In August 2023, Lahaina, Maui, was engulfed by a catastrophic wildfire that tragically claimed over 100 lives and led to the extensive destruction of the historic town.

This preventable disaster left thousands homeless, erasing communities and livelihoods overnight.

In response to this overwhelming tragedy, a lawsuit has been initiated in Hawai’i against Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc., Hawaii Electric Light Company, Inc., and Maui Electric Company.

This legal challenge asserts that the defendant’s gross negligence in maintaining its electrical infrastructure was the direct and proximate cause of the fire.

The lawsuit underscores the utilities' critical failure to uphold necessary safety and emergency response measures, which could have prevented this disaster.

As a result, there is a strong call for accountability and justice, demanding that those affected by the fire receive the compensation and support they desperately need to rebuild their lives and communities.

The Colossal Wildfire Dubbed “The Nation’s Deadliest Wildfire”

It swept through extensive regions of Maui and left in its wake widespread devastation to residences, substantial property destruction, and an unmistakable impact on the local ecosystem surrounding Lahaina.

Tragically, the inferno has led to an alarming loss of lives, and the count of wrongful fatalities continues to rise.

As reported by various media outlets, most notably NBC News, the toll of confirmed casualties has reached a staggering 114, with an estimated 1,000 individuals still unaccounted for.

While the exact cause of the wildfire remains under investigation, adverse weather conditions probably played a substantial role.

The National Weather Service had issued warnings about Hurricane Dora's high winds, which heightened the risk of a potential catastrophe.

Consequently, many survivors and their families scrutinize Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc., seeking accountability.

The sole immediately accessible monetary assistance for those displaced from their homes and facing critical shortages of water, sustenance, prescriptions, personal hygiene essentials, and transportation fuel is a one-time payment of $700 per household.

Legal Action Mounts Against Hawaiian Electric

Hawaiian Electric, alongside its three subsidiaries—Maui Electric Co., Ltd., Hawaiian Electric Co., Inc., and Hawaii Electric Light Co., Inc.—provides electricity to nearly all the state's residents.

A wave of initial class action lawsuits and individual legal actions about personal injury and property damage claim that these utility companies failed to deactivate the power supply despite explicit high wind warnings issued by the National Weather Service.

The plaintiffs assert that Hawaiian Electric displayed years of inaction and maintain that the utility should have established procedures and protocols to deactivate power before the hurricane-force winds approached Lahaina.

Compensation, Though Not Solace

Lawsuits serve as a means for victims to obtain the crucial financial compensation they need to rebuild their lives.

It is a well-acknowledged truth that no amount of money can fully mend the wounds of such catastrophic losses, but for survivors of the Maui fires, the path to recovery will undoubtedly require more than the one-time $700 payment.

The compensation that Maui wildfire survivors may be able to obtain encompasses a range of injuries and losses, including:

• Wrongful death.
• Evacuation expenses.
• Property damage and loss (including homes, structures, vehicles, and personal belongings).
• Burn injuries and other severe physical harm.
• Smoke inhalation.
• Emotional distress.
• Medical bills.
• Business losses and interruptions.
• Agricultural damage, encompassing harm or loss to timber and vegetation.
• Pool damage.
• Smoke-related destruction.
• Additional economic and non-economic losses.

If you, a family member, a friend, or your business has been adversely affected by the Maui wildfire, we are ready to offer assistance in navigating the complex aftermath of this tragic event.

Like the countless clients we have successfully represented in personal injury mass tort and class action cases, we are committed to aggressively pursuing your case, treating it as if it were our own family, and seeking justice and compensation for injuries and losses.

Contact us now for a free, private case evaluation to determine your case's worth—we operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning we only charge fees if we secure a favorable outcome.