Public Utilities Code section 7952

Any person who injures or destroys, through want of proper care, any necessary or useful facility or equipment of any telegraph, telephone, electrical, or gas corporation, is liable to the corporation for all damages sustained thereby. The measure of damages to the facility or equipment injured or destroyed shall be the cost to repair or replace the property injured or destroyed including direct and allocated costs for labor, materials, supervision, supplies, tools, taxes, transportation, administrative and general expense and other indirect or overhead expenses, less credit, if any, for salvage, as determined by such telegraph, telephone, electrical or gas corporations in conformity with a system of accounts established by the commission. The specifying of the measure of damages for the facility or equipment shall not preclude the recovery of such other damages occasioned thereby as may be authorized by law.
Any vessel which, by dragging its anchor, or otherwise, breaks, injures or destroys any underwater cable of a telegraph, telephone or electrical corporation or pipeline of a gas corporation, subjects its owner to liability for the damages sustained thereby.

Source: Section 7952, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=PUC§ionNum=7952.­ (accessed May 26, 2025).

Last Updated

May 12, 2025

§ 7952’s source at ca​.gov