Old Lahaina Town Utterly Destroyed - Recovery & Relief Efforts

[HiloJulie]

Outside of MyManao's analogy of being upside down and backwards to the complexities and reality of the situation, he is entitled to his opinion.

Like I said - being a lawyer is like being a cop - absolute "pigs" - until you need one.

Take for example the case of ‘Sammy’ Mwarey. 16-year-old boy killed by an on-duty police officer about 1 1/2 years ago.

Still not settled, family not seeing a dime, just a dead son. The County defending itself at each and every turn. Still "Investigating."

I did not look up who the attorney is representing the family. But if this was YOUR son - and when this is finally settled - and it will be eventually and will cost the County and will be awarded to the family several million bucks - what would YOU pay the lawyer who got YOU that settlement? Considering what you have already got WITHOUT that lawyer representing YOU. 

Now wouldn't it be a better option and much more civil and nicer if the County sat with the family and worked out a settlement that is fair and compassionate without the need for any lawyers? Admit it's liability instead of spending hundreds of thousands of (taxpayer) dollars on lawyers attempting to limit and shield (deny) its liability - while a family just has a dead son? And in the end, eventually being ordered to pay millions by a court of law - only because a tenacious lawyer went and got what the family deserves.

Again, what if it was YOUR son?

ETA: Lawyers get what lawyers get because in most cases of civil liability - the liable party is willing to spend blank check amounts (in most cases - taxpayer money) to defend, shield, limit and otherwise circumvent its liability versus owning up to its liability.

ETA2: The lawyers DID NOT want to go to trial. They had the witnesses lined up and willing to testify but had an initial settlement ready to go and then the insurance company dispute happened. There then was a trial scheduled. But the PLAINTIFF'S lawyers reached the settlement we now have today and kept it from going to trial.

ETA3: The Judge set the cap of 25% on the Maui Settlement. It was an agreed to provision of the settlement by all parties and ordered by the court.

[MarkD]

Like I said - being a lawyer is like being a cop - absolute "pigs" - until you need one.

What a red herring.  No one here said they are "pigs" (that I'm aware of).  No one said they are unneeded.  The issue is that personal injury attorneys in particular are overcompensated.

[HiloJulie]

"The issue is that personal injury attorneys in particular are overcompensated."

And that's your (and others) opinion. Which you are perfectly entitled to state.

There are some, even some who have posted here on PunaWeb that think McDonald's workers being paid 16 bucks an hour are "overcompensated."

Same with teachers. Clerical staffs. Waitstaffs. Plumbers. Electricians...

Anyone can opine that the next guy, no matter what their occupation is, is being overcompensated. But no one ever says, "you know, my employer is paying ME too much, I think I'll ask for a cut in pay."

And yes, no one has specifically called a lawyer here a pig. It's a bit of a metaphor I used. But let's see, terms like "greedy," "pissed because it didn't go to trial," "dishonest..." but yeah, I stand corrected that no one has called a lawyer here a pig.

[kalakoa]

But no one ever says, "you know, my employer is paying ME too much, I think I'll ask for a cut in pay."

A former coworker did exactly this. It's rare, but it does happen.

[MyManao]

And yes, no one has specifically called a lawyer here a pig. It's a bit of a metaphor I used.

Which is very revealing in itself. Says a lot..

[HiloJulie]

But no one ever says, "you know, my employer is paying ME too much, I think I'll ask for a cut in pay."

A former coworker did exactly this. It's rare, but it does happen.

What surprises me is that I am not surprised YOU know someone who did that!

[randomq]

Like I said - being a lawyer is like being a cop - absolute "pigs" - until you need one.

Just because you need someone's services doesn't entitle them to gouge you. Taking advantage of people in need is garbage. I would vote for laws that cap compensation and charges for all services to a maximum per-hour. Maximum wage (including non-wage income loopholes) might do something to reverse wealth-inequality.

[HiloJulie]

Just because you need someone's services doesn't entitle them to gouge you.  Taking advantage of people in need is garbage.  I would vote for laws that cap compensation and charges for all services to a maximum per-hour.  Maximum wage (including non-wage income loopholes) might do something to reverse wealth-inequality.

Believe it or not, I actually agree!

But speaking of gouging the people in need, have you ever heard of Robert S Harrison? He's got a back breaking, sweat inducing job as the Chairman, President & CEO of First Hawaiian Bank.

His total compensation for 2024 was just under 5.38 million. For 2023 it was 5.37 million. For 2022 he must have been hurting as he only made a paltry 4.56 million.

Do you think Robert here deals with every customer maybe a bit short this month on the house payment?  Car payment? Let's each customer "slide" on a 50-dollar check overdraft? Would let his customers go a few months and never foreclose? You know, help the little guy out?

Do you think he "earns" that total compensation?

And then, who is really paying him that compensation?

I'd say a good start to ending wealth inequality is that any CEO of a publicly traded company be limited to a total compensation of no more that 10 times the lowest paid employee.

How far you think that idea would fly?

[MarkD]

Yes, top CEOs of companies have a sky-high compensation, but anyone who objects doesn't have to do business with that company.  The high compensation from Personal Injury Lawyers often is paid by taxpayers, either directly or indirectly.  If a public utility has to made big payouts because of lawsuits, like Hawaiian Electric or PG&E in Calif., utility bills go up.

 The Maui Fire Settlement is $4 billion.   Civil Beat, Jan. 2025:  Do Maui Wildfire Lawyers Deserve $1 Billion In Fees?https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/01/do-mau...n-in-fees/

"A legal battle playing out behind the scenes in Maui state court could mean the difference of $1 billion for victims of the 2023 Lahaina fires.  On one side is a small army of attorneys who have already filed lawsuits for what they say are 18,000 individual plaintiffs. These lawyers...say they represent the bulk of victims and therefore should control most of the money. If they prevail, they could make $1 billion or more in legal fees.  On the other side are class action lawyers representing an amorphous group including....Maui Circuit Court Judge Peter Cahill will decide how to divide the pot between the two teams of lawyers to share with clients."  

Two sets of lawyers fighting.  Who woulda thought?  IMO the following comment from the article applies to both.  We always have to chuckle when one lawyer criticizes others for being greedy."

"These guys know they can make a ton of money for doing very little work,” class action lawyer Terry Revere, said of the individual plaintiffs’ lawyers."

[HiloJulie]

@MarkD

First, I’d appreciate it you would learn to properly use the quote function so as to not make it appear to make me have said something that is really you saying it. 

That being said, ask yourself these primary questions:

Why can’t the utilities just admit their culpability and pay up what’s rightfully owed when they and/or their actions have caused the tragedy in the first place, thus eliminating the need for all these scum of the earth lawyers?

Further ask yourself how much have these utilities paid out defending themselves against paying out what they should have paid out in the first place. 

Clearly, you have a seemingly huge grudge against personal injury lawyers. But I don’t think you are really looking at the big picture objectively, but through the cloudy lens of your inherent bias.