OREGON – The lawsuits filed by Willamette Valley Vineyards and other wineries against Pacific Power’s parent company, will proceed in court after several recent rulings.
Now attorneys for the winemakers are looking to get other impacted businesses on board.
Elk Cove Vineyards, Willamette Valley Vineyards, and Brigadoon Winery are just three of the winemakers to sue PacifiCorp individually, alleging its equipment started some of the 2020 Labor Day fires which tainted grape crops with smoke.
The complaints request just under $16 million in relief for damages.
Lawsuits stemming from the 2020 wildfires have already cost PacifiCorp more than $73 million dollars.
In a statement, Pacific Power expressed confidence about the recent rulings in the winemaker cases, saying in part, “Recent rulings in cases related to litigation brought by Oregon wineries were favorable to PacifiCorp, rejecting key pillars of plaintiffs’ claims, and whether these cases are ultimately dismissed by a court or rejected by a jury, the wineries smoke damage claims are baseless.”
© 2024 KOBI-TV NBC5. All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.