Jury Awards $30M to Plaintiff in Oilfield Explosion Accident
A Colorado jury recently awarded $30 million to an oilfield worker who was severely injured when a fracking tank exploded four years ago. According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff, a married father of two and a U.S. Air Force veteran, was working at the time of the explosion as a well tester for a contractor who assigned him a well pad. He was working on a fracking tank in December 2019 when he and his coworker heard a pop and noticed smoke leaking from another tank. The plaintiff asked his colleague to climb on top of one of the tanks to shut its vent valves. But the tank that the plaintiff was standing on exploded, sending him 27 feet through the air.
According to the lawsuit, the explosion and the fall caused by the explosion fractured the plaintiff’s pelvis, spine, ankle, and hip. It also caused a mild traumatic brain injury. The plaintiff spent months in the hospital and then required extensive rehabilitation as a result of his injuries. Ultimately, he had to have his right foot amputated because of ongoing and pervasive pain. As a result of his injuries, the plaintiff now has permanent mobility issues. This was difficult for the plaintiff because he was an avid hiker and snowboarded and sailed competitively. His injuries will prevent him from engaging in recreational activities he once enjoyed. He can no longer participate in action sports with his young children.
Elements of negligence
The defendant in this case was a Wyoming-based company that delivered the fracking tanks. After the explosion, an investigation revealed that this company placed faulty, damaged equipment on the Weld County site. The tank that exploded had holes in it so that it was not air-tight. The tank was leaking dangerous vapors, according to the plaintiff’s lawsuit.
The plaintiff filed a federal personal injury lawsuit against the company that delivered the fracking tanks. After a 9-day trial, a jury delivered a verdict in favor of the plaintiff awarding him $30 million in compensatory damages.
The plaintiff was awarded $10 million in compensatory damages and another $5 million for physical impairment and disfigurement. The rest of the $30 million settlement is for pain and suffering damages or noneconomic damages related to his loss of enjoyment of life and reduced quality of life.
Workers’ compensation in oil field accidents
While you cannot file a lawsuit against your employer, oil fields are complex economic situations in which multiple companies are all providing different services to the project. You can file a lawsuit against any company that is not your employer if they contributed negligence to your injuries. In the case mentioned above, the victim was not an employee of the company that he sued. If it was his own company that contributed negligence, then he would have been prevented from suing them.
Talk to a Tulsa, Oklahoma Oil Field Accident Attorney
Levinson Law, P.C. represents the interests of Oklahoma residents who have been injured in oil field accidents. Call our Tulsa personal injury lawyers today to schedule a consultation, and we can begin investigating your claims right away.
Source:
denverpost.com/2024/02/20/steven-straughen-fracking-explosion-lawsuit-verdict-tort-reform-ballot-measure/
