Marshall

After the 1981 Chatsworth fire, several property owners and insurance companies filed suits against the Department of Water and Power of the City of Los Angeles (DWP) and the City of Los Angeles. Pursuant to written stipulation, the actions were consolidated. Included in the various causes of action was one for inverse condemnation. With the exception of the inverse condemnation cause of action, the matter was tried to a jury, which found for DWP and against the plaintiffs. Simultaneously, the inverse condemnation cause of action was tried to the court, which found for the plaintiffs. A second jury was impaneled to determine the amount of damages to be awarded to the plaintiffs. The court awarded varying amounts of attorney fees.

The DWP appeals, contending that substantial evidence is lacking; that the trial court erred when it refused to allow a jury trial on the issue of causation and when it impaneled a second jury to determine the amount of damages. We reject each of these contentions.

The Ransbottom Limited Partnership (Ransbottom) and Ernest and Nelda Marshall (the Marshalls) appeal. Together they assert that the compensation awarded by the jury was inadequate as…