Maui Fire Lawyer
Many people have suffered losses and inconveniences in the wake of the deadly Maui wildfires of 2023. They may not know they could be eligible for financial compensation. A Maui fire lawyer can help them with their claims against utility companies.
Lawsuits against Hawaiian Electric claim the company ignored warnings and failed to upgrade its power lines. They also allege the company did not have a plan in place to shut off electricity during high winds that ignited the initial fires. They blame the company for years of neglect to trim trees and other flammable vegetation in its service area.
According to the Maui fire lawyers, a combination of dry conditions, highly combustible brush, and strong winds ignited the fires that devastated Lahaina. The blaze was one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in the state’s history.
A Maui Fire Lawyer Can Assist With Claims Against Utility Companies
The lawsuit also alleges that the power lines were responsible for igniting the first fires and for spreading them to residential and commercial properties. The plaintiffs allege the company’s equipment was not up to the task of dealing with high winds and that it failed to maintain its lines and trim them properly.
Hawaiian Electric fire lawyers
It is alleged that the company failed to deenergize its power lines when the National Weather Service issued several fire and wind warnings for Maui County. The lawsuit claims that the company did not take any action or implement Public Safety Power Shutoffs despite multiple warnings. The lawsuit claims that the fires caused damage to hundreds of homes, businesses, and historic structures in Lahaina.
A class-action suit against HECO was filed by LippSmith LLP on behalf of residents and property owners who lost their homes in the wildfires. The lawsuit is based on a legal principle known as “inverse condemnation,” which allows victims to sue private companies like utilities for damages even if the utility did not commit a direct act of negligence. It is a similar tactic that has been used to force PG&E into bankruptcy and win a $13.5 billion settlement for California fire victims.
The lawsuit against HECO is seeking unspecified damages. The lawyers for the victims of the fires have subpoenaed Mark Thaller, a former consultant for the company, for records of his correspondence with top officials about the need to upgrade power equipment and manage tree growth on its land. They also want to know about the decision to delay these upgrades and defer them to future years.
The attorneys for the victims believe that they can demonstrate that the company operates as a quasi-governmental entity because it provides public electricity to residents of Hawaii. This could allow them to use a legal method that is similar to eminent domain, which gives governments the right to claim private property for public works projects. If this technique is successful, it would eliminate the need to prove negligence, which can be difficult in a case against Hawaiian Electric. The lawsuits are expected to be filed in the next few weeks.