Safety regulations were supposed to prevent the San Bruno fire. But they didn’t. One reason is that the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC president pictured) didn’t do its job. Instead of enforcing the 
regulations, when the CPUC caught PG&E in a violation, it let PG&E slide. Not just once. But more than 400 times in the
Glenview Homeowners Should Be Compensated for Diminution in Their Homes’ Value
The fact of the matter is that Glenview homes aren’t worth today what they were on September 8. That’s because some house hunters who might have considered buying in the Glenview neighborhood before the fire will now fear that the neigborhood is unsafe. Others, in light of all the pain the neighborhood has experienced, will
Does a Glenview Homeowner Need a Lawyer to File an Insurance Claim?
Not necessarily. If the claim process is proceeding smoothly with open and productive communication between the claimant and the insurer, then the claimant may stay the course. But a qualified attorney can help when the claimant feels:
- frustrated;
- deadlocked with the insurer;
- unfairly treated by the insurer; or
- concerned about time passing and possibly losing her rights.
To assist the
The San Bruno Explosion and the Contingency Fee Agreement
Most victims of the Glenview explosion can’t afford to pay attorneys an hourly rate to investigate the cause of the accident or to take a potential lawsuit to trial. For these people, the doors of the courthouse would be essentially closed were it not for the contingency fee agreement. The contingency fee agreement places
2009 Interview Warns of PG&E Time Bombs Beneath the Street
NBC in San Francisco interviewed me in July 
2009 about PG&E’s underground systems. I warned then that PG&E’s whole underground infrastructure was collapsing and that, unless PG&E did something right away, people would be hurt.
They’re just time bombs under the street and PG&E has done nothing, nothing that makes a difference, to stop them from
San Bruno Residents’ Right to Compensation for Emotional Distress
Many of the San Bruno residents evacuated on September 9th may be categorized as “survivors,” having escaped the Glenview fire without being burned. But even though they suffer no physical injuries, the gas explosion will leave dozens with emotional injuries that will persist for a long time to come.
Generally the law does not require a
PG&E’s 2009 Annual Report Warns its Shareholders of Explosion Hazard
PG&E warned its shareholders that deficiencies in its leak detection procedures could r
esult in a major catastrophe. It further warned that the economic cost of the catastrophe could jeopardize the utility’s financial condition. But it didn’t warn its customers.
According to its 2009 Annual Report, PG&E reviewed its own gas leak survey practices in 2008 and found that "improvements
Blast Result of a Run-to-failure Mentality
TV reporter Jean Elle interviewed me in my office, noting that the San Bruno blast is "eerily similar" to the Santa Rosa explosion and fire that I handled some years ago. She then put some hard questions to PG&E and got nothing back but double-talk.
View more news videos at: http://www.nbcbayarea.com/video.
Calls for Automatic Shut-off Valves in the Wake of the San Bruno Fire (Deja Vu All Over Again)
Political leaders are calling for PG&E to install on its gas lines automatic shut-off valves to prevent or mitigate future gas line disasters.
Sounds like a good idea. Here’s an interesting snippet from a report of the NTSB, the agency that is investigating the San Bruno gas explosion:
The Safety Board believes that had an
The Sewer Work that Preceeded San Bruno Blast
The google map below shows the spot where the pipeline exploded. It also shows the asphalt patches placed on the street surface by a San Francisco firm (D’Arcy and Harty) after it completed sewer work in May 2008.
Before a contractor digs in the street, PG&E is supposed to mark on the street with spray paint the location of its gas