Countless Residents Affected by Texas Power Outage May Pursue Litigation

People who were hit hard by the widespread Texas power outage may be able to pursue litigation against their local power providers or insurance companies that may have contributed to the problem or failed to properly compensate customers. 

When a major winter storm hit the southern United States in February, countless people lost power. Texas’ problem in particular was unique, however, because of the separation of the state’s power grid from the rest of the country’s power. 

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) argues it has adopted best practices for winterization. But while climate scientists agree this February storm was unprecedented, it’s also evidence the state isn’t equipped to handle increasingly volatile weather events, according to The Texas Tribune.

In the meantime, Texans are left to contend with the consequences.

The most widespread issue was the Texas power outage itself. On Feb. 16, approximately 4.5 million Texans had lost power, according to USA Today. In the freezing cold weather, the obvious effect was the lack of heat that could place residents at risk of hypothermia and other cold weather-related conditions.  

Indeed, many who were left in homes without power had nowhere else to go and lacked the resources to keep warm.

Eleven-year-old Cristian Pavon Pineda died in his family’s mobile home during the Texas power outage, huddled in bed with his 3-year-old stepbrother, the Houston Chronicle reported. The day before, Cristian had been playing in the snow — the first time in his life he’d seen snow, his mother said.

Cristian’s family found him unresponsive and immediately called 911 and attempted CPR. The Pineda family believes Cristian’s death was caused by hypothermia, but finding out the official cause of death may take several weeks.

The family has turned to litigation against ERCOT and Entergy Corp. for $100 million, alleging the companies failed to take action that could have prevented the boy’s death, USA Today reported. Many more may have suffered from cold-related complications.

Besides injuries and fatalities caused by the cold, others may have suffered from less direct effects. 

Some people may have seen their essential medical devices fail due to the Texas power outage, a particular problem for elderly folks, disabled people, and those with chronic illnesses. 

Others lacked access to clean water or, in some cases, any water at all. Millions were put on boil-water notices to ensure that their drinking water was clean, according to an NPR report.

Some may have had their food supply ruined by the outage or been unable to refill it due to scarcity on a larger scale as the supply chain became disrupted, The Texas Tribune reported.

Many others have been affected by property damage caused by the storm and Texas power outage — or they soon will be.

Pipes have burst in homes and buildings, and more likely will. As the weather starts to warm up, icy pipes will melt and more severe water damage and flooding issues are expected to begin, according to the Houston Chronicle.

Residents may be left with damage that could take weeks or months to recover from, according to a CNN report.

If you are a homeowner and have been affected by the widespread Texas power outage, you may be able to file a property damage or personal injury lawsuit.