The Fourteenth Court of Appeals will determine whether to dismiss thousands of lawsuits filed against Texas utility companies following the devastating winter storm Uri in 2021.
Four years after a freeze, the court will decide whether to dismiss 15,000 plaintiffs’ cases that include wrongful death and personal injury. Large electrical transmission lines are pictured in a new housing development in South Arlington, Wednesday, February 17, 2021. Rolling power outages have disrupted service to customers following this weeks snow storm and deep freeze.
(Tom Fox/The Dallas Morning News)has agreed to hear a petition from transmission and distribution utility companies seeking dismissal of gross negligence and intentional nuisance claims over devastating winter stormthat more than 15,000 plaintiffs may move forward with certain claims in their wrongful death, personal injury and other Uri-related lawsuits seeking billions of dollars in damages.The Fourteenth Court said the utility companies were entitled to dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims for negligence because Texas law does not impose common-law negligence duties associated with emergency power interruptions, ensuring adequate generation or warning of anticipated power outages. But the court of appeals said that the tariff, which is essentially the state-law mandated contract between customers and the transmission and distribution companies, does allow for gross negligence and intentional nuisance claims.More than 200 lawsuits, consolidated into multidistrict litigation before Harris County MDL Court Judge Sylvia Matthews, allege that mismanagement by companies including Dallas-based Oncor Electric Delivery,Uri was a perfect storm for the electric grid that serves most of Texas as plunging temperatures sparked record high demand amid a severely reduced energy supply, causing the grid to become unbalanced. Beginning at 1:25 a.m. on Feb. 15, 2021,Millions of Texans lost heat and power for several days as the weather remained brutally cold. News reports have attributed nearly 250 deaths to the disaste
WINTER STORM UTILITY COMPANIES LAWSUITS TEXAS ENERGY GRID
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Texas Supreme Court to Decide SMU's Fate in Split from United Methodist ChurchThe Texas Supreme Court will hear arguments in January regarding Southern Methodist University's attempt to separate from the United Methodist Church. The outcome of the case will determine whether SMU's board of trustees or the church holds ultimate authority over the university's decision-making.
Read more »
Arizona Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Familial DNA Evidence in 2015 Murder CaseThe Arizona Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling on the admissibility of familial DNA evidence in the 2015 murder of Allison Feldman. The decision will determine whether Ian Mitcham's trial, which has been on hold for years, can proceed. The case centers on the use of familial DNA, which linked Mitcham to the crime scene through his brother, to identify a suspect.
Read more »
Supreme Court to Decide TikTok's Fate in USThe Supreme Court is set to hear TikTok's appeal against a ban in the US, with a decision expected soon. The app argues the ban violates its users' First Amendment rights.
Read more »
Supreme Court to Decide Fate of TikTok in USThe Supreme Court will hear arguments on January 10, 2025, regarding a federal law that could ban TikTok in the US unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform. The case centers on whether the law violates the First Amendment by restricting free speech.
Read more »
Supreme Court to Decide TikTok's Fate in JanuaryThe Supreme Court will hear arguments on January 10th regarding the legality of a federal law that could ban TikTok in the US unless it separates from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance.
Read more »
New Jersey Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Paterson Police ControlThe New Jersey Supreme Court will review an appellate court ruling that found the state attorney general overstepped his authority in taking control of the Paterson Police Department. The case could have implications for other local police departments facing similar allegations.
Read more »