Can Maui fire lawyers assist with cases involving injuries to firefighters?
Can Maui fire lawyers assist
In the aftermath of a wildfire, survivors must not only contend with the destruction of their homes and the loss of valuables. They may also lose their jobs, or experience serious health issues from the contaminated air. A Maui fire lawyer can help people obtain compensation from their insurance policies and the companies responsible for the disaster.
A lawsuit filed this week against the Hawaiian Electric Company and its subsidiaries alleges that HECO failed to heed National Weather Service warnings of high winds and fire danger in early August. It is alleged that the company failed to de-energize its power lines in anticipation of high winds and that this failure caused the fires that devastated the beautiful town of Lahaina.
The Maui fire lawyers also claims that the fires could have been prevented if HECO had followed an industry standard and proactively implemented Public Safety Power Shutoffs when weather conditions threatened the company’s infrastructure. It also claims that HECO’s negligence caused the fires to rage out of control, burning and destroying homes and businesses in a matter of minutes.
Can Maui fire lawyers assist with cases involving injuries to firefighters?
According to the lawsuit, the blazes destroyed numerous historic structures and caused severe losses to the town’s tourist economy. The county also suffered significant property and financial damage from the fires. The county’s chief of emergency management resigned earlier this month after defending the decision not to sound sirens as the fires raced toward residential areas.
Lawsuits against HECO are reminiscent of California’s response to the 2017 North Bay wildfires and 2018 Camp Fires, when large out-of-town law firms flooded Sonoma, Napa and Butte counties, signing up victims by the thousands and taking on electric utility juggernaut PG&E. Leka Anitema, whose mother lost her home in the Lahaina fires, hired Watts Guerra LLP, which opened a Santa Rosa office but is based in Texas, on her mother’s behalf. She said she has been told that the firm will take a 20 percent cut of any award.
Other attorneys have been offering similar terms. Attorney Lance D. Collins has written to Hawaii Insurance Commissioner Gordon Ito asking him to call on insurers to pay 100% of their coverage limits for the loss of a survivor’s personal possessions and without demanding that they submit an itemized list of what was lost. He says requiring this paperwork is an unnecessary burden that survivors must bear while trying to rebuild their lives after the wildfires.
While it is unclear whether any of these legal challenges will succeed, the fact that some have already begun highlights the growing sense of urgency for those affected by the deadly Lahaina fires. Those who have been forced to leave their homes and are struggling to rebuild their lives must receive adequate compensation for the damages they have sustained. This can come from homeowners’ insurance policies and a successful Maui fire lawsuit against the companies that contributed to the tragedy. It is important to seek the advice of a Maui fire attorney as soon as possible.