Company: BRK-A
Filing Date: 2025-02-24
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000950170-25-025210
Chunk: 174

Company: BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC
Filing Date: 2025-02-24
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1B
Chunk 174
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 are referred to as the “Wildfires.” As of the date of this filing, a significant number of complaints and demands alleging similar claims related to the Wildfires have been filed in Oregon and California, including a class action complaint in Oregon associated with the 2020 Wildfires for which certain jury verdicts were issued as described below. The plaintiffs seek damages for economic losses, noneconomic losses, including mental suffering, emotional distress, personal injury and loss of life, as well as punitive damages, other damages and attorneys’ fees. Several insurance carriers have filed subrogation complaints in Oregon and California with allegations similar to those made in the aforementioned complaints. Additionally, PacifiCorp received correspondence from the U.S. and Oregon Departments of Justice regarding the potential recovery of certain costs and damages alleged to have occurred on federal and state lands in connection with certain of the Oregon 2020 Wildfires. In December 2024, the United States of America filed a complaint against PacifiCorp in conjunction with the correspondence from the U.S. Department of Justice. The civil cover sheet accompanying the complaint demands damages estimated to exceed $900 million. PacifiCorp is actively cooperating with the U.S. and Oregon Departments of Justice on resolving these alleged claims.Amounts sought in outstanding complaints and demands filed in Oregon and in certain demands in California approximate $3 billion, excluding any doubling or trebling of damages included in the complaints and the mass complaints described below that seek $48 billion. Generally, the complaints filed in California do not specify damages sought and are excluded from this amount.Based on available information to date, we believe it is probable that losses will be incurred associated with the Wildfires. Final determinations of liability will only be made following the completion of comprehensive investigations, litigation and similar processes. On September 30, 2020, a class action complaint against PacifiCorp was filed captioned Jeanyne James et al. v. PacifiCorp et al. (the “James case”), in Oregon Circuit Court in Multnomah County, Oregon (the “Multnomah Court”) in connection with the 2020 Wildfires. In April 2023, a jury trial for the James case with respect to 17 named plaintiffs began in Multnomah Court. In June 2023, the jury issued its verdict finding PacifiCorp liable to the 17 named plaintiffs and to the class with respect to four wildfires. The jury found PacifiCorp’s conduct grossly negligent, reckless and willful as to each plaintiff and the entire class. The