Itemize and catalog your damages

Obligatory disclaimer: this is not direct legal advice to rely on, rather just a general explanation of the importance of documenting and preserving records of damages. I’m not your lawyer.

Lifelong Houstonian and 7-year civil attorney here. I’ve been without internet since Monday so I haven’t done any actual research or reading into any specific Company’s contracts, potential class actions, or causes of action. Same being true for internet and cell outages (which I wager are related to power, but that’s speculation).

BUT I do know this much, if any lawsuit were to materialize or any attempt to legally/legislatively hold any specific, reviled Company accountable for their obvious incompetence, negligence, or anticompetitive behavior directly impacting consumer health, safety, welfare, and costing billions in business and personal operations – there must be damages shown in real, documented, verifiable terms. This is also just a good practice if you have to file an insurance claim.

Have spoiled food from a prolonged outage? Take pictures and create an invoice.

Heat stroke and need to seek medical treatment due to three days in heat? Keep all the records and bills.

Did you have to flee the city because you have an infant and find a hotel? Keep your gas receipts and hotel bills.

Can’t go into work and lose out on pay because it’s Wednesday and still no power? Write it down with estimated lost pay.

Overall just miserable? Create a diary – documenting exactly what you’ve been going through – be specific and especially document your experience with any Company you feel is directly responsible.

Make, date, and sign all your records/invoices/diaries.

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This is ESPECIALLY important for businesses, as our leaders often only care about them.

Document your real costs/losses and potential lost revenue.

Be specific and trace/estimate exactly how much you’re losing or lost and why (power/internet/cell service etc.)

Try to break down events day by day or hour by hour and make, date, and sign these records in real time.

Do this in a company invoice/company letterhead where possible.

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I don’t know if anything will come of it legally, nor if legal recourse is even an option at this point. Obviously our elected leaders and specific Companies don’t care about the cost of human misery- maybe they will respond to real dollars.

Maybe send a specific Company an invoice for once, or our elected leaders. Don’t expect payment on their own accord, of course, but I know it will start making legal counsel sweat if they get thousands.

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TL;DR: Document everything – all losses (real and potential like lost wages, revenues). Trace to what loss of service you believe was the cause. Create a diary of your misery. Be specific. Document day by day and sign and date any record, invoice, diary created. Do it for yourself, family, and business.

I don’t know if anything will come from it, but you’ll be glad you did it if the opportunity arises.

Most importantly- don’t forget. Stay mad. This is not okay. We deserve better.