An appeals court has ruled that Long Island Power Authority and National Grid are not immune to lawsuits filed by property owners alleging the utilities’ negligence sparked electrical fires during Hurricane Sandy that damaged their properties.
Ruling on three separate lawsuits, a split panel of the Appellate Division, Second Department, rejected the Long Island Power Authority’s argument that it was entitled to governmental immunity from liability and that National Grid, a private entity, is entitled to the same insulation because it provided an essential function on behalf of the power authority.
