1 Mikal Watts is licensed to practice law in Texas, Oregon, and Arkansas.
2 Erin Brockovich is not a lawyer.

The Case Against Southern California Edison

Timeline of Events

January 5th, 2025
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On Sunday, January 5th, 2025, the National Weather Service issued warnings of “Extreme Fire Conditions, with Widespread Damaging Winds,” giving notice to SCE, to take all necessary actions to prevent their infrastructure from sparking a wildfire.

Since the firestorms in San Diego in the 2010s and 2017 in Northern California, utilities across California, including SCE, and the Western United States have implemented a variety of actions to try to eliminate risks of their equipment starting an uncontrollable wildfire that can kill people and devastate communities including shutting off power in areas where high winds might damage utility infrastructure and spark a fire. Proactively shutting off power to an area is called a Public Safety Power Shutoff or PSPS. Unfortunately, it appears SCE did not implement a complete a PSPS in the area where the Eaton Fire ignited. The result of this is that power was flowing through the SCE’s equipment at the time of the forecasted wind event in the area where the Eaton Fire started. Our research demonstrates that their equipment failed in the winds and sparked the Eaton Fire. We now all understand what happened after the fire started – pure property devastation and loss of life.

January 7th, 2025
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Our initial research indicates that Southern California Edison’s (SCE) equipment ignited the Eaton Fire on January 7th, 2025.

Our Commitment To You

We Will Be Here For You

EXPERIENCE THAT MATTERS

Along with our experienced wildfire lawyers, we bring together experienced fire-cause and origin experts, arborists, business valuation consultants, and advocates to work tirelessly for our clients. As advocates for over 20,000 wildfire victims and survivors across the United States, we know what it takes to build a successful case against a utility.

TREAT YOU LIKE FAMILY

We approach this relationship like you are family. We will be there to provide support, encouragement, and thoughtfulness.

PROVIDE IN-PERSON ACCESS

This is more than a job to us. The people who will be helping you on your path to recovery understand what you are going through. Many are your community members.

PROVIDE A SAFE SPACE

Your safety and comfort with our team is of the utmost importance. You will be sharing personal and private information that allows us to fight on your behalf.

SEEK THE TRUTH

Wrongdoers almost always deny their culpability. We do not let this deter us. In 2017, working together with experts, our team developed evidence to help demonstrate the cause and origin of one of the largest North Bay fires was utility-owned equipment. This work helped to ensure thousands of victims and survivors received justice for their injuries and damages.

FIGHT FOR REAL CHANGE

While the primary purpose of our litigation is to get justice for our clients, our goal is also to change bad corporate behavior. Our PG&E litigation resulted in over $14 billion going to all victims and survivors of PG&E’s devastating fires between 2015 and 2018, but lawyers also insisted on certain changes to PG&E’s board of directors and on other structural changes. Since then, while PG&E has ignited some fires, overall, the company has operated more safely than prior to our litigation. Our goals here are no different and we will continue to seek the kinds of reforms to help ensure this does not happen again.

How Do I Know if I Qualify?

Home/Property/Land Damage

If your property was totally destroyed, partially destroyed, or has soot and ash damage, we will work with our rebuild and repair experts, arborists, and appraisal experts to accurately value the damage. This will help us seek the largest possible amount on your behalf.

Personal Property Damage

This includes everything from the standard items in your home, your vehicles, cherished items, family heirlooms, exceptional items, and collectibles. While there are some things money can’t bring back, we retain personal property experts who will work with you to get everything cataloged to position us to advocate effectively.

Emotional Distress Day of Fire

You may have suffered emotional distress as you were fleeing from the fast-moving fires, or sheltering in place. We are so sorry for what you went through. As with your physical injuries, please seek counseling or other medical attention if you are suffering emotionally from the fires. We will be submitting a claim for the emotional distress you have experienced.

Emotional Distress After the Fire

You may also be suffering emotional distress as you think about everything that was lost. The impacts are beyond just your material possessions as you way of life has been destroyed as well. All the places you used to visit are gone and you can no longer enjoy your property. In the law, we call this “nuisance.” Please seek counseling or other medical attention if you are suffering emotionally from the fires. You should also consider keeping a diary of your daily activities since the fires, including writing down how you are feeling each day.

