Maui fire survivors receive first settlement award notices

MAUI (HawaiiNewsNow) – Survivors of the 2023 Maui fires began receiving notices Wednesday detailing how much money they could receive from a $4 billion global settlement.

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Sanford Hill, 75, is among nearly 22,000 people still waiting for their share of the settlement.

“It’s been rough,” said Hill.

Hill was living at Hale Mahaolu Eono, senior housing that was destroyed in the fire.

He now reluctantly lives on Kauai desperate for settlement money so he can afford to move back home to Maui.

“They’re saying we’re not going to be made whole. What they’re not saying is how much we’re not going to be made whole,” Hill said.

What the notices mean

Maui attorney Jan Apo, a Lahaina native, said the notices do not represent actual payments.

“What I want to make clear for everybody, from my clients as well as everybody out there, the notice of determination is not an actual payment,” Apo said. “It is an offer to settle your claim, and then you need to respond and accept it or reject it.”

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Apo, born and raised in Lahaina, has been practicing law for more than three decades and lost two family homes in the fire.

He sent an email to his clients last week warning them that other lawyers may be fighting Judge Peter Cahill’s unprecedented ruling to reduce attorney’s fees so survivors get more money.

Apo said he agrees with Cahill’s decision.

“We want the Lahaina fire victims to get their compensation as soon as possible,” Apo said. “This is a limited fund, a compromised settlement. No one’s going to get paid their whole damages, but everybody’s going to get something to help them through.”

Timeline for payments

Claimants have 30 days to accept the amount or contest it.

“The settlement administrators need to get a number of the claims back in their hands so they can do the math to determine the percentage,” Apo said.

That process could take months.

Apo said no attorney has challenged Cahill’s order so far.

Hill said he hopes it stays that way.

“The ones that don’t, they should be well known as far as who they are,” Hill said.

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If any attorney challenges it, payments will be delayed.

“Hope for the best,” said Hill.