Maison Law represents business owners who have suffered the loss of property and income due to wildfires caused by negligent California utility companies like PG&E. Our personal injury lawyers go to work immediately to hold power companies responsible for all damages to stores and shops that result from their carelessness. Please contact us to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with a real California lawyer and find out how to hold PG&E fully accountable for your business losses.
PG&E’s Liability in Businesses Destroyed By Wildfires
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been blamed for sparking over 30 wildfires since 2017. Over 100 people have tragically lost their lives in those blazes and thousands suffered injuries.
These wildfires caused billions of dollars in damage to homes and businesses. In cities and in rural areas, hundreds of retail stores, big and small, were destroyed. Owners may have poured their entire life’s savings into these businesses like gift shops, convenience stores, hardware stores, restaurants, and any other type of store. These business owners should never face the task of rebuilding alone.
PG&E has been held financially liable for the devastation caused because investigators say the utility giant put profits over the safe maintenance and upgrade of California’s power grid. CALFIRE found that the electricity provider failed to replace old equipment and prepare power lines for bad weather and high winds. After some fires, it was determined that PG&E delayed cutting down dangerous trees, allowing them to later fall on power lines and spark fires during dry conditions.
Compensation Available to PG&E Wildfire Victims
The Fire Victim Trust was established out of PG&E’s bankruptcy. It created a fund to help the victims of the 2015 Butte Fires, the 2017 North Bay Fires, and the 2018 Camp Fires.
Victims of more recent fires, like 2021’s Dixie Fire, will likely need to file individual lawsuits to earn compensation for their property that’s been lost.
Whether you’ll seek help through the trust fund or through a lawsuit, it’s important for business owners who suffered losses to have a California Wildfire & Utilities Claim Lawyer protecting their interests. PG&E can afford corporate lawyers to cast doubt on each claim you make. You should have a skilled lawyer protecting your rights and making sure you receive every benefit available.
Seeking Support from PG&E After a Wildfire Insurance Claim
Victims who lose their stores and shops will likely need to file a claim with their business insurance providers before going after PG&E. The sad truth is that most insurance policies don’t provide enough in support to rebuild a business property back to the way it once was. That’s not to mention the customers and clients that may not come back and the losses during the time it takes to attract new customers.
Once you know how much your insurance provider will cover, it’ll be time to file a lawsuit against PG&E to reclaim anything that was left out of the insurance check.
Your lawyer will go to bat for you, demanding full compensation for these losses and more:
- The cost of replacing business structures like retail spaces, showrooms, offices, and storage facilities.
- The cost of repairs to a damaged store.
- The smoke and water damage to business equipment, merchandise, and furniture.
- The cost of replacing your clients’ property. This could also include the property of vendors, your business partners, and your suppliers.
- The medical expenses for a customer, visitor, or client hurt during the wildfires.
- The loss of business branding on signs.
- The loss of landscaping, fences, and parking lots.
- The loss of business revenue.
- The “business interruption” that is caused by a wildfire. The loss of customers and networks preventing you from returning to profitability.
- Support to pay the salaries of your employees.
- Help in keeping up with your business loan payments.
Contact a California Wildfires Lawyer
If you lose a retail store in a wildfire, don’t let PG&E off the hook. Speak to a California utility fire lawyer to discover what you should be demanding from insurance providers and how to make sure you have what you need to rebuild your business back to exactly what it was before.
Contact Maison Law for a free consultation no matter where you live in California. Our case reviews are confidential and come with no obligation. If you decide we can help you earn more for your injuries and damages after a wildfire, you won’t need to have any upfront money to hire us. We don’t get paid unless we win your case for you. Then our fee comes out of the money PG&E provides to you.
