Injured refinery worker wins $2.4 million in maritime case

A man who suffered severe burns while on the job at ExxonMobil's refinery in Bayton, Texas has been awarded $.4 million in a maritime lawsuit.

The refinery worker suffered burns over 25 percent of his body as a result of a flash fire from hot oil that poured out of a pope bleeder valve and ignited in 2008. The injured worker was working on an elevated platform at the time of the incident, but could not get to ground to escape because the exit was blocked by the fire.

The injured man's attorneys argued that the pipe streams, designed by GDS Engineers Inc. and SNC-Lavalin Engineers & Constructors Inc., were faulty and that the oil should have been pumped in a closed pipe (instead of an open one) because it was above its auto-ignition temperature, representing a fire hazard. The case had also shown that the platform, which the refiner worker was on, violated safety regulations by not having two paths to enter and exit the platform.

The refinery worker's attorneys proved that the accident could have been prevented if GDS Engineers and SNC-Lavalin designed the platform and equipment to account for the obvious hazards mentioned earlier.

Jurors awarded a total of $2.4 million after finding the two companies', GDS Engineers and SNC-Lavalin, negligence was the cause of the worker's injuries. The award includes compensation for pain and mental anguish, physical impairment, medical expenses, and lost wages.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a maritime/admiralty accident, please fill out the form on the right side of the page for a free consultation of give us a call at (313) 965-3464. You may also contact our maritime/admiralty accident attorney George Fishback directly at (313) 496-9414.