Lexington Insurance Company has filed a compelling lawsuit against a California-based guitar manufacturer, alleging negligence and breach of contract following a destructive fire. The complaint was lodged on February 13, 2025, in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Francisco against Joseph Luttwak, Blackbird Guitars LLC, and Lingrove Inc.
The lawsuit centers around an incident that occurred on October 29, 2023, at 2180 Folsom Street in San Francisco. Lexington Insurance Company, acting as the subrogee for Busvan Storage & Unclaimed Household Goods Sales Co., Inc., claims that the defendants' negligence led to a fire that caused significant damage to the insured property. According to the complaint, Blackbird Guitars LLC and its associated entities were leasing the property at the time of the fire. The plaintiff alleges that an amplifier left unattended on a wooden worktable ignited the blaze. The complaint further asserts that this amplifier had been repeatedly left on over several years without supervision, which ultimately resulted in extensive damage to both the structure and contents of the property.
The insurance company argues that this negligence violated California Health and Safety Code section 13007, which holds individuals liable for damages resulting from fires they negligently allow to spread. "Defendants failed to manage, supervise, maintain, operate, and/or control their equipment safely," states Lexington Insurance Company in their filing. They also accuse the defendants of breaching their lease agreement by not indemnifying or protecting them from such damages as stipulated in their contract signed on November 21, 2020.
In seeking justice from the court, Lexington Insurance Company demands monetary compensation amounting to $1,176,926.00 for repair costs and other related expenses incurred due to the fire. They are also pursuing prejudgment interest under California Civil Code §3287 and attorney's fees where applicable by law.
Representing Lexington Insurance Company are attorneys Jordan Everakes and David Kestenbaum from Grotefeld Hoffmann law firm. The case is presided over by Judge [Name], under Case ID CGC-25-622293.