Berkshire Hathaway-owned (BRK.A) (BRK.B) PacifiCorp has won an appeal challenging a 2023 jury verdict related to wildfire litigation, after the Oregon appeals court said Wednesday that the trial judge erred in allowing the case to proceed as a class action.
The court reversed and remanded the previous ruling, in which the electric utility had been found liable for several wildfires caused by its failure to shut off power lines during a windstorm on Labor Day 2020 in Oregon.
The appeals court said the trial judge erred in instructing the jury that it could "assume that the evidence at the trial applies to all class members," adding that it was "prejudicial" to PacifiCorp.
PacifiCorp said in a statement, "the court's decision supports PacifiCorp's longstanding belief that this process was prejudicial and not appropriate for managing wildfire litigation."
The company added that it remains open to resolving reasonable claims.
Comments