DALLAS, Oct 13, 2017 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
The national law firm of Baron
& Budd has joined forces with California wildfire experts
Singleton Law Firm and Ed Diab, Esq., to investigate the wildfires
currently ravaging Northern California, including, but not limited to,
the Atlas fire in Napa County, the Tubbs fire in Sonoma County, the
Redwood Complex and Potter fires in Mendocino County and the Cascade
fire in Yuba County.
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To date, this outbreak of wildfires has claimed the lives of 31
individuals and has destroyed more than 115,000 acres of land since
Sunday, October 8. California’s fire chief estimates that 2,834 homes,
businesses and other buildings have been destroyed by these fires. In
addition, 400,000 square feet of commercial space was also destroyed.
Many of the structures destroyed were in the city of Santa Rosa – a
major urban center that is home to approximately 167,000 residents. News
reports have linked California power company PG&E to the fire in
Sonoma, with multiple reports called in to emergency dispatchers to
report downed power lines and exploding electrical transformers.
The California Public Utilities Commission fined PG&E $8.3 million in
April 2017 for failing to maintain a power line that created the Butte
Fire in Amador County. Baron & Budd represents victims of the Butte Fire
who sued the utility giant for damages including displacement expenses,
lost wages and loss of property.
“As a California resident, it has been heartbreaking to see the
widespread devastation that these fires have created in communities
throughout the state,” said Baron & Budd Attorney John
Fiske. “We are actively working to determine and confirm if power
lines were the cause of these fires. As in the case of the Butte
wildfire, which was linked to PG&E negligence, we are prepared to act
quickly on behalf of the residents and businesses who have lost so much
due to what may be another case of corporate carelessness. At Baron &
Budd, we consider it a privilege to support the people who were impacted
by past wildfires, and know that there is truly nothing that can prepare
people for the physical and emotional toll of escaping these terrifying
blazes.”
According to news reports, the Tubbs fire is only ten percent contained,
and the Atlas Fire is only three percent contained. Current weather
conditions are expected to create favorable conditions for the fires, a
situation that is worsened by a weather forecast which shows no rain is
likely for at least seven days in most parts of California.
Historically, the state experiences the most devastating wildfires
during October.
Baron & Budd’s Environmental Litigation Group is investigating the cause
of the fire. For legal help, representation and questions, please call
(707) 533-8128.
ABOUT BARON & BUDD, P.C.
The law firm of Baron & Budd, P.C., with offices in Dallas, Baton Rouge,
New Orleans, Austin, Los Angeles, and San Diego, is a nationally
recognized law firm with a nearly 40-year history of “Protecting What’s
Right” for people, communities and businesses harmed by negligence.
Baron & Budd’s size and resources enable the firm to take on large and
complex cases. The firm represents individuals and government and
business entities in areas as diverse as dangerous pharmaceuticals and
medical devices, environmental contamination, the Gulf oil spill,
financial fraud, overtime violations, deceptive advertising, automotive
defects, trucking accidents, nursing home abuse, and asbestos-related
illnesses such as mesothelioma.
ABOUT SINGLETON LAW FIRM, APC
Singleton Law Firm, based in San Diego, is one of the top fire
litigation firms in the state of California. We have represented
thousands of individuals in major fires all over the state of
California, and we have recovered over $600 million for our clients in
fire cases. Our lead attorney, Gerald Singleton, has served as Liaison
Counsel and on the Executive Committees in some of the largest fires in
the state. We currently represent over 2,000 individuals in the 2015
Butte Fire, which was a catastrophic fire started by PG&E power lines
that burned over 70,000 acres in Calaveras and Amador counties. We
recently represented the largest individual group of plaintiffs in the
2013 Powerhouse Fire in Los Angeles County, and Mr. Singleton served as
Liaison Counsel for that case. Prior to the Powerhouse Fire, Singleton
Law Firm was one of four firms who teamed up in a joint venture to
represent over 1,600 individuals in the 2007 San Diego Fires. Although
we specialize in high value cases, we represent individuals and business
with all types of damages, from wrongful deaths to homeowners to renters.
ABOUT ED DIAB, ESQ.
Ed Diab is a nationally recognized attorney that has litigated numerous
wildfire cases throughout the country. He was actively involved in the
widely publicized lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric arising out of
the 2010 San Bruno Gas Pipeline Explosion that leveled 38 homes and
killed 8. He represented parties with property damage claims arising out
of the 2013 Powerhouse Wildfire in Los Angeles that scored more than
30,000 acres in Santa Clarita. He also represented numerous people in
lawsuits against Pacific Gas & Electric that sustained significant
property damages arising out of the 2015 Butte Fire in Amador/Calaveras
County that burned over 70,000 acres. Mr. Diab has also litigated gas
explosion and wildfire claims in Montana, Washington and Texas. Because
of the foregoing experience, Mr. Diab has been appointed by courts to
several Plaintiffs Steering and Executive Committee positions to assist
in guiding mass actions to resolution or trial.
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SOURCE: Baron & Budd, P.C.
Baron & Budd, P.C.
Bradley Bowen, 214-523-6633
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