Hawaiian Electric Co. has yet to address in court the increasing number of lawsuits filed against it concerning the recent fatal wildfires in Maui. Likely defenses could primarily hinge on questioning the inverse condemnation claims and whether the company’s fallen power lines were indeed a cause of the fire.
Partners at Honolulu’s Cox Fricke, Joachim Cox and Randall Whattoff, officially represented Hawaiian Electric in a class action lawsuit lodged in O’ahu’s First Circuit Court on Aug. 17. On the following day, Hawaiian Electric clarified in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that contrary to initial news reports, it did not have any restructuring plans and intended to stay the course.
The company also emphasized the differences between the laws in California and Hawaii, providing an explanation for its decision not to shut off power during the wildfires. More info is available in the full article.