Death of a Loved One

Tragically, we know that there has been a significant loss of life associated with these fires. It is truly horrific and unprecedented in modern American history. If you have a family member who passed away in the fire or from health impacts from the fire, we extend our deepest condolences and sympathies. Our team has worked with many families who have faced the tragic outcome of someone passing away in a wildfire. We are here to ensure you and your loved ones get the justice deserved, while also protecting your family’s privacy as best we can.

Physical Injuries

Reports indicated many people suffered personal injuries while fleeing the fires. Please seek medical attention if you were one of those folks. You should also take care to keep track of any out-of-pocket costs associated with treating these injuries, including any co-payments to medical providers, medical supplies, and prescription drugs.

Business Income Loss

If you lost your business, even one that is home-based, we work with business experts who help you determine the value of what you lost. In turn, we will seek to recover these losses on your behalf.

Personal Income Loss

The fires have destroyed thousands of buildings, some of which may have housed active businesses. As a result, some community members may have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. If you are one of those people, we will seek to recover your personal income losses.

Out of Out-of-Pocket Expenses

In the days, weeks, months, and years that follow this tragedy, you will likely incur out-of-pocket expenses for things like housing, food, travel, clean-up costs, and other unforeseen costs. You should immediately start keeping track of all of these expenses as best you can. All of these will be a part of what we fight to get you compensated for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are you suing and why?

We are suing Southern California Edison (SCE), the utility company that provides electricity to homes, ranches, and businesses in the Eaton Fire burn area. Our preliminary research shows that equipment owned by SCE likely ignited the Eaton Fire.

I will or have already filed a claim with my insurance company and expect to receive or have received payment from that claim, do I still qualify to participate in the lawsuit against SCE?

Yes, whether you have insurance and have been paid on that claim or you don’t have insurance, you can still qualify to participate in this litigation. You should understand, however, that any proceeds you receive in this litigation will be offset by the amount you have received from your insurance company. This is because, under the law, you cannot recover twice for the same set of damages.

How do I know if I qualify to participate in the lawsuit against Southern California Edison?

To qualify, at least one of the following must be true:

- You must own one partially damaged property.
- You must own one totally destroyed property
-You were a renter or an occupant of a property that was partially or totally destroyed
-You are a child of a property owner, renter or occupant of a property that was partially or totally destroyed
- You own property that suffered uninsured smoke damage of least $50,000
- You suffered uninsured arbor loss (tree damage or landscaping or fencing) of at least $50,000
- You have lost personal income of over $25,000
- A business you own, including agriculture, suffered fire or smoke damage, and the business lost income
- You suffered a physical injury resulting in hospitalization caused by the fire
- A loved one was killed in the fire or died as a result of injuries caused by the fire

What type of physical and emotional injuries can I recover from?

You can recover for any physical injury that you suffered in the fire or fleeing the fire, as long as you have medical records that reflect your injury and the fact that you suffered that injury in or fleeing from the fire. You may also be able to recover harm to your emotional well-being as long as you suffered a physical injury.

If I was renting a home and it burned down in the Eaton fire, can I participate in this lawsuit against Southern California Edison?

Yes. A renter or an occupant whose place of residence was destroyed by the fire can participate in the litigation. If the residence you rented or occupied was damaged, then you may be able to participate in the litigation if a significant portion of your personal property was destroyed.

Can I be compensated for animals or pets that perished in the fire?

Under California law, recovery for the loss of a pet is challenging. However, if you had animals that were part of a business you owned or you derived some personal income from animals that perished in the fire, you may be entitled to compensation for the loss of those animals.

If I qualify, how much do you think my case is worth?

Each case is unique and based on the individual’s or family’s circumstances. Were you a homeowner or a renter? Did you have insurance? Were you home at the time of the fire and required to evacuate through the flames? Did you have a home-based business with inventory? All of these things can impact the value of your case. Thus, until we learn more about your circumstances, we cannot estimate how much you might recover in this litigation.

How do you, the lawyers, get paid?

