Bushfire Class Action
Kilmore East/Kinglake bushfire class action
The action
Maurice Blackburn are instructed in a class action on behalf of
those who have suffered injury, loss or damage as a result of the
devastating bushfire that commenced on Black Saturday in Kilmore
East and then burnt through a large area including Kinglake,
Strathewen, Steels Creek and other towns.
The action alleges that on 7 February 2009 the fire was started
by a powerline that failed in Kilmore East. It spread rapidly,
killing approximately 119 people, injuring many others and causing
huge property losses. It is alleged that the power utility company
was negligent in, among other things, inadequately inspecting and
maintaining the powerline, thereby causing the worst bushfire in
Australian history.
Who is part of the class?
Persons and businesses who suffered physical or
psychological injury, property or economic loss or damage, and the
dependants and estates of people who died in the Kilmore
East/Kinglake bushfire are all group members. The towns affected by
this bushfire include:
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- Arthurs Creek
- Break O Day
- Castella
- Christmas Hills
- Clonbinane
- Coulson Crossing
- Eagle Nest
- Flowerdale
- Glenburn
- Glenvale
- Hazeldene
- Heathcote Junction
- Humevale
- Kilmore East
- Kinglake
- Kinglake Central
- Kinglake West
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- Mittons Bridge
- Pheasant Creek
- Reedy Creek
- Saint Andrews
- Saint Andrews North
- Steels Creek
- Strath Creek
- Strathewen
- Tarrawarra
- Toolangi
- Upper Plenty
- Wall Crossing
- Wandong
- Waterford Park
- Yabamac
- Yarra Glen
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Click here to view a map of the area affected
by the Kilmore Bushfire. If you suffered loss as a result of the
fire in the highlighted area, you are a group member in the Class
Action.
How to register
If you are a person or a business affected by this
bushfire, and would like to register with us please
contact:
Bushfire Class Action Centre
Level 10, 456 Lonsdale Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
T: 1800 99 55 70
E: bushfireca@mauriceblackburn.com.au
Registration is free and without obligation. You are
not retaining Maurice Blackburn as your lawyer by
registering.
You are a group member if you suffered the type of losses
described as a result of the fire. You do
not need to register in order to be a
group member.
However, your registration will enable us to better
estimate the loss suffered by the group, and will enable us to
provide you with advice regarding whether you should participate in
the claim. It will also enable us to keep you notified of
developments and may help you recover your individual
losses.
The case is being conducted on a No win - No charge basis.
If you ultimately retain us to act you will not have to pay any
fees unless we recover damages for you. You cannot be ordered to
pay the other side's costs if the action is
unsuccessful.
Opt out
The Supreme Court has fixed 31 January 2012 as the date of
opt out for this proceeding. Please refer to the opt out notice for more
details.
More information
To obtain more information, please contact the Bushfire Class
Action Centre.