Rebuilding LA
All of the case updates and legal analyses regarding the devastating LA wildfires in one place, updated on a regular basis.
Consumer Watchdog sues California's Insurance Department, alleging illegal surcharges on FAIR Plan policyholders to cover $500...
Wildfire victims sue FAIR Plan over denied, underpaid smoke damage claims
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Homeowners in fire-ravaged Altadena and Pacific Palisades filed suit Thursday against California's FAIR Plan, accusing the sta...
Insurers, shareholder sue Edison, claim negligence led to Eaton fire
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Ten insurers and a shareholder sue Southern California Edison, alleging its powerlines sparked the Eaton Fire, claiming neglig...
Bonta warns attorneys on ethical solicitation after LA County fires
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Following a wave of lawsuits and legal ads tied to the recent Los Angeles County wildfires, Attorney General Rob Bonta has iss...
LA City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto sued nine parties for alleged rent gouging after the Eaton and Palisades fires, exploiti...
Edison shareholders sue, alleging neglected equipment and misleading claims led to the Eaton Fire, as the utility faces over 1...
Lawsuits claim LADWP power lines caused Palisades Fire, claim cover-up
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Attorneys for fire victims say newly surfaced correspondence contradicts LADWP's earlier public statements that power lines we...
Kevin Boyle sues LA over Palisades Fire that destroyed law office
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Kevin R. Boyle and 18 other plaintiffs have sued the city of Los Angeles, alleging the Department of Water and Power's energy ...
Judge orders Edison to expedite release of fire investigation footage
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Attorneys for plaintiffs in the Eaton Fire litigation accused Southern California Edison of delaying the release of crucial in...
Plaintiffs' attorneys in the Eaton Fire litigation have agreed on a steering committee of nearly four dozen law firms.
Three face up to 30 years in prison for allegedly defrauding FEMA of $20,000 in wildfire relief, with U.S. Attorney promising ...
Insurance firms are accused of underpaying and delaying claims from January's Altadena and Palisades wildfires, prompting atto...
Lawmakers push building code overhaul amid housing and insurance crises
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The measures, including a potential six-year freeze on code updates, have sparked fierce debate among environmentalists, const...
Lawsuit blames LA and water utility for dry hydrants and an empty reservoir, alleging negligence fueled the Palisades wildfire...
Insurers sue Edison over Eaton Fire as State Farm rate hike faces pushback
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Over 100 insurers sue Southern California Edison for $10B in wildfire damages, while Consumer Watchdog urges rejection of Stat...
The municipalities are claiming compensation for destroyed infrastructure, recreational areas, cleanup and recovery efforts, f...
Judge Laura Seigle crafts a broad evidence preservation order for the Eaton Canyon wildfire case, but Edison and plaintiffs ca...
Los Angeles County Superior Court staff join forces with FEMA and local agencies at disaster recovery centers, offering legal ...
DiCello Levitt LLP filed a class action against Southern California Edison, alleging negligence in the Eaton Canyon wildfires,...
Calabasas sues LA County, claiming its landfill can't handle wildfire debris that might be hazardous, citing state law violati...
Los Angeles hires Munger Tolles & Olson LLP to defend against lawsuits from the Palisades fire, with potential damages in ...
A judge overseeing litigation about the Eaton Canyon wildfire urged parties to agree on evidence preservation without disrupti...
At the heart of the complaint, filed Tuesday, is a statement the plaintiffs claim the company made about SCE's use of a wildfi...
The EPA has given itself a 30-day deadline to clean up toxic waste from recent Los Angeles County wildfires, but objections ha...
Lawyers representing Altadena residents challenge Southern California Edison's claims of evidence that throws into doubt sugge...
Wildfire legal battles take shape over alleged utility negligence
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Southern California Edison over its suspected role in the Eaton Canyon wildfire tha...
Mediators and four major provider organizations have united to waive their fees for pro bono services, in an effort to assist ...
Attorneys who have lost their homes in the L.A. County fires have no specific latitude for lapses in representing their client...
Southern California DAs urge Newsom to expand price gouging protections
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
District Attorneys from four Southern California counties are calling on Gov. Gavin Newsom to extend emergency price gouging p...
