 | Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is no longer actively retaining Dixie Fire victims. |
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Heavy rainfall struck Northern California on October 24 and 25, 2021, causing mudslides where the Dixie Fire had destabilized hillsides. Many residents in the area were forced to evacuate due to the threat of mudslides posed by the storm.
Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers is representing those who were evacuated or suffered property damage or injury due to the mudslides. PG&E has admitted that its equipment may have started the Dixie Fire, and we intend to hold PG&E responsible for destabilizing Northern California hillsides by starting the Dixie Fire.
Vegetation on hillsides usually holds soil in place, protecting it from heavy rain and letting water have more time to soak into the soil. However, when vegetation is destroyed by fire, there’s nothing left to prevent soil from flowing down a hill, and the soil can actually repel water, leading to a river of mud and debris forming.
California law holds utilities like PG&E responsible for any damages caused by fires they start, and this also applies to damages caused by mudslides that are the result of fires they start.
Our Dixie Fire mudslide lawyers don’t charge a fee until and unless we obtain financial compensation for you, so our services are essentially free.
Call us today at (530) 479-3121 for a free Dixie Fire mudslide consultation, or text us from this page. You may be eligible for financial compensation.
What Kinds Of Mudslide Damages Can I Recover?
You may be eligible to recover damages from PG&E for multiple types of Dixie Fire mudslide losses, including:
- Damage to your home and structures
- Damage to household items
- Damage to vegetation and landscaping
- Damage to commercial agriculture
- Erosion or loss of land
- Injury or death
- The costs of living in a temporary residence or hotel after being evacuated
- Additional costs associated with temporary living after being evacuated
- Lost wages and business income while you’re unable to work
- Emotional distress, such as disturbance, fear and anguish as a result of evacuation
Do I Need A Lawyer If I Have Insurance?
Your insurance may have an Alternative Living Expense Allowance which can help compensate you if you’ve lost your home in or have been forced to evacuate due to a mudslide. However, this allowance doesn’t last forever.
Other issues may pop up for you as well. For example, the cost of building materials may be much higher than when you obtained your policy, so you may find your policy won’t cover the cost of replacing a home you have lost in a mudslide. Your insurance policy may also not cover things such as priceless photographs or lost wages. The Plumas and Lassen County mudslide lawyers at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers can force PG&E to compensate you for any mudslide losses your insurance won’t cover.
In addition, mudslides are explicitly excluded from many homeowners’ insurance policies, so you may find your mudslide insurance claim being denied by your insurance company. However, California’s Efficient Proximate Cause Doctrine holds insurance companies responsible for compensating policyholders when an uncovered disaster was actually primarily caused by a covered cause, such as when a mudslide, which the insurance policy doesn’t cover, is mostly caused by a fire, which the insurance policy does cover.
The experienced mudslide attorneys at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers and their team of experts can prove to insurance companies that the Dixie Fire destabilized soil, causing a mudslide to occur.
What If I’m Uninsured Or Underinsured?
If you don’t have insurance, we will recover damages from PG&E to compensate you for your loss. If you have insurance, you’re likely underinsured, and your damages will likely greatly exceed your policy limits. We will recover from PG&E any damages that your insurance policy fails to cover.
What If I’m A Renter?
We can still recover evacuation-related damages from PG&E from you if you’re a renter, in addition to any personal property lost in a mudslide such as clothing, cookware, furniture and more.
PG&E Is Responsible For The Mudslides
PG&E, in a report it sent to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), admitted that their troubleman found a tree leaning into their power lines and a fire on the ground near the base of the tree on the day of and at the location of the Dixie Fire’s ignition. They also admitted in a separate SEC filing that it’s “probable” they’ll sustain financial losses in connection with the Dixie Fire.
PG&E are therefore liable for any damages caused by the Dixie Fire, including damages caused by any mudslides that are caused by the Dixie Fire destabilizing soil. Several California laws ensure PG&E’s liability:
- California Public Resources Code § 4293 requires utilities to make sure vegetation stays at least four feet from power lines of the type involved in the Dixie Fire.
- Public Utilities Code § 2106 holds utilities like PG&E liable for any damages caused by their violation of laws.
- California Health & Safety Code § 13007 holds anyone who negligently lets a fire escape onto someone else’s property liable for any damages caused by the fire.
- Article 1, § 19 of the California Constitution states that just compensation must be paid to the owner of any property damaged for public use, and California courts have ruled that this applies to utilities who start fires under the concept of inverse condemnation.
The Dixie Fire mudslide attorneys at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers will hold PG&E responsible for any damages and evacuation costs resulting from mudslides triggered by the Dixie Fire.
Experienced California Mudslide Lawyers
The lawyers at Nadrich Accident Injury Lawyers have been helping Californians recover from injuries and disasters for over 30 years, and have previously represented victims of the Montecito Mudslides against Southern California Edison. The Montecito Mudslides were caused by hillsides which the Thomas Fire destabilized, and Southern California Edison was found responsible for the Thomas Fire. We have extensive experience holding California utilities responsible for damages caused by mudslides caused by fires that the utilities started, and we intend to hold PG&E accountable for starting the Dixie Fire and causing mudslides as a result.
We do not charge a fee for our representation if we do not obtain a recovery for our clients. Our only fee is a percentage of any recovery obtained. You will never owe us any out of pocket money for our services.
Call us today at (530) 479-3121 for a free consultation if you or a loved one was evacuated or suffered property damage or injury due to mudslides caused by the Dixie Fire. You may be eligible for a financial recovery.
