Maui Fires means the Maui windstorm and fires of August 2023, including the fires in Lahaina, Kula, and Olinda. Afterwards, hundreds of fire victims filed lawsuits seeking relief for both tangible and intangible losses arising out of the Maui Fires.
Case Management Order No. 7 (Procedures for Initial Plaintiff Discovery), entered in the Maui Fire Cases litigation, required plaintiff registration, established certain discovery procedures, and appointed BrownGreer PLC to collect and manage Individual Plaintiff data in the Maui Wildfire Cases. The Portal is the official platform established for these processes.
After the parties reached a settlement, BrownGreer was appointed Claims Processor and will use this same secure online portal for the submission of electronic Claims Questionnaires, supporting documents, and other information. The Portal will store all claims data, including claimant demographic information, supporting documents, claim evaluation calculations, claim review outcomes, and notifications.
The Honorable Peter T. Cahill appointed the following to administer the Individual Settlement Agreement and Individual Settlement Plan:
- Keith W. Hunter | As founder, President and CEO of the Hawaiʻi-based Dispute Prevention & Resolution, Inc., Keith Hunter brings extensive knowledge of Hawaiʻi law and community, which will allow the Maui Fires Individual Settlement to implement a settlement program consistent with the expectations and values of the Maui community. His career in dispute resolution spans over 41 years, and he has successfully served as mediator in approximately 6,000 disputes, claims, and lawsuits. Read more.
- Hon. Daniel J. Buckley (Ret.) | Judge Buckley brings over 40 years of experience as a litigator in private practice and a judge, including as the Presiding Judge of Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. For over three years, he handled mass tort cases, including the Thomas Fire case and several other wildfire cases. Since leaving the bench, Judge Buckley has served as mediator or claims administrator in multiple mass tort cases, including clergy abuse cases, and he has served as special master in several Northern California fire cases, including Dixie, Kincade, and Zogg. Read more.
- Hon. Louis M. Meisinger (Ret.) | Judge Meisinger has served as a mediator and/or claims administrator in multiple class action and mass tort cases overseeing the settlement and disbursement of claims totaling billions of dollars to victims of catastrophic events ranging from wildfires, mass shootings, gas leaks and explosions, and childhood sexual abuse to contamination and injuries arising from the jettisoning of jet fuel, gold mining activities, sandblasting, and defective products. Read more.
- Cathy Yanni, Esq. | As a court-appointed special master and/or mediator in cases involving wildfires, multidistrict litigation, mass torts, and class actions, Cathy Yanni has settled tens of thousands of cases, facilitated distribution of billions of dollars to claimants, and designed dozens of claims processes. As Trustee of the PG&E Fire Victim Trust, Yanni oversaw the resolution of over 254,000 claims submitted by nearly 72,000 claimants damaged by the 2015 Butte, 2017 North Bay, and 2018 Camp Fires and paid over $13.66 billion to fire survivors. Read more.
Under Case Management Order No. 7, BrownGreer PLC was appointed in July 2024 to collect and manage Individual Plaintiff data in the Maui Wildfire Cases. After the parties reached a settlement, BrownGreer was appointed Claims Processor and is responsible for executing the claims review process from initial submission through final resolution.
On July 25, 2024, the Court entered Case Management Order No. 7 (Procedures for Initial Plaintiff Discovery) (“CMO 7”), requiring each plaintiff, or their attorney, if represented, to register their filed case within 30 days of the entry of CMO 7 (i.e., no later than August 26, 2024) or within 30 days of the filing of a Notice of Adoption, whichever is later. Plaintiffs with unfiled cases, or their attorneys, if represented, also may register.
The Plaintiff Fact Sheet and Damages Questionnaire processes contemplated under CMO 7 were paused in light of the Court’s August 2, 2024, litigation stay. However, registration remains open, and plaintiffs and law firms are encouraged to register all filed and unfiled cases.
Attorneys are encouraged to register plaintiffs with unfiled cases in the Portal. When doing this, the attorney must affirm under Hawaiʻi Rule of Civil Procedure 11 that they represent the plaintiff in question and that the information being submitted is true and correct to the best of the attorney’s knowledge.
Unrepresented plaintiffs also can register in the Portal.
The Plaintiff Fact Sheet and Damages Questionnaire processes contemplated under CMO 7 have been paused considering the August 2, 2024, discovery stay. However, registration remains open, and plaintiffs, or their attorneys, if represented, are encouraged to register all cases, both filed and unfiled.
You can find certain court documents in the Court Information section on the public website. The full docket is available on the Hawai'i State Judiciary website.
If you need assistance, contact us at info@mauiwildfirecases.com or (888) 730-5022.