Do SCE Lawsuits Filed by the Government Affect Your Eaton Fire Case? Here’s What You Need to Know

How do the SCE lawsuits filed by the government affect my case?

The lawsuits filed by the government against SCE are separate from your individual case and the goal of those lawsuits is to recover compensation for the government entities themselves, not for individuals. 

On September 4, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice sued SCE, alleging the utility’s equipment caused the Eaton Fire.  That lawsuit is seeking reimbursement for the costs of containing the fire and rehabilitating 8,000 burned acres of Angeles National Forest.  In addition to the U.S. Government’s lawsuit, Los Angeles County and the cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre also filed suits against SCE seeking compensation for destroyed infrastructure, recreational areas, parks, road damage, cleanup and recovery efforts, among other things.  

These lawsuits are separate from Eaton Fire survivors’ individual cases against SCE. 

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The U.S Government already filed a case against SCE. Why would I need to file my own case? 

The lawsuit filed by the U.S. Government against SCE seeks to recover money for the government. It is not seeking payments for individual survivors who lost homes, businesses, property, or loved ones to the Eaton Fire.  

The government’s lawsuit complaint states: 

SCE is liable for all damages to the United States resulting from the Eaton Fire, including its fire suppression costs, damages for injury to federal property, natural resource damages, and the United States’ administrative, investigative, accounting, and collection costs…

The government wants to be reimbursed for its own costs during and after the fire, but it does not provide compensation directly to you.  Filing your own case allows you to seek compensation for your personal losses from the Eaton Fire.  

If you have questions about how these lawsuits may impact you, feel free to contact our team at 626-669-4886 to discuss your case.