Legal compensation may be available for survivors and families of the devestating Maui wildfires that destroyed the serene town of Lāhainā and neighboring cities.
August 2nd, 2024- Following four months of mediation, a landmark $4.037 billion global settlement was announced on Friday to resolve all tort claims related to the August 8, 2023, Maui wildfires.
June 11th, 2024- A new lawsuit filed by Maui County alleges that evacuation alerts sent to cellphones went unnoticed due to an outage, which the county was unaware of at the time. Additionally, Maui officials did not activate sirens that could have warned the entire population about the approaching flames. This raises questions about whether sufficient measures were taken to alert the public, despite the state having an extensive emergency warning system for various hazards, including wildfires.
The lawsuit attributes negligence to major cellular carriers for failing to properly inform Maui police of the widespread service outages. Filed in state court, the lawsuit names Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA, Spectrum Mobile, and AT&T as defendants, seeking to address this alleged negligence.
April 22nd, 2024- A new report outlines a detailed timeline of the catastrophic fire that devastated Lahaina in August last year. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez emphasized the importance of analyzing the sequence of events and the responses from local and state authorities. The report aims to utilize scientific analysis to identify effective measures and pinpoint failures to enhance future disaster responses. This report, following Maui fire officials’ defense of their initial actions, is the first of three planned by the Attorney General’s office. An independent review is being conducted by the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI). Notably, the report does not address the fire’s cause or origin, which remains under federal investigation.
January 2nd, 2024- A Hawaiian shareholder has launched a derivative lawsuit against the company’s leadership, including current and former executives and board members. Filed in federal court in California late last year, the lawsuit accuses these leaders of misrepresenting their management of safety and climate change risks. This misrepresentation came to light after a devastating wildfire in August, suspected to have been caused by the utility’s power lines.
September 29, 2023- On Monday, certain residents of Lahaina will gain access to their neighborhoods, providing them with the opportunity to inspect the remains of their homes. This access comes after a period of six weeks during which the town center of Lahaina, situated on the western coast of Maui, has been restricted from entry. The area was cordoned off, and National Guard personnel were deployed to oversee the containment, facilitating firefighting efforts, hazard assessment, and cleanup operations following the devastating wildfires that swept through parts of Maui on August 8. This tragic event resulted in the loss of at least 97 lives, marking it as one of the deadliest disasters in the nation’s history.
The initial neighborhood to be reopened lies at the far western border of the burnt region, positioned between downtown Lahaina and the resort district of Ka’anapali. As safety assessments progress and more areas are determined to be secure, additional neighborhoods will follow suit, allowing residents with proof of residency to obtain re-entry permits and return to their homes.
September 6th, 2023- In a lawsuit filed in Hawaii state court, Maui County is accused of being responsible for a woman’s death during the Lahaina fire last month. The lawsuit alleges that the county’s failure to sound sirens and warn residents about the imminent danger prevented the woman from escaping. This legal action holds both county and state governments accountable in the wake of the deadliest U.S. fire in more than a century.
August 24th, 2023- The County of Maui lodged a civil lawsuit against Hawaiian Electric, alleging negligence in causing a fire. Hawaiian Electric is accused of not shutting off power on August 7th despite a red flag warning from the National Weather Service. The lawsuit also asserts that the company neglected safety maintenance and upgrades on its power grid infrastructure.
August 23rd, 2023- More than 1,100 are still missing in Maui with the official death toll at 115. Residents and government officials demand answers after a visit from President Biden and promises of building back stronger.
August 19th, 2023- As four active fire regions continue to burn, media attention turns towards video evidence of potential downed power lines that appeared active and emitting sparks.
August 17th, 2023- Nine days after initial flareups, the Upcountry fire is 85% contained and the Lahaina fire is 90% contained.
August 15th, 2023- Today marks the initiation of the initial civil lawsuit, where Hawaiian Electric utility company is accused of negligence in causing or contributing to the Maui wildfires. The lawsuit, filed by five Lahaina residents, attributes the wildfire to Hawaiian Electric’s purported lapses in maintaining its power grid and failure to deactivate power lines at risk of collapse.
August 12th, 2023- The PDC and FEMA release a damage assessment map showing over 2,170 acres burned and an early estimate of over 2,200 structures destroyed. Confirmed fatalities were at 67 with thousands still missing or unaccounted for.
August 10th, 2023- With each of the active fires partially contained, emergency responders prioritize search and rescue efforts, which are hampered by a lack of radio and cell signals across the island.
August 9th, 2023, 12:00 AM- The Hawaii National Guard is deployed across Maui as fires burn out of control. An estimated 14,000 residents were without power.
August 8th, 2023 3:30 PM- A flare-up on the Western coast of Lahaina prompts evacuations and road closures. A shelter-in-place advisory is issued for parts of the territory as roads become impassable. Central regions of Maui also see numerous flareups.
August 8th, 2023, 6:00AM- A secondary brush fire erupts in central Maui and fire officials declare it 100% contained by 9:00 AM. The Lahaina fire does not appear on radar at this point. A weather advisory is issued around the same time for increased wind speeds and increased risk of fire.
August 8th, 2023, 12:00 AM- A brush fire ignites in Maui’s Upcountry region and quickly spreads due to ideal conditions for fire.
August 7th, 2023- With hurricane Dora churning in the Pacific and a high pressure system moving in from the north, the island of Maui, Hawaii was under a strong wind advisory.
July 2023- Many parts of the island of Maui was under a drought with a two-category decrease in average rainfall for the months of May, June, and July 2023. Locally, government warnings were issued for increased chances of brush fires.
The raw devastation experienced by the Lāhainā community in August 2023 will never be forgotten as homes, businesses, and personal memories were destroyed by raging wildfires. Early reports indicate that damages have exceeded $6 billion dollars with over 2,200 homes and other structures burning to the ground.
As of late August, the death toll from the Lāhainā fires remains at 96 with over 1,000 local residents still missing or unaccounted for.
While no official conclusion has been reached for what started the Lāhainā wildfires, several reviewing organizations are looking deeper at Hawaiian Electric for not having a protocol for preemptive power shutoffs. As power lines fell across the area from wind damage, witnesses reports have surfaced stating the downed electrical lines were live and transmitting power into areas of heavily overgrown vegetation.
While the road to recovery will be very long for Lāhainā, you may be entitled to compensation if you or a loved one were injured or lost personal property in the Maui fires. Contact us today for a free case review.
While investigations are still in early stages, we feel that there will be sufficient evidence to show that Hawaiian Electric was negligent in preventative maintenance that could have avoided the Maui wildfires. Our firm is currently evaluating and accepting cases to seek litigation against those ultimately found responsible.
We believe that there will be significant compensation available for Maui residents that were directly affected by the wildfires that spread throughout the region in August 2023. As details emerge and initial litigation is filed, we should have clearer answers of potential settlement values based on individual or family loss.
If you or a loved one were directly impacted by the Maui fires, contact us for a complimentary case review. The main criteria we look for are land or property damages (including total losses), personal injury, associated traumas, relocation expenses, and loss of life.
It may be too soon to create an extensive list of damage types since many of them have not been fully discovered. Loss of property or structures and personal belongings as well as environmental factors will be common damages considered. There will also be consideration for injuries and loss of life, including future disabilities or limitations caused by the wildfires. Contact us to discuss your personal situation for more specific answers.
While we are still waiting on initial litigation milestones to take place, we recommend for all Lahaina and Maui residents that have suffered losses in the wildfires to reach out to us for a case evaluation. It is important to complete this step as early as possible to preserve evidence and build the strongest possible cases.
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