San Bruno PG&E Gas Explosion
The Veen Firm, P.C. offers our deepest sympathies to the families and communities affected by this devastating event.
We are here to help in any way we can. Our attorneys have decades of experience in cases involving catastrophic events, including explosions, and in standing up against major utilities like PG&E. If you are not ready to speak with a lawyer, there are important things you should know and do to protect your rights and the well being of your loved ones.
- Take care of yourself and your family
- Know what resources are available
- Get your papers and identity in order
- How to choose the best law firm for your case
- Know what questions to ask
- Our experience
- We are here for you
Take care of yourself and your family
Your number one priority is your family’s health and well being. Make sure to have your injuries treated by all appropriate medical professionals. Insist on second opinions and referrals to specialists. You also may be surprised at the feelings that arise after a catastrophic disaster: shock, disbelief, anger, grief, guilt, fear, anxiety, and depression are common. Be on the lookout for indications of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in yourself, members of your family, or friends touched by this tragedy. Signs can include:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Sad or depressed mood
- Feeling jittery or on guard
- Easily startled
- Loss of interest in activities
- Feeling detached, numb, or less responsive
- Blanking out, staring off while awake
- Discomfort with physical affection
- Irritability
- Increase in aggressive behavior
- Avoiding certain places or situations that bring back memories
- Flashbacks or intrusive images
- Losing touch with reality
- Reenactment of an event for a period of seconds or hours or, very rarely, days
- Difficulty concentrating
- Increased thoughts about and fear of dying
- Regressive behaviors (baby talk, thumb sucking, bedwetting)
- Increased complaints of physical discomfort often with the bodily location changing frequently (headaches, stomach aches)
If you or a loved one is exhibiting any of these signs, seek counseling from a mental health professional with experience treating victims of trauma — a psychologist, psychiatrist, or marriage and family therapist.
Know what resources are available
We have created a free guide to help people locate benefits and resources for serious illnesses and injuries. Download a copy of our Illness and Injury Resource Guide, or please call us and we will be happy to mail you any number of copies that you need at no charge, no strings attached.
Links and contact information for some available resources to help you include the following:
Immediate help with basic needs (food and shelter)
- Red Cross Shelter: Veterans Memorial Recreation Center, 251 City Park Way at Crystal Springs Road, San Bruno
- Red Cross Shelter: San Bruno Senior Center, 1555 Crystal Springs Road, San Bruno
- Red Cross Receiving Center: Church of the Highlands, 1900 Monterey Drive, San Bruno
- San Bruno Emergency Hotline: (650) 616-7180 or (888) 443-5722
Longer term help
- CalWORKS – Financial Assistance and Job Opportunities
- Temporary Continuation of Group Health Insurance – COBRA
- Food Stamps
- Foreclosure Assistance
- Medi-Cal
- State of California Disability Insurance
- Unemployment Benefits
- Medicare
- Death Benefits
- Disability Benefits
Get your papers and identity in order
Make sure to call your insurance broker, if you have one, and obtain copies of all insurance documents. Report all damages – property and injury – that you are aware of. Remember that insurance companies don’t always live up to the promises they make on television, and may not always act in your best interest.
Make sure to do the following:
- Make a list of damaged or lost items and keep receipts if possible.
- Photograph and videotape the damage for further documentation to support your claim.
- Keep any damaged items or portions of damaged items – even after the claims adjuster has visited with you. Do not throw away anything you plan to claim.
- Keep receipts for all additional expenses such as lodging, repairs, supplies, etc.
- Make copies of all documents and pictures before giving them to your insurance company.
- If you cannot work, contact your employer and obtain any forms necessary for disability insurance, including state disability. Talk to an attorney for help with this.
- If a family member is badly disabled and not able to think or advocate for themselves, talk to an attorney about conservatorship.