Wisner Baum sues over Eaton Fire in 'shifting evidence landscape'
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Wisner Baum's clients have joined the dozens of lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison now that there is more evide...
Edison barred from reenergizing lines near suspected fire origin
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
A Los Angeles judge has ordered Southern California Edison to refrain from reenergizing power lines in the area where the Eato...
Newsom reaffirms order to Coastal Commission to expedite wildfire rebuilding
By Craig Anderson
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order Monday directing the California Coastal Commission to suspend permitting requireme...
Firefighter statements will be crucial in Palisades Fire lawsuits, attorneys say
By Antoine Abou-Diwan
Lawsuits stemming from the Pacific Palisades Fire claim the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's decision to drain the ...
The lawsuits claim negligence - wrongful death and survival action; and violation of Public Utilities Code Sec. 2106. Both sa...
Attorneys expect photos and video of Eaton Canyon fire to be strong evidence in their claims that Southern California Edison i...
Joint task force launched, new legislation targets wildfire-related looting
By Douglas Saunders Sr.
In response to devastating wildfires across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, law enforcement officials have unveiled two crit...
Lawmakers reconsider climate superfund bill as wildfires and insurance crisis deepen
By Malcolm Maclachlan
Modeled on the federal hazardous waste cleanup law, the proposal seeks to make fossil fuel companies pay for climate damages, ...
Gov. Gavin Newsom's executive order to streamline rebuilding in fire-damaged areas waives key environmental regulations, but l...
LA wildfires ignite questions on insurance sustainability and legal battles over liability
By Malcolm Maclachlan
The blazes come after years of reform efforts meant to lessen fire damage and prop up the state's insurance markets.
When divorcing couples attempt to mediate property division after a natural disaster, they face heightened uncertainty around ...
LA Fires,
Navigating the complex insurance landscape of Los Angeles wildfires
By John Petzold
In the aftermath of Los Angeles wildfires, policyholders must navigate complex insurance challenges to secure fair compensatio...
LA Fires,
Los Angeles wildfire rebuilding faces major labor shortage amid immigration crackdown
By Brenda K. Radmacher, Dawn M. Lurie
The devastating January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles have intensified an already severe construction labor shortage, delaying...
LA Fires,
Holding insurance regulators' feet to the fire as wildfires and hurricanes test accountability
By Benjamin R. Fliegel, Matthew B. Weaver
California and Florida's differing responses to the insurance crisis show how crucial oversight and transparency are for prote...
LA Fires,
When the flame burns out: Navigating divorce after disaster
By Stacy D. Phillips
LA Fires,
Cutting through red tape with LA's fast-track self-certification plan
By Mehdi Sinaki
Los Angeles may let architects and engineers self-certify building plans to speed up housing approvals, tackling delays worsen...
Rebuilding Los Angeles by 2028 is a legal test, with disputes risking delays; swift mediation and coordinated legal action are...
LA Fires
How Legal Aid can help rebuild lives after disaster
By Yvonne Mariajimenez, Mara Cohen
The January wildfires in Los Angeles County were a historic disaster, and NLSLA is providing critical legal aid to help vulner...
LA Fires,
Environmental Protection Agency cuts threaten wildfire recovery efforts
By Brian Moskal
As California faces the aftermath of devastating wildfires like the Eaton and Palisades Fires, the state's recovery efforts ma...
LA Fires,
LA wildfire reconstruction: Critical contract strategies to minimize costly delays
By Robert G. Campbell, Jason M. Adams
With billions in wildfire damage and the 2028 Olympics looming, LA's construction industry faces a high-stakes race against ...
LA Fires,
Altadena faces unique challenges in property valuation after Eaton Fire
By Zachary D. Schorr
The Eaton Fire has devastated Altadena, challenging how to value property in a historically Black community with deep cultural...
LA Fires,
California Court of Appeal decision sets dangerous precedent for wildfire insurance claims
By Shant A. Karnikian
A recent California Court of Appeal ruling in Gharibian v. Wawanesa narrows the definition of "direct physical loss," p...
LA Fires,
California Coastal Commission's role uncertain in LA wildfire rebuilding after Newsom orders
By Jena Acos, Justin Bogda
The tension between state emergency powers and local coastal protections leaves cities struggling to determine which rebuildin...
