A heartbreaking 20 people were killed in the fast moving mudslides in Montecito, California earlier this year. The mudslides came only weeks after the Santa Barbara County as well as Ventura County were ravished by the Thomas Fire. And now the Thomas Fire and mudslide personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits are starting to get filed.

Grieving loved ones that lost family in the Montecito mudslides have now started filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Southern California Edison for their role they believe they played in the mudslide that took Fleurat’s life. SanLuisObispo.com reports on the claims, “It was SoCal Edison’s negligence and faulty equipment that started the Thomas Fire, which in turn created conditions that would enable a mudslide of scope and scale as happened in Montecito in early January.”

Southern California Edison is not the only big company being sued in the wake of California fires– PG&E is being sued for personal injury and wrongful death by multiple families following their alleged negligence and role in the Bay Area fires (the Tubbs Fire) earlier this year.

Who can file a California wrongful death lawsuit? More people than you think, which can be a good but complicated thing. CCP Section 377.60-62 governs this important topic. Here’s a quick look of what it says in plain English:

• The surviving spouse
• The surviving partner
• The children of the deceased
• Putative spouse, children and stepchildren

Family and loved ones can file a California wrongful death lawsuit following a death and it can be a very financially and emotionally beneficial process that involves VERY little work on your end when you hire Walch Law to handle your case. We take care of absolutely everything for you and work hard to maximize your recovery as quickly as possible. Whether it is a mudslide caused by a company’s negligence or a deadly car accident, we have successfully handled pretty much every type of wrongful death and personal injury case there is in our 40 years of practice. For many grieving families, they did not just lose the companionship and love of a family member but they also lost their financial support as well. When that happens, a wrongful death settlement aims to put you back in the position had they never died, and then some. What your case is worth depends entirely on the nature of the accident and who the defendant is– give us a call immediately to discuss the matter further.

Many people do not realize just how little time they have to file a lawsuit of this nature- it can be as little s six months depending on who the defendant it (generally, it is two years). The sooner you act the better. We look forward to hearing from you.