Start replacing vital documents by contacting the appropriate agencies:
- Driver’s License: Department of Motor Vehicles
- Government ID: Contact the issuing authority
- Insurance policies: Your insurance agent or company
- Military discharge papers: Department of Veterans Affairs, 1-800-827-1000
- Passports: State Department—Passport Services, 202-955-0430 (24 hours)
- Birth, death and marriage certificates: Bureau of Records in the state where issued
- Social Security or Medicare cards: Social Security office, 1-800-772-1213
- Credit cards: Call the companies immediately
- Property title deeds: Records department of the county where property is located
- Stocks and bonds: company or your broker
- Wills: Your attorney
- Tax records: The IRS office where you filed, your accountant or 1-800-829-1040
- Citizenship papers: Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, 1-800-375-5283
- Mortgage papers: your lender
How to choose the best law firm for your case
The massive fireball and explosion wasn’t your fault. If you find your insurance company isn’t treating you fairly, and the $100 million “fund” that PG&E created is cumbersome, ineffective, and inadequate, or if you just want a second opinion on whether you're being treated fairly, you may decide it's time to consult with an attorney. But how do you choose which one? Choosing from a seemingly endless sea of law firms can be overwhelming, but this list will help you narrow your options.
Your selected firm should:
- Specialize in personal injury litigation.
- Have a history of maximizing benefits for the client.
- Have extensive trial experience, the respect of other trial attorneys, and an established reputation with the defendant’s insurance company.
- Have a winning trial record.
- In addition to having civil trial experience, also understand how to maximize Workers’ Compensation and Social Security benefits to provide you with the best cumulative award.
- Care, not just about your lawsuit, but about you.
- Have experience suing major utilities like PG&E, for serious life changing injuries like burns, catastrophic injuries, and death.
The firm you choose can help you regain control of your finances and personal life. The extra effort required to find an outstanding attorney can be the defining factor in your recovery.
Know what questions to ask
Ask the attorneys at the firm a list of questions. Remember, you are forming a partnership with the attorney and the law firm. Keep in mind that personal injury firms should advance costs and charge you nothing until the case is resolved in your favor.
The following list of questions can serve as a guide to finding the best personal injury attorney for your case.
- Do you specialize exclusively in personal injury?
- Do you have experience suing major utilities like PG&E, for serious life changing injuries like burns, catastrophic injuries, and death?
- How many years have you concentrated on personal injury?
- Can you explain the benefits which may be available through Social Security, State Disability, Workers’ Compensation, and other state or federal benefit programs?
- Are you a member of any honorary or invitation-only trial organizations?
- Have you received any trial organization awards?
- When did you last try a case? When did you last lose a case? What is your win/loss record for the past 10 years?
- In the last 10 cases that you have tried, how did the defendant’s last settlement offer compare to the amount obtained in trial?
- Can you offer an example of how your work with a past client has positively impacted his or her personal life?
- Do you have past clients I can speak with that can give me insight into their work with you? Can you provide me with a few names and contact information so I may reach them?
It is important that the attorney answer these questions to your satisfaction. But even more crucial than following a checklist is the sense of trust and caring that only you can determine through a personal meeting with your potential attorney. The relationship you make will have a significant and lasting impact on your life. Above all, be certain to follow your instinct.
Our experience
The Veen Firm, P.C. has obtained over $15,000,000 in verdicts and settlements in lawsuits against PG&E and other defendants in cases involving explosions, burns, electrocutions, and other catastrophic events.
The attorneys at the firm protect the rights of the catastrophically injured. For the last 35 years, our practice experience has been dedicated to assisting victims of catastrophic, life-changing or career-altering events.
Our results speak for themselves: hundreds of winning verdicts and settlements, and numerous multi-million dollar results. And, our attorneys have the depth of knowledge to provide powerful assistance in even the most technical of cases. And our size, extensive resources, and state-of-the-art technologies provide a distinct advantage. In short, The Veen Firm offers clients a winning combination that works.
We are here for you
If you, a loved one, or friend was affected by the San Bruno natural gas pipeline explosion and have questions about your legal rights, please call (415) 673-4800 for a free consultation with one of our attorneys. When you call us, you will speak to an attorney, not an intake clerk. We are here to help.