Oregon Supreme Court weighs fate of more than $1 billion in wildfire awards
Justices hear arguments over a jury instruction that could determine the fate of more than $1 billion already awarded
Wildfire survivors packed the Oregon Supreme Court on Tuesday to hear arguments over whether electrical giant PacifiCorp will need to pay out billions of dollars for starting four wildfires during the 2020 Labor Day weekend. The court's decision could decide the fate of more than $1 billion awarded so far to about 200 wildfire survivors, and it could determine whether about 2,000 additional claims are also considered. Jurors previously found PacifiCorp grossly negligent, a verdict the Oregon Court of Appeals later reversed.