for your damages. You will still need to prove:
- PG&E had a duty of care to keep you safe from harm
- PG&E breached that duty of care
- That breach caused you harm
- You have damages as a result
A Dixie Fire attorney from our firm can establish PG&E’s negligence for you.
PG&E is settling cases totaling tens of millions of dollars. Your attorney will fight for a fair settlement in your case.
Dixie Fire Lawyers
You need experienced California wildfire attorneys if you want to recover the most money possible in a Dixie Fire lawsuit. At Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers, we are currently handling thousands of California wildfire claims, including claims against PG&E relating to the Camp Fire, and the Kincade Fire. Utilities like PG&E fear seeing our names on a lawsuit because they know we can prove their negligence directly caused a fire to start.
We have extensive experience holding PG&E responsible for their negligent failure to maintain their power lines and the vegetation surrounding them, and this experience means we can obtain the largest recovery possible in a Dixie Fire lawsuit to compensate you for your Dixie Fire-related damages. Best of all, we can represent you without charging you an upfront fee or any money out of your own pocket. Our only fee is a portion of your recovery; we don’t charge a fee if we don’t obtain financial compensation for you.
PG&E’s incompetence has cost Californians far too much for far too long. Call our Dixie Fire lawyers at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers today for a free consultation so we can obtain justice for you and hold PG&E accountable for their failures.
