inverse condemnation News

Utility CEO Facing $17B in Fire Damages, Blames Climate Change

It was California’s biggest fire yet. In late July and August, wildfires devastated an area north of San Francisco far bigger than New York City, destroying more than 100 homes and injuring 2 fire fighters. It’s just one in a …

PG&E Says California Governor’s Fire Plan Not Enough

California Governor Jerry Brown issued a plan this week to help the state’s embattled utilities facing liabilities from wildfires. For PG&E Corp., it’s not good enough. “It’s insufficient,” PG&E Chief Executive Officer Geisha Williams said Thursday on the company’s second-quarter …

California Governor Proposes Wildfire Law Changes

California utility giants PG&E Corp. and Edison International are one step closer to changing a state law that has exposed them to billions of dollars in wildfire liabilities. Late Tuesday, California Governor Jerry Brown proposed a bill that would require …

California Utility Shares Rise After Governor Proposes Fire Bill

Shares of California utility owners PG&E Corp., Edison International and Sempra Energy climbed after Governor Jerry Brown indicated that utilities shouldn’t be responsible for future wildfire damages without considering whether they acted “reasonably.” The proposal wouldn’t affect the billions of …

State Committee May Decide PG&E, Edison Wildfire Costs

Utility giants PG&E Corp. and Edison International are facing billions of dollars in potential liabilities from devastating wildfires that broke out across California last year. For a look at how much they could end up on the hook for in …

Judge in PG&E Case Won’t Rule Out California Fire Cost Claim

PG&E Corp. suffered another legal setback with a judge saying he won’t release the company from a key legal claim over the most destructive wildfires in California history. PG&E has been challenging a California law allowing private property owners to …

PG&E Judge Rejects Bid to Set Aside Liability in 2015 Wildfires

PG&E Corp. tentatively lost a bid to inoculate itself from a finding of liability in a 2015 fire, a court decision that deals the company a potentially more serious setback in its strategy to shield itself from deeper losses in …

Texas Litigation Reform Advocate Offers Update on Hail, Hurricane Disputes

There’s been a dramatic reduction in Texas hail litigation resulting from new legislation enacted last year, according to Steve Badger, senior partner with Dallas-based Zelle law firm and an outspoken advocate of hail litigation reform. During the Combined Claims Conference …

Utilities Blame Climate Change to Avoid Fire Cost Liability

Across America, utility executives are getting grilled this earnings season about the consequences of tax reforms, slackening growth and possible mergers. In California, though, Wall Street just wants to know one thing: Are power companies going to take the heat …

Lawyers Hunt for California Fires’ Ground Zero to Pursue PG&E

While Northern California continues to burn, lawyers are already combing through the destruction to make a case that PG&E Corp. is to blame. They aren’t waiting for state regulators to investigate as they hunt for proof that power lines downed …