Landslide Litigation and Inverse Condemnation

Landslide Litigation Practice Group

The Wasserman, Comden, Casselman & Esensten, LLP, landslide litigation practice group specializes in representing individuals and/or government agencies in the entire range of cases from simple failures to some of the most complex landslide litigation in California. Decades of experience is what sets WCC&E apart when it comes to landslide litigation.

Usually triggered by rainfall, the underlying cause of landslides can be attributable to many man-made problems including poor design, construction, inadequate drainage, mismanagement, or governmental activity in the area. Issues of engineering and geology are central in almost every case.

David B. Casselman, head of the WCC&E litigation department, has extensive experience in landslide litigation. He was a lead defense attorney representing the Los Angeles County entities in the massive Big Rock Mesa landslide in Malibu in the early 1980's. In the Big Rock Mesa case, 250 homeowners claimed that development of the hillside area above Pacific Coast Highway with seepage pits and horizontal drains, rather than sewers, contributed to a rise in ground water, which triggered a massive landslide. This mega-trial was described by the Los Angeles Times as having the potential to be "one of the biggest and longest civil trials ever held in the nation."

By comparison, he was also lead counsel in the Montecito landslide litigation representing a large group of affected homeowners. Despite limited physical damage to most of the homes, it resulted in an $84 million settlement against Caltrans, believed to be the largest in Santa Barbara history.

WCC&E handles inverse condemnation and landslide cases spanning from San Diego to San Francisco. Settlements and verdicts also include:

• a $94,500,000 inverse condemnation jury verdict against the City of San Diego, involving interference with development of a business park; and

• a $9,000,000 settlement following trial of the issue of liability against the City of Glendale, arising from a residential landslide caused by poor street design and maintenance.

WCC&E has handled some of the most complex landslide and inverse condemnation cases statewide. No one has broader experience or achieved greater success in this specialized field.

To schedule an initial consultation with one of the firm's landslide lawyers, please contact us today.