Texas Hit by Winter Storm – Millions Without Electricity

by | Feb 16, 2021 | Personal Injury, Wrongful Death

Texas has been hit with a historic winter storm over the past few days, but it was one that the state and its electric providers should have been prepared for.  Millions of residents remain without power through no fault of their own.  The number of households without power was over 4 million on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.  The unfortunate reality is that the decision to plunge millions of homes into coldness has a side effect – people’s lives.  As temperatures plunge to below freezing in some parts of the state, reports are that numerous people have died or been seriously injured as a result of the loss of power.

Galveston County has already suffered multiple deaths due to the storm, and the County Judge recently asked for refrigerated trucks to store the bodies of those who have died and will continue to do so during this storm.  The County Judge indicated that Galveston expected up to 50 fatalities as a result of the conditions.  Reports at the beginning of the storm indicated that nearly all of Galveston’s residents were without power.

Ultimately, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”) was in charge of making preparations to insure the safety of all the residents of the state.  It was entirely foreseeable that conditions during this storm would worsen and that the electric grid would need to prepare for the increased use of power throughout the state.  Whether through incompetence or a decision to simply ignore the risk, the state was left unprepared.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those impacted by this storm and the dangerous decisions that were made both leading up to it and during the storm.  Safe electric providers must take adequate precautions to prepare for weather of any kind.  Whether it is a hurricane, a heat wave, or a winter storm, the state’s power providers must anticipate the conditions and prepare to provide adequate capacity for their customer’s needs.  When this does not occur, people can die as a result.

Spagnoletti Law Firm has attorneys licensed in Texas, Florida, and New York.  We have handled numerous cases involving complex litigation in both federal and state court across the country.  Our attorneys have extensive experience in litigation following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and the significant flooding that occurred in Harris County following Hurricane Harvey.  Our attorneys have the skills needed to aggressively represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives or those who have been seriously injured as a result of the loss of electricity during this storm.  Our lawyers also have experience in representing businesses who have experienced lost income or property damage, and will pursue those claims against all responsible parties.

The experienced attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was seriously injured or died as a result of the loss of power.  Please call us to learn about your rights if you are one of the individuals who have suffered personal injury or death, economic loss, or damaged property as a result of the decisions made by private companies in cutting off electricity.  We will be filing cases for those who suffered significant damages that were caused by the negligence of a third party.  Please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or 877-678-5864 to learn more about your legal rights.