Corral Wildfire Damage Totals Jump Fivefold
as Lawsuit Gels
Claims of more than $450 million in
property damage from the Corral Canyon fire last November
have been filed, according to a local attorney consolidating
the cases.
Malibu attorney James Devitt said the
initial estimates of damage put at around $100 million have
been greatly surpassed.
“The reason the claims in these cases
have escalated is due to the fact that much more than homes
were burned in this fire. Many homeowners or tenants in Corral
and Latigo Canyon[s] had valuable artworks and other
irreplaceable media lost,” he noted, in a press release
issued to the local media.
Devitt cited as an example a record
producer who lost numerous irreplaceable master recordings as
well as very expensive instruments and equipment. The producer
has worked for such artists as Avril Lavigne and Pink.
The producer Butch Walker was living in the
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist Flea’s house.
Some of the most discouraging news, though,
comes from residents who believed they could reuse their
foundations. They have since found out is not altogether true.
In many cases that seems to be the exception and not the rule,
some would-be builders insist.
New foundations will likely mean new
geology reports and new engineering approvals totaling hundreds
of thousands of dollars, according to Devitt.
In the media missive, the Malibu attorney
maintains that 80 percent of the homeowners and tenants with
major damages have already retained his firm along with two
other law firms.
However, the statute of limitations for
filing government claims will expire on May 24, 2008.
If any damaged party does not file by that
date, they will be barred from recovery since this is
considered a “mass action and not a “class
action,” according to Devitt.
Besides the monetary damages, the lawsuits
will be seeking a court order to force the state Department of
Parks and Recreation to install a gate on Corral Canyon Road in
an attempt to prevent partygoers from going to the “rave
cave” at night.
Devitt stated no other government entities
would be sued since “they are
protected by governmental
immunities or previous case law.”
However, he insists, State Parks knew about
the “rave cave,” for the past 20 years, but refused
to take action by installing a gate or taking other security
measures.
“Because of that failure and the
state failure to hire enough park rangers or cut the brush
around the cave area, the situation was exasperated [sic]. It
is outrageous that State Park’s refuses to address the
situation since it would be so simple and inexpensive to
install a gate and have a ranger lock it at sunset.”
