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Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
9. Contingencies

Litigation

On July 1, 2014, a 100-pound propane cylinder allegedly filled at a Philadelphia-area U-Haul Co. of Pennsylvania (“UHPA”) center exploded while in use on a food truck. The explosion killed two people and injured eleven. Following the incident, the injured parties and their estates filed a number of lawsuits against U-Haul and its subsidiary, UHPA, both of which denied the allegations. One plaintiff sued AMERCO, which also denied the allegations. All suits were filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. By April 2018, the parties reached agreements to settle the civil cases.  We have paid a total of $27.7 million, representing our self-insured retention and attorney’s fees for all related civil matters. 

Following the resolution of the civil claims, in June 2018 the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania filed an initial six-count indictment and a superseding seven-count indictment against UHPA. The seven-count superseding indictment charged UHPA with allegedly improperly filling propane cylinders that were overdue for periodic requalification, offering such cylinders for transportation, and failing to train UHPA employees dispensing propane.  As of January 29, 2019, the U.S. Attorney's Office agreed to dismiss Counts 1 through 5 alleging UHPA improperly filled propane cylinders that were overdue for periodic requalification and offering such cylinders for transportation.  UHPA entered a plea of guilty on Counts 6 and 7 relating to the training violations set forth above.  The sentencing is scheduled for May 7, 2019.

 


Environmental

Compliance with environmental requirements of federal, state and local governments may significantly affect Real Estate’s business operations. Among other things, these requirements regulate the discharge of materials into the air, land and water and govern the use and disposal of hazardous substances. Real Estate is aware of issues regarding hazardous substances on some of its properties. Real Estate regularly makes capital and operating expenditures to stay in compliance with environmental laws and has put in place a remedial plan at each site where it believes such a plan is necessary. Since 1988, Real Estate has managed a testing and removal program for underground storage tanks.

Based upon the information currently available to Real Estate, compliance with the environmental laws and its share of the costs of investigation and cleanup of known hazardous waste sites are not expected to result in a material adverse effect on AMERCO’s financial position or results of operations.

Other

We are named as a defendant in various other litigation and claims arising out of the normal course of business. In management’s opinion, none of these other matters will have a material effect on our financial position and results of operations.