NJ Residents Sue Utility Over Sandy Power Loss

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, FirstEnergy Corp. and its subsidiary Jersey Central Power and Light have been sued by some New Jersey residents for failing to prepare for power outages and for not being able to restore power as claimed earlier.

At least 20 New Jersey residents sued the utility on the grounds of violation of contract, negligence, and consumer fraud. Their lawsuit further claims that the company didn’t have adequate staff and well-maintained equipment to handle the power failure that affected more than 2.7 million customers in New Jersey, reported the Express-Times.

Similar suits against utilities in other states have been filed following Hurricane Sandy by disgruntled customers.

A FirstEnergy and JCP&L spokesman said that the company stood by its customers by responding to 1.3 million outages with a team of 8,500 linemen and more than 1,500 forestry workers, among other staff, according to the Express-Times.

The lawsuit in the Flemington Superior Court is seeking unspecified damages in a jury trial and a class-action status.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of consumer fraud, contact Sokolove Law today for a free legal consultation and to find out if a consumer fraud lawyer may be able to help you.

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