First Wrongful Death Suits For Families Filed In Wine Country Fires By Lead Counsel Mary Alexander; November 8 Is One-month Anniversary Of Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Napa Fires Claiming 43

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The first wrongful death suits, alleging negligence by PG &E, have been filed for two families in the Wine Country fires by counsel Mary Alexander, a San Francisco victims' rights attorney today.  November 8 is the one-month anniversary of the Santa Rosa, Sonoma, and Napa fires claiming 43 lives.

The wrongful death lawsuits were filed for two families. A long-time couple lived together in their Redwood Valley home and were unable to escape the inferno alive. The man died trying to save her. The new suits, as well as the prior ones last week, were filed in San Francisco Superior Court.  Please do not contact the families directly. The case numbers are CGC-17-562380 and CGC-17-562366.

Alexander, the former President of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, now called the Association for American Justice, said that her firm is now representing 17 plaintiffs including the suits filed last week, against (PG&E) for "gross negligence" for failing to maintain their equipment, having downed lines spark, and allowing vegetation and trees, which they knew to be dangerously located close to the lines, causing the damage to property and lives in Santa Rosa and Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Butte counties.   

PG&E has a duty to maintain their electrical equipment so it does not topple, even during windy conditions.  The equipment, trees and vegetation are required by law and regulation, including safety standards, to be "inspected and maintained by PG&E."  She said the law asserts "a duty to keep vegetation properly trimmed and maintained so as to prevent contact with power lines."

She added that the power company "knew that if the power lines came into contact with or caused electricity to come into contact with vegetation it was probable that a fire would result and that, given the drought conditions, a resulting fire would likely result in the loss of life, significant damage to property, and these Plaintiffs."  She emphasized that over the past decade, PG&E has "been subject to numerous fines and penalties" over $1.6 billion for "failure to abide by safety rules and regulations… They have failed and refused to modify their behavior."

"In both cases, those responsible have not met and have disregarded safety standards required by law.  Fire deaths, and beyond that, the pain to families and loved ones, can be prevented by attention to safety standards and the law." 

Contact: Bob Weiner 301-283-0821, cell 202-306-1200 [email protected]

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates and Mary Alexander and Associates