Major Oregon Wildfire Verdict Could Encourage Lahaina Victims to Pursue Civil Suits

Hawaii News Now (January 25, 2024) – Wildfire victims in Oregon have been awarded multi-million-dollar emotional damage verdicts — in cases similar to what happened in Lahaina.

The size of the damages could make fire victims in Hawaii hesitate to take early payouts from the recovery fund promoted by Gov. Josh Green.

Juries in civil cases are notoriously unpredictable; that’s one reason the vast majority of lawsuits are settled without getting to a jury.

But attorneys say the Oregon verdicts may help all parties in the Maui fire cases make decisions whether to go to trial, settle, or take an early payout. Read more here.