Richard, a husband and father of two young children, was a licensed plumber
on the job at a Central Texas limestone mine when the fuel tank he was
working on exploded, engulfing his body in flames and throwing him twenty
feet to the ground. Richard injured his back and suffered severe burns
to his legs and arms. While he was still in the hospital, his wife called
on us to help. We immediately started recording witness statements, taking
photographs, retaining the necessary experts, and opening dialogue with
the medical providers.
Our investigation revealed that the explosion happened because an employee
of the mine arced a welding rod near the fuel tank, which had not been
cleaned and flushed as required before commencing the work. The mine company
claimed that they had not done anything wrong and refused to pay. After
eighteen months of litigation over contested liability, involving depositions,
expert reports, and two mediations, the case settled before trial for
$1,550,000. Of that amount, attorney’s fees were $620,000, and case
expenses, including expert fees, totaled $27,000.
The net recovery to our client totaled $902,423.
