Bridget Morgan-Bickerton, Managing Partner at Bickerton Law Group, discusses bringing a wrongful death lawsuit against Maui County and the state of Hawaii over its emergency response to last month's wildfire tragedy. The podcast explores the impact of climate change, power lines, the importance of creating an evacuation plan, and disappointment with the authorities' response. Steps to take after an incident and ongoing litigation in Hawaii are also discussed.
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Quick takeaways
Maui County is being sued for gross negligence over its emergency response to a wildfire, including failure to alarm residents and lacking an evacuation plan.
The main goal of the lawsuit is to prevent future incidents by ensuring effective measures are taken by the county and state to manage vegetation and create evacuation plans.
Deep dives
Building a lawsuit against Maui County and the state of Hawaii
The Bickerton Law Group is filing a wrongful death case against Maui County, the state, HICO, and a large land owner for the deaths resulting from the wildfire in Hawaii. The lawsuit alleges that Maui County failed to alarm residents, lacked an evacuation plan, and allowed non-native grass to grow out of control. The litigation process can be lengthy, but efforts will be made to find a creative solution and rebuild the community. Measures such as creating evacuation plans, conducting property analyses, and managing vegetation should be implemented to prevent similar tragedies.
Seeking compensation and holding authorities accountable
While seeking compensation for the victims, the main goal of the lawsuit is to prevent future incidents. The authorities' response to the tragedy has been disappointing, with little progress seen in mitigation efforts. The Bickerton Law Group hopes to cut through the paralysis and ensure that effective measures are taken by the county and state. Past experiences with grass-fed fires in Hawaii have resulted in ongoing litigation against Parker Ranch, highlighting the devastating impact on land and homeowners.
Bridget Morgan-Bickerton, Managing Partner at Bickerton Law Group, discusses bringing a wrongful death lawsuit against Maui County and the state of Hawaii over its emergency response to last month's wildfire tragedy. Hosts: Tim Stenovec and Simone Foxman. Producer: Paul Brennan.