On October 29, 2019, the two firms jointly filed the first lawsuit against CR&R Incorporated for the destruction caused by the October 10, 2019 Sandalwood Fire. The firms represent numerous homeowners who were injured and lost their homes and other property in the Fire.

The Fire started after a garbage truck owned by CR&R negligently dumped a burning load contained in its garbage hopper. The Santa Ana wind conditions caused the embers to spread and the Fire ran up the canyon to the Villa Calimesa Mobile Home Park. Its residents had only seconds to evacuate before the Fire engulfed the entire Park and destroyed it. The Fire took two lives and destroyed 74 homes.

The attorneys for the survivors contend that the garbage truck dumped the trash to save the truck, prioritizing that over minimizing deadly fire risk to the community.

“The Sandalwood Fire devastated the Calimesa community,” said attorney Josh Swigart. “On behalf of our clients and other survivors, we are committed to obtaining maximum recovery for them and holding CR&R responsible. This includes changing their business practices to ensure they prioritize human life over a garbage truck. Companies such as CR&R must never again put their garbage trucks above human lives.”

About Spreter & Petiprin, APC

Spreter & Petiprin, APC, is one of the most experienced wildfire litigation firms in California. Its attorneys have over a decade of experience prosecuting wildfire cases and have been involved in over $60 million in settlements. The firm has worked or is working on the following cases: 2007 San Diego Wildfires; 2011 Coughlin Ranch Fire, 2013 Pfeiffer Fire, 2015 Butte Fire, 2016 Erskine Fire, 2017 North Bay Fires, 2017 Thomas Fire and Montecito Mudslides, 2018 Roadrunner Fire, and 2018 Woolsey Fire.

About Swigart Law Group, APC

Josh Swigart, the lead attorney with the Swigart Law Group, has been litigating complex civil liability cases for over 17 years. He has obtained $750+ million for people in California and nationwide. His firm’s mission is to help people who have been injured by banks, employers, drug and medical companies, or large corporations obtain maximum recovery and to create a meaningful and profound impact on the lives of people in the community.

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