Analyzing Gov. Newsom's Executive Order N-7-25: Protecting fire victims or overstepping boundaries?
LA Fires,
Wildfire housing crisis tests California price-gouging law
By Jeremy S. Smith, Daniel M. Rubin
In the wake of the Los Angeles fires, California's price-gouging protections are making property owners think twice about offe...
LA Fires,
California's new insurance fix faces multi-billion-dollar wildfire test
By Shanti Eagle
Just as the DOI's Sustainable Insurance Strategy launches, unprecedented wildfire losses threaten to trigger FAIR Plan assessm...
LA Fires,
State law reforms give policyholders a choice of whether to rebuild or relocate
By Linda E. Klamm
Los Angeles wildfires have destroyed thousands of homes, giving residents the option to rebuild or relocate using insurance fu...
Navigating the tax implications of insurance proceeds after a wildfire can be complex, but there are mechanisms in place--like...
Unpacking the essentials of insurance, highlighting its critical role in mitigating risks and financial uncertainty amid the i...
LA Fires,
How do judicial ethics gift rules impact disaster relief for judges?
By Laura W. Halgren
Canon 4D limits financial aid for judges during the LA fires, allowing assistance from disaster relief, personal relationships...
LA Fires,
Amid the ashes, lawyers must resist the temptation to chase ambulances
By Elana R. Levine
In the wake of the LA disaster, unscrupulous law firms are exploiting vulnerable fire victims with false promises of guarantee...
LA Fires,
Trial by fire: Testing California's new insurance protections
By Stacy Monahan Tucker
The Los Angeles wildfires mark the first large-scale test of recently enacted California insurance regulations designed to pro...
LA Fires,
Lawyers and disaster victims: Striking a balance between help and hype
By Shant A. Karnikian
In the aftermath of recent fires, disaster victims face a flood of lawyer advertisements and events, highlighting both the vit...
The IRS and California FTB have extended tax deadlines and Section 1031 exchange periods to October 15, 2025, providing relief...
LA Fires,
Grounded by likes and how rogue drones set firefighting efforts ablaze
By Eric Hanscom
Aerial firefighting, combining air tankers, helicopters, and tactical aircraft, is a critical yet dangerous endeavor often dis...
LA Fires,
Emergency-specific property insurance rules: Key state laws for wildfire recovery
By James D. White
In the wake of the Southern California wildfires, property owners filing insurance claims should know California laws offer ex...
In response to the legal complexities hindering rebuilding after disasters like the Great Fire of London, which was resolved q...
LA Fires,
From ashes to action: Planning for a fire-resilient future
By Michael Patrick Durkee
California's wildfires highlight the need for proactive land use planning to mitigate wildfire risks through safety elements i...
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian discusses how California's fire map revisions and building regulations will affect recovery ef...
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian discusses how LA can create safer communities through improved infrastructure planning and bui...
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian explains how state-mandated housing requirements interact with rebuild efforts.
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian discusses how competing civic projects like the LA Convention Center renovation impact rebuild...
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian explains the complex legal, financial and political obstacles to widening evacuation routes in...
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian breaks down essential building code distinctions and regulatory requirements that will shape r...
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian explores the implications of changing property uses in fire-affected areas and the stark contr...
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian details how California's environmental regulations apply when property owners want to signific...
Land use expert Edgar Khalatian explains the extensive cleanup, infrastructure, and regulatory challenges that must be overcom...
Tax expert Robert Wood explains how different property ownership arrangements impact eligibility for federal disaster tax reli...
Tax expert Robert Wood explains the 2023 Federal Disaster Relief Act's impact on taxation of wildfire recoveries, addressing a...
Tax expert Robert Wood explains filing extensions, quarterly payment relief, and California's specialized tax treatment for fi...
Tax expert Robert Wood explains how different types of insurance recoveries are taxed after a disaster, from personal property...
Robert Wood joins the podcast to discuss everything you need to know about taxes on insurance settlements.
What homeowners need to understand about insurance limits before the next wildfire strikes.
