Ten fire survivors have been awarded $75 million in the latest trial against PacifiCorp over the 2020 Labor Day fires, including a new record high for individual damages.
The trial concluded Tuesday in Multnomah County Circuit Court and was the ninth damages trial in James et al vs. PacifiCorp.
Awards included $5.48 million in economic damages, $50.15 million in noneconomic damages, $13.9 million in punitive damages and $5.48 million for a wildfire caused by recklessness.
Individual damages ranged from as low as $730,000 to a new record of $16.88 million for South Obenchain Fire survivor Michael Bateman.
Bateman lost his ranch near Eagle Point where five generations of his family had raised cattle. He testified about being forced to evacuate with almost no warning as the fire threatened to overtake him and his family, and the terror of coming face-to-face with a roaring wall of flames.
“Your mind can’t imagine that this happened to you,” said Bateman.
Jurors resonated with Bateman’s testimony and awarded a record $12.65 million in noneconomic damages, in addition to $4.23 million in other damages.
This brings jury awards in the case to $541 million for 100 plaintiffs. Nearly 2,000 additional plaintiffs are scheduled to have their claims heard during similar trials through March of 2028, with the next trial scheduled for Oct. 6 for nine plaintiffs.
PacifiCorp was found liable in 2023 for negligently causing the Santiam, Echo Mountain Complex, South Obenchain and 242 fires on Sept. 7, 2020. The company denies wrongdoing and has appealed the verdict.
The Oregon Court of Appeals is still in the process of receiving opening briefs and related documents, with a status check hearing scheduled for April 10, 2026.
The latest trial began Sept. 8 and included five days of witness testimony. As with most previous damages trials, parties focused on noneconomic damages for plaintiffs’ emotional and psychological harm.
During closing arguments Monday, PacifiCorp attorney Alison Plessman told jurors they could not award high damages simply because PacifiCorp was a large corporation or to punish the company. She said appropriate damages would reflect what plaintiffs lost, what they had regained since the fires and should be enough to make a difference in a plaintiff’s life.
Plessman suggested $4.75 million in total noneconomic damages, with individual awards ranging from $250,000 to $750,000.
Plaintiff attorney Nicholas Rosinia said PacifiCorp’s suggestion was not based on the evidence but on what the company was willing to pay. He asked jurors to envision talking to a plaintiff before the fires and asking what sum of money it would take for them to willingly flee for their lives and lose their homes and belongings.
The jury deliberated throughout Tuesday and returned a verdict late that afternoon.Court proceedings were made available through cvn.com.
