Morgan & Morgan Files Lawsuit Against Southern California Edison over Deadly Eaton Fire

Lawsuit alleges Edison has negligently caused various fires for nearly a decade.

[Los Angeles, CA] – Morgan & Morgan, America’s largest injury law firm, has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Southern California Edison and Edison International. The lawsuit alleges the power companies are responsible for the ongoing Eaton fire, one of two fires in Los Angeles County that have claimed a total of 27 lives and destroyed more than 13,600 structures, including the Altadena home of plaintiffs Richard and Patricia Parish, a couple in their 60s.

The attached complaint alleges Edison negligently and recklessly failed to maintain its electrical equipment in fire-prone vegetated areas impacted by drought, failed to maintain an appropriate clearance area between the power lines and surrounding vegetation and failed to deenergize the power lines despite knowing about high winds, extreme drought conditions and active wildfires nearby. Richard, who is a professional musician, and his wife lost everything, including Richard’s collection of guitars.

“The Parishes are lucky to be alive, but now they are faced with the task of rebuilding their lives from scratch and trying to recover from the loss of not only their home but all of their possessions,” said Morgan & Morgan attorney Tyler Kobylinski. “The lawsuit alleges that SoCal Edison deliberately prioritized profits over safety with a reckless and conscious disregard for human life. Our goal with this litigation is to secure justice for the Parish family and all those impacted by this devastating disaster.”

The lawsuit alleges SoCal Edison’s electrical equipment was involved in at least six other fires since 2016, putting public safety at risk by transmitting high voltage electric power through exposed, uninsulated conductors in known high-fire risk areas during forecasted high wind conditions.

“It is the responsibility of power companies like SoCal Edison to monitor conditions and safely maintain their equipment,” said Morgan & Morgan attorney Benjamin Wilson. “The plaintiffs allege that SoCal Edison failed to meet that responsibility despite allegedly identifying Eaton Canyon, where this fire began, as an extreme risk area. What’s the point of identifying ‘extreme risk areas’ if not to take the decisive corrective actions needed to maintain safety and save lives?”

The Parishes are seeking damages for the repair/replacement of their destroyed property, lost wages, displacement expenses and medical expenses, among others, in addition to punitive damages against Edison.

Morgan & Morgan has a long track record of securing justice for those impacted by fires and explosions caused by utility companies’ negligence. The firm was involved in last year’s multi-billion settlement with Hawaii power companies over the devastating Lahaina fire on Maui, the settlement with PG&E arising from the 2017 Northern California fires, and the $1.8 billion settlement for victims of the Porter Ranch gas blowout.