West News

Appeals Court Dismisses 14 COVID Business Insurance Claims Against Travelers

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has dismissed lawsuits by 14 businesses seeking insurance coverage from Travelers Insurance for business losses stemming from COVID-19 and the related government shutdown orders. The federal appeals court affirmed the denial of the claims …

California Jury Awards $3.75 Million to Protester Shot by Hard-Foam Projectiles

A jury awarded $3.75 million in damages this week to a protester shot twice with hard-foam projectiles fired by Los Angeles police during demonstrations in 2020. Jurors on Wednesday ruled that the LA Police Department was negligent when one or …

Hawaii Electric Takes Responsibility for First Fire on Maui, But Faults Firefighters

Hawaii’s electric utility acknowledged its power lines started a wildfire on Maui but faulted county firefighters for declaring the blaze contained and leaving the scene, only to have a second wildfire break out nearby and become the deadliest in the …

Uber Raises Minimum Age for Most California Drivers to 25 Over Insurance Costs

Uber raised the minimum age requirement for most of its new drivers in California to 25 on Thursday under rules the company said are necessary because of the rising costs of commercial auto insurance in the state. The new rule …

Bare Electrical Wire and Leaning Poles on Maui Were Possible Cause of Deadly Fires

In the first moments of the Maui fires, when high winds brought down power poles, slapping electrified wires to the dry grass below, there was a reason the flames erupted all at once in long, neat rows — those wires …

Shareholders Sue Hawaiian Electric Over Maui Wildfires

Shareholders of Hawaiian Electric HE.N on Thursday filed a lawsuit against the utility provider in a San Francisco federal court, alleging the company’s failure to disclose important information about its wildfire prevention and safety protocols. Hawaiian’s protocols and procedures were …

County of Maui Sues Hawaiian Electric for Negligence Leading to Wildfires

The county of Maui, Hawaii, on Thursday sued Hawaiian Electric HE.N accusing the power company of acting negligently by failing to shut down its equipment despite warnings hurricane winds could knock power lines down, sparking wildfires. The county said downed …

United Airlines in $30 Million Settlement With Quadriplegic Man’s Family

United Airlines has agreed to a $30 million settlement after a deplaning incident left a quadriplegic man in a vegetative state, court papers show. The settlement with the family of Nathaniel Foster Jr, known as N.J., was disclosed on Tuesday …

Second Death Reported in Washington Wildfires; Hundreds of Structures Burned

A second person has died in wildfires in eastern Washington state that ignited on Friday, burning hundreds of structures and closing a section of a major interstate for days, fire officials said. A body was found in the area burned …

California’s Desert and Mountain Towns Dig Out From Hilary’s Mud

Crews worked to dig roads, buildings and care home residents out of the mud across a wide swath of Southwestern U.S. desert Monday, as the first tropical storm to hit Southern California in 84 years headed north, prompting flood watches …

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