Major Ruling Favors LA Fire Victims in Billion-Dollar Lawsuit Against City Utility
The water and power utility serving Los Angeles is now facing a wave of lawsuits stemming from its response to the catastrophic wildfire that ravaged the Pacific Palisades area in 2025. This disaster not only devastated one of the city’s most prestigious seaside neighborhoods but also resulted in damages amounting to tens of billions of dollars.
In a pivotal ruling for the victims, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Samantha Jessner confirmed on Thursday that a distinctive California law permits property and business owners to file claims against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The claims assert that the utility failed to provide sufficient water to combat the inferno that engulfed the Pacific Palisades region.
Despite strong opposition from attorneys representing the nation’s largest public utility, Judge Jessner upheld a tentative ruling from the previous week. This ruling established that the victims have a legitimate legal foundation to pursue allegations that a city reservoir, which was drained for repairs, resulted in fire hydrants having inadequate water pressure. This deficiency is believed to have exacerbated the fire’s rapid spread, fueled by strong winds.
The case is officially titled Grigsby v. City of Los Angeles, 25STCV00832, and is being heard in the California Superior Court, Los Angeles County.
Top photo: 2025 Pacific Palisades Fire. Source: CalFire.
Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.
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The water and power utility serving Los Angeles is now facing a wave of lawsuits stemming from its response to the catastrophic wildfire that ravaged the Pacific Palisades area in 2025. This disaster not only devastated one of the city’s most prestigious seaside neighborhoods but also resulted in damages amounting to tens of billions of dollars.
In a pivotal ruling for the victims, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Samantha Jessner confirmed on Thursday that a distinctive California law permits property and business owners to file claims against the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The claims assert that the utility failed to provide sufficient water to combat the inferno that engulfed the Pacific Palisades region.
Despite strong opposition from attorneys representing the nation’s largest public utility, Judge Jessner upheld a tentative ruling from the previous week. This ruling established that the victims have a legitimate legal foundation to pursue allegations that a city reservoir, which was drained for repairs, resulted in fire hydrants having inadequate water pressure. This deficiency is believed to have exacerbated the fire’s rapid spread, fueled by strong winds.
The case is officially titled Grigsby v. City of Los Angeles, 25STCV00832, and is being heard in the California Superior Court, Los Angeles County.
Top photo: 2025 Pacific Palisades Fire. Source: CalFire.
Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.
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Interested in Lawsuits?
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