Wrongful death claims resolved following utility-related wildfire

Our clients were surviving family members who lost loved ones after a wildfire and community-wide emergency linked to failed power lines and unmaintained infrastructure. The utility defendant denied responsibility and pursued an aggressive defense strategy, filing cross-claims against multiple public entities and asserting that governmental planning, flood control, and land use decisions were the true causes of the losses. The litigation was highly complex, with competing theories of causation, dozens of experts, and efforts to diffuse liability across numerous actors.

We focused relentlessly on causation and operational responsibility, to prevent the case from devolving into finger-pointing among third parties. Our strategy emphasized:

• The role of utility infrastructure as a substantial contributing cause of harm
• Foreseeability of catastrophic consequences under known risk conditions
• Documentary and expert evidence tying utility operations to the chain of events

We coordinated discovery and expert development to rebut blame-shifting defenses and to demonstrate that downstream governmental conduct did not sever the causal link between the utility’s actions and the resulting loss of life.

The wrongful death claims resolved through substantial settlements, delivering meaningful compensation to surviving family members. The outcomes reflected accountability for utility-caused harm while avoiding prolonged, multi-party trial and appellate proceedings.