Mandatory Fast Pay for Wildfire Survivors Would Block Evidence of Utility Fault, Consumer Watchdog Says
Consumer Watchdog argues that a proposed "Fast Pay" program would prevent wildfire survivors from suing until they accept compensation, potentially hiding evidence of utility negligence.
Consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog stated that Governor Gavin Newsom's proposed "Fast Pay" program would prevent the public from discovering crucial evidence related to utility-caused wildfires.
The group argues that the program, which would require wildfire survivors to complete it before filing lawsuits, could have prevented the public from learning that Southern California Edison (SCE) transmission lines started the 2017 Eaton Fire. Consumer Watchdog asserts that a mandatory program could allow companies to silence survivors before evidence of their culpability is revealed.
"If Governor Newsom's proposed mandatory Fast Pay program – requiring wildfire survivors to complete the program before filing a lawsuit – had been law, the public would not have learned that Edison's transmission lines started the Eaton Fire," said Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court.
Consumer Watchdog is urging legislators to make the program voluntary. This would allow survivors to choose whether to seek compensation first or proceed directly with legal action against responsible parties.
The organization's concern centers on the potential for a mandatory compensation program to shield companies from accountability and diminish the rights of victims.