They should sue gravity.
Posted on 01/27/2006 5:25:45 PM PST by Amerigomag
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Residents of seaside La Conchita who lost their homes or relatives during a deadly landslide last year filed lawsuits against Ventura County and a private ranch company, claiming both were negligent in protecting the tiny community from harm.
Eighteen lawsuits were filed late Thursday in Ventura County Superior Court and another five were expected Friday, covering a total of 39 plaintiffs. Among the allegations are wrongful death, negligence, trespassing and damaged property. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages.
County officials have previously stated that they have warned residents about the dangers of living in La Conchita, about 70 miles northwest of Los Angeles, and are unsure there is anything that can be done to prevent the landslides. Several geologists who have examined the hillside believe it will collapse again.
(Excerpt) Read more at fresnobee.com ...
A group of folks, seeking a hustle around California's skyrocketing coastal land values, plunk their mobile homes beneath a marine escarpment riddled with previous evidence of repeated slope failures and declare themselves a bona fide community.
Now they're victims and are due a comfortable retirement package from California's taxpayers and an adjacent land owner.
The California Hustle never ends.
What attorney took their case?!
Driving by La Conchita before the landslide, I never understood how someone could feel comfortable living underneath that looming hillside - especially since it's obvious that good ol' Mother Nature is going to keep on breaking the cliffs down. After all, millions of years ago that hillside stretched all the way out to the Channel Islands.
There is no insurance in that area, and no mortgages....the city/county washed their hands of it over 10 years ago...the people that moved back in were squatting.
Sounds like they have a very weak case. If insurance and mortgage companies wouldn't touch the houses, I can't see how the ranch could have any responsiblity when it was well known that landslides were very likely.
They should sue gravity.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.