Judge dismisses class action suit against Florida Power & Light
February 9, 2006
According to NBC6 in Florida, “A judge dealt a setback Wednesday to electric customers who sued Florida Power & Light Co. over the widespread electricity outages after Hurricane Wilma.”
Broward County Circuit Judge Victor Tobin flatly rejected a portion of the lawsuit asking him to order FPL to hurricane proof its system, agreeing with the utility that state law grants that authority only to state Public Service Commission.
“But the judge said he would allow lawyers for the customers to file an amended lawsuit seeking damages if they can find additional proof of negligence.”
Here’s some background on the suit:
The lawsuit, initially filed in November on behalf of a Broward County man who runs a computer consulting business, seeks class-action status to represent all business and residential customers who lost power after Wilma. Its main contention is that FPL was negligent in preparing for hurricanes because its maintenance workforce was reduced in the years before the hurricane hit.
FPL contractors (Asplundh company)cut my trees back to the trunk on one side. As a result, the limbs on the other side of the tree fell on my roof during hurricane Wilma and I have to replace my roof because the damage was so severe.
Yesterday, they “trimmed” them again to the point of looking ridiculous.
Is there anything I can do about this?