Join Howard Miller and Peter Klee as they discuss coverage for additional living expenses and toxic cleanup costs in wildfire ...
In this episode we explore how "cash out" settlements, while not guaranteed in policies, can offer flexibility and benefits to...
Attorney Peter Klee discusses the insurance industry's approach to claims processing and payment timelines after major disasters.
Attorney Peter Klee shares the other side of the rebuilding story, exploring how insurance carriers determine coverage limits ...
In Episode 5 of "The Law of Rebuilding LA," attorney Michael Bidart reveals why many homeowners discover too late that their i...
In this episode of The Law of Rebuilding LA, we explore how policyholders can maximize their additional living expenses covera...
Insurance attorney Michael Bidart explains why homeowners need more than just policy limits to fully recover their losses and ...
In this episode, learn why insurance companies' seemingly generous upfront payments might actually work against homeowners, an...
Think your fire insurance will fully cover rebuilding your home? Leading California insurance litigator Michael Bidart reveals...
2025 California fire case tracker
By the numbers: Firms with multiple filings
15 cases: Law Offices of Michael M. Mojtahedi
Eight cases: Hejazi Law Group
Six cases: Andrews & Thornton; Ben Crump Law Firm; Nachawati Law Group PLLC; Johnson Injury Law APC; Brad Gage Law; Kings Justice Law; Law Office of Loyst P. Fletcher
Four cases: Panish Shea Ravipudi LLP; Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy LLP; Walkup Melodia Kelly & Schoenberger; Frantz Law Group; Waters Kraus Paul & Siegel
Three cases: Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein LLP; Rosen Saba LLP; Singleton Schreiber LLP; Engstrom Lipscomb & Lack
Two cases: Law Offices of Jacob Emrani; Downtown LA Law Group; Strange LLP; Becker Law Group; KJT Law Group; Baron & Budd PC; Ellis Riccobono LLP; Feist Griffith LLP; Casey Gerry Schenk Francavilla Blatt & Penfield LLP; Parkinson Benson Potter; Edelson PC; Robertson and Associates
Litigation regarding the Palisades Fire:
Grigsby et al. v. City of Los Angeles
Kohanim v. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power et al.
Gonzalez v. Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Pratt et al. v. City of Los Angeles et al.
Litigation regarding the Eaton Fire:
Cisneros et al. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Wallen et al. v. Southern California Edison Company
Von Lutzow et al. v. Southern California Edison
Bell et al. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Kreiner et al. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Iglesias v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Gursey v. Southern California Edison Company
Myles v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Majesty, et al. v. Southern California Edison
Cathirell v. Southern California Edison Company
Mahone v. Southern California Edison
Alden v. Southern California Edison
Kelley et al. v. Southern California Edison
Beer et al. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Quintero v. Southern California Edison Company
Housep v. Southern California Edison
Mehtemetian v. Southern California Edison
Wells v. Southern California Edison
Artine v. Southern California Edison
Ellis v. Southern California Edison
Wingate v. Southern California Edison
Campos v. Southern California Edison
Bussey-Threats v. Southern California Edison
Carr v. Southern California Edison et al.
Conrad et al. v. Southern California Edison et al.
Funes v. Southern California Edison et al.
Nickerson v. Edison International et al.
Powell et al. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Ray et al. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Suria et al. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Figueroa et al. v. Southern California Edison et al.
Begley et al. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Seetal v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Scott Jr. v. Southern California Edison Company et al.
Whelan et al. v. Southern California Edison et al.
Hernandez Rodriguez v. Southern California Edison
Wormley v. South California Edison
Baron v. Southern California Edison
Aparicio v. Southern California Edison
McCarthy v. Southern California Edison
Alwan v. Southern California Edison
Castellanos v. Southern California Edison
Headrick v. Southern California Edison
Chambers v. Southern California Edison
Hull et al. v. Southern California Edison
Curtis et al. v. Southern California Edison
Gonzalez v. Edison International
Aghoian v. Southern California Edison
Craig v. Southern California Edison
Haney Sr. v. Southern California Edison
Ryan v. Southern California Edison
Sean Brown v. Southern California Edison
Myron Brown v. Southern California Edison
Davis v. Southern California Edison
Wims v. Southern California Edison