The lawyers you hire to advocate on your behalf against SCE work under what is called a “Contingency Fee arrangement.” Under the terms of this agreement, which is required by the State Bar of California to be in writing, you will pay us, your lawyers, only if you receive a payment for your injuries and damages. If your case does not settle or you do not receive a jury award, then you will owe us nothing, including any expenses that we advanced on your behalf. This arrangement will be covered in a written agreement between you and us called a CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT AND CONSENT TO FEE SHARING. You can click here to be taken to this contract. Again, if the client receives no award, the attorneys are not entitled to receive any payment from the client, including reimbursement of costs incurred.

Why should I hire the law firms associated with Eaton Fire Justice to represent me?

Our associated team of attorneys and staff are currently or have successfully represented about 20,000 wildfire survivors and victims across California, Oregon, New Mexico, Texas, and Hawaii (Maui) about 17,000 of which are clients who have been impacted by wildfires across Northern and Southern California including the Bobcat Fire and Woolsey Fire. Those clients faced the same tragic circumstances you are now facing. Your property was damaged or destroyed when a utility’s equipment failed, igniting an uncontrollable wildfire. We worked as part of a team that reached a global $13.5 billion settlement with the Pacific, Gas, & Electric to get compensation for thousands of our clients. Those folks are now receiving their compensation and engaging in the daunting process of rebuilding their homes, businesses, communities, and their lives. Because we have been through this before in multiple communities, we believe we bring the experience needed to help the devastated communities recover.

Are there any deadlines related to the litigation that I should be aware of for the Eaton Wildfire?

In California, you have certain time periods to file a lawsuit, which are called Statutes of Limitation. For property damage, you have three years from the date of the damage and for personal injury you have two years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit.

What is a mass tort? What is a mass tort lawsuit?

A mass tort is a form of injury or harm caused by an act or omission that harms or injures many people. Mass tort actions, also known as mass tort lawsuits, are collections of individual lawsuits that allege the same harm against the same defendants and can be grouped together by a judicial panel to reduce redundancies in the judicial system.

How does a mass tort differ from a class action?

In a class action, while there are many people injured by one bad event or act, all of the cases are lumped together, and there is one lawyer/plaintiff to act as lead lawyer/plaintiff. This lawyer wields a significant amount of power, and the lead plaintiff may receive significantly more compensation than the rest of the “class” of plaintiffs. In you are a member of a Class, you do not have a choice of who your lawyer will be and you will likely never meet your lawyer.

In a Mass Tort, each individual Plaintiff maintains more control over their own lawsuit. In this regard, in a mass tort lawsuit, individuals or families retain their right to select their own attorney. Mass tort litigation may allow for individualized review and valuation of a plaintiff’s damages, which ultimately compensates that plaintiff for his/her damages.

How long will this case take to resolve?

Unfortunately, litigation for these types of damages can take years to resolve. Typically, a case of this complexity can take between 3 and 5 years, or longer, to be fully resolved. As you decide if you want to be involved, please understand that our team will be available to support you until your case is resolved—one way or the other.

What We Recommend Doing Right Away Whether You Choose to Hire Us or Not

If you are insured, contact your insurance company to report all losses and request a copy of your insurance policy as soon as you are able. Keep any documents you receive from your insurance company. Take detailed notes of conversations with your insurance company representatives or adjusters.

Keep track of all out-of-pocket expenses related to the fire, including medical expenses, groceries, shelter costs, clothes, relocation expenses, gasoline, or purchasing a replacement vehicle.The best way to track receipts is to take a photo with your phone as soon as you buy something.

When you get access to your damaged property, try to take photographs of everything.

Start creating a list of anything damaged or destroyed on paper or, better yet, if you can access a computer in a digital database like Excel.

If you are considering hiring a public adjuster, please make sure to ask about the fee that s/he will charge you. They usually take a percentage of the monetary value that they get from your insurance company. It can be very expensive and you want to know what they are going to take from. You can see if a Public Adjuster you are considering hiring holds a valid State of California license by clicking here.

If you have insurance, please understand that the insurance company is obligated to pay you for your loss. This is a binding contract between you and your insurer. If you feel your insurer is not treating you fairly after attempts to get them to cover your loss, please visit the State Insurance Commissioner’s website here.

One of The Most Experienced Wildfire Litigation Teams in California

We Will Be Here For You

How Do I Know if I Qualify?

Frequently Asked Questions

What We Recommend Doing Right Away Whether You Choose to Hire Us or Not

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Qualification Questionnaire