The Texas Panhandle Wildfire Lawsuit
Attorney Michael Pohl represents victims in the Texas Panhandle Wildfire lawsuit, targeting the alleged gross negligence in utility maintenance that led to unprecedented destruction.
If you’ve suffered losses due to these wildfires, contact Michael Pohl’s office to see if he can help you pursue legal action.
If you have suffered damages due to the wildfires, we encourage you to reach out to us. Our team, led by nationally renowned litigator Michael Pohl, has extensive experience representing individuals affected by environmental disasters. Over the past decade, we have represented nearly 20,000 individuals impacted by similar incidents. Share your story with us, and we will help you understand your legal options and determine if you have a claim to pursue.
In late February 2024, the Smokehouse Creek Fire tore through the Texas Panhandle and into western Oklahoma, burning more than one million acres — the largest wildfire in recorded Texas history. The fire claimed the lives of three Texans, destroyed homes and ranches, killed over 15,000 head of cattle, and caused more than $1 billion in economic losses to agriculture, ranching, and local communities.
Investigations determined that the fire ignited on February 26, 2024, when a decayed wooden utility pole snapped during high winds, dropping an energized power line into dry grass. According to legal filings, an inspection contractor had flagged that very pole as decayed and in need of priority replacement just weeks before the blaze — and some poles in the region were nearly 100 years old, roughly twice their expected service life.
The utility has publicly accepted that its equipment played a role in igniting the fire, and the State of Texas has since pursued legal action alleging negligence and gross negligence in the maintenance of its infrastructure. Hundreds of individual claims have already been brought by homeowners, ranchers, and business owners seeking compensation for their losses.
Victims of utility-caused wildfires may be entitled to recover for destroyed homes, buildings, and equipment; loss of livestock, crops, grassland, and fencing; lost business income and ranching operations; evacuation and temporary living expenses; smoke and ash damage; personal injuries; and, in cases of gross negligence, exemplary damages. Every claim is different — the value of your case depends on the specific losses you suffered and the evidence supporting them.
Wildfire litigation moves quickly, and Texas law imposes strict deadlines on property damage and injury claims. Evidence of loss — photographs, receipts, livestock records, appraisals — is most powerful when gathered early. A consultation costs you nothing, and you owe no fee unless your case is won.
Five decades of courtroom experience — on your side.
