Snohomish County avoids more court battles over Oso mudslide

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

OSO — The state Court of Appeals has affirmed a lower court ruling that shields Snohomish County from lawsuits seeking damages related to the deadly Oso mudslide.

The same case two years ago resulted in a $60 million settlement for mudslide survivors and representatives for some of the 43 people killed in the disaster. The state of Washington and a private timber company paid the settlement after plaintiffs attorneys discovered that some attorneys from the other side had systematically destroyed documents that should have been shared before trial.

The judge, by that point, had already excluded the county from the case. The plaintiffs appealed.

“It is beyond question that appellants suffered terrible losses, but their theories and evidence do not establish a basis for holding the county liable for those losses,” the three-judge panel wrote.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/snohomish-county-avoids-more-court-battles-over-oso-mudslide/?utm_source=DAILY+HERALD&utm_campaign=62c5c31a5f-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d81d073bb4-62c5c31a5f-228635337

[KT2000]

1. this is why participation

in what are generally considered non-issues in the permitting process needs to be followed closely. Citizens need to insist upon public hearings and comment periods when permits are requested for land clearing, etc. This puts it on the record that even if not honored, citizens have voiced their concern about safety and health.