wildfire cases with Maui fire lawyers
With embers still hot from the devastating Maui wildfires that destroyed more than 2,200 structures in Lahaina, attorneys representing families of the dozens of people killed and hundreds of others who lost their homes are preparing for a trial that could cost the power utility tens of billions. The lawsuits accuse Hawaiian Electric of causing the fires that killed 46 people and left more than 100 injured in early August. They say the company should have kept its power lines off in response to a fire warning and high wind warning issued by the National Weather Service.
Plaintiffs in both suits say that when Tropical Storm Dora hit Maui, the winds caused branches and other debris to break down and knock down the electrical lines — and those broken lines then started and spread the fires throughout Lahaina and Kula. The class action lawsuits seek compensation for the victims’ financial losses, suffering and emotional pain and distress. They also ask the jury to award punitive damages.
The Maui fire lawyers leading the class actions include a pair of experienced Maui fire lawyers and one of the country’s top personal injury firms, Morgan & Morgan, which bills itself as the largest injury law practice. The attorneys are backed by a team of experts, including Michael Kelly and Gerald Singleton, both accomplished plaintiff advocates who have represented thousands of clients in utility-caused wildfires.
What is the role of jury selection in wildfire cases with Maui fire lawyers
Kelly and Singleton played key roles in settling the $13.5 billion settlement with California-based PG&E after it was found liable for wildfires in 2017 that killed 14 people and destroyed more than 1,200 homes. They also co-authored a book on the subject, entitled “Utility-Caused Wildfires: The Legal Battles.”
The attorneys also represent a family that lost its home in the Lahaina fires. Kevin Williams, a Maui resident, says his harrowing escape from the flames was made worse when he discovered that he had to pay to move and rebuild his life. He is seeking at least $1.6 billion in damages, and his case may set a new record for damages awarded in Hawaii.
In addition to the two class action lawsuits, a handful of individual victims have filed their own suits against Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries. The county of Maui has also sued the utility, saying it should have shut off power lines on August 7 when it received a fire warning from the National Weather Service.
The Maui fires were fueled by hot, dry summer conditions, powerful winds from the tropical storm and parched brush. The fires quickly spread out of control, devouring homes and businesses and destroying the island’s scenic coastline. A federal judge has scheduled a trial for 2023 in Maui to determine the cause of the fires. The trials are likely to draw national attention because of the size and scope of the damages sought by plaintiffs. The trials are expected to last up to six months or longer. During that time, jurors will be interviewed by expert witnesses and exposed to an extensive array of evidence, including internal communications among power utilities, photographs and video from the scene of the fires, and testimony from fire experts.
