Complaint Alleges Southern California Edison Company Was Negligent in Preventing Devastating Eaton Fire
SAN DIEGO – February 18, 2025 – DiCello Levitt filed a major class action lawsuit today against Southern California Edison Company (SCE) and John Does Nos. 1-100 on behalf of plaintiffs affected by the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles, California. The fire caused extensive damage, resulting in at least 17 fatalities and numerous injuries, burning over 14,000 acres, and destroying more than 9,400 structures.
The complaint alleges that SCE’s failure to maintain its electrical grid and de-energize power lines during known fire weather conditions led to the fire. The plaintiffs seek redress for injuries and damages caused by SCE’s negligence, including failure to de-energize power lines during Red Flag Warnings, inadequate maintenance and inspection of electrical infrastructure, and poor vegetation management practices.
Named plaintiffs include seven residents of Altadena, California, who suffered substantial economic losses due to the fire with many losing their homes.
“Most of our clients, like so many, lost their homes and lifetimes of memories. Some things just can’t be replaced,” said Founding Partner Mark DiCello. “We are working methodically to help them recover and rebuild to every extent possible.”
“The SCE had a baseline responsibility to maintain their electrical grid and de-energize power lines during known fire weather conditions,” said Founding Partner Adam Levitt. “Their failure to operate responsibly has resulted in devastating outcomes for our clients and countless Angelenos, and we are committed to helping them rebuild their lives.”
“Combining our extensive fire and natural disaster experience with our class action litigation expertise will enable us to most effectively and efficiently seek and obtain classwide relief, while still enabling Angelenos damaged by this disaster to tell their individual stories in their quest for economic justice,” Levitt added.
The plaintiffs seek to represent all individuals and entities who suffered economic loss or property damage due to the Eaton Fire. The complaint includes claims for negligence, gross negligence, private nuisance, public nuisance, inverse condemnation, trespass, violation of Public Utilities Code Section 2106, violation of Health and Safety Code Section 13007, and injunctive relief. Among recovery efforts, plaintiffs request the court to enjoin SCE from operating energized power lines during high fire risk conditions and require SCE to make improvements to its electrical grid.
The case was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, by DiCello Levitt’s Mark DiCello, Adam Levitt, Steve Jodlowski, Justin Hawal, and Diandra “Fu” Debrosse in addition to Olu K. Orange and Erin R. Darling. A copy of the complaint is available here.
About DiCello Levitt
At DiCello Levitt, we’re dedicated to achieving justice for our clients through class action, environmental, mass tort, securities, financial services, antitrust, business-to-business, public client, whistleblower, personal injury, and civil and human rights litigation. Our lawyers are highly respected for their ability to litigate and win cases—whether by trial, settlement, or otherwise—for people who have suffered harm, global corporations that have sustained significant economic losses, and public clients seeking to protect their citizens’ rights and interests. Every day, we put our reputations—and our capital—on the line for our clients.
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Media Contact Caitlin Whitehurst, Director of Communications, [email protected]