San Clemente Landslide Forces Multi-Million Dollar Legal Action By Eleven Homeowners!

Feb. 22, 2011 - PRLog -- Irvine Calif. / Eleven (11) Homeowners filed a lawsuit last week (2-16-11) in the Orange County Superior Court, arising from the catastrophic San Clemente landslides which occurred a few weeks ago. Attorney Serge Tomassian of the Irvine law firm of Tomassian, Throckmorton & Inouye LLC, representing the owners of 11 homes damaged by the recent landslide on Via Ballena, has filed suit against the Shorecliffs Golf Course which is owned and operated by LHC Investments. The suit includes 4 homes which were “Red Tagged” by the City of San Clemente after declaring the homes as physically unsafe to be occupied following the massive hillside failure and collapse.

Serge Tomassian has stated that Shorecliff's Golf Course was named as a defendant since the golf course owns a substantial portion of the failed slopes and they didn't properly maintain the slopes in order to support and protect the homes on Via Ballena. As well, the Golf Course enlarged and failed to control the water flow of the Cascadita Channel which is located at the bottom of the failed canyon slope. Damages sought exceed $10,000,000 and include repair of the collapsed hillside.

Tomassian also reported that the hillside is still  moving and that the expected heavy rainfall over the next few days may cause more damaging landslides and further endanger the remaining homes and adjoining slopes in the Shorecliffs area.

Tomassian will be submitting Claims on behalf of the homeowners against the City of San Clemente for estimated $10-$15 Million for damage sustained to their homes and properties. If these claims are rejected by the City, suit will then be initiated against the City of San Clemente.

Last October, Tomassian tried a case against the County of Orange for damages to his client's home due to a leaking residential storm drain. A jury awarded the homeowners $515,998.00 for economic and non-economic damages because the county failed to properly maintain the drain. This case was the first known Orange County verdict, awarded against a municipality, for a deteriorated and leaking storm drain.

Serge Tomassian is the trial and managing partner of the Tomassian, Throckmorton & Inouye LLP law firm. Serge has been practicing law in Southern California for 26 years, while compiling extensive Trial, Arbitration and Mediation success. In 2009 and 2010, Serge was recognized as one of OC Metro's "Top Construction and Real Estate litigation lawyers".

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About Tomassian, Throckmorton & Inouye: A boutique civil law firm based in Orange County, CA, specializing in Construction, Real Estate and Commercial litigation. They have successfully recovered through trial or settlement in excess of $60 million in damages for homeowners/plaintiffs plus they have successfully defended against multi-million dollar claims in construction, real estate and business matters. The firm's success lies in the results they have achieved as a result of professional team work and tenacity.