San Francisco Woman Suing PG&E for Burn Injuries

By Merylee Robbins

Published on September 26, 2005

The explosion took place on Kearney Street in downtown San Francisco and burned Nash on over forty percent of her body. Nash's condition was initially critical and she is now listed as stable. Doctors are expecting her to survive the injuries, however they are unsure as to whether or not she will be able to regain full function of her hands.

Nash and her husband filed their lawsuit in San Francisco Superior Court on September 26th claiming negligence and product liability on the part of PG&E. The couple is seeking compensation for medical costs, loss of earnings, and loss of consortium, in addition to punitive damages. The suit also alleges that PG&E has a history of not properly inspecting its equipment, which has lead to other explosions of this type, such as the explosion that occurred on Market Street on September 3rd. A thorough inspection of the transformer on Kearney Street before the explosion would have uncovered a defective gasket that allowed moisture into the high-voltage chamber causing an electrical short, as reported by an independent inspection agency hired by PG&E after the incident.

PG&E has said that they are happy to compensate the couple for the full cost of Lisa's medical bills and recovery expenses. It is expected that the suit will go to trial in about a year.

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