Jury Returns $4.3 Million Verdict to Injured Texas Refinery Worker Facing Amputation

HOUSTON, Texas (Dec. 11)–The Port of Houston, the busiest in the nation in terms of foreign tonnage, is accessed by a 54-mile long ship channel. In an average day more than 700 vessel transit the channel. Here, a ship passes under the Fred Hartman bridge on the Houston ship channel, December 11. USCG photo by PA2 James Dillard

Industrial accidents often result in death or severe injuries. Last year the media reported on a number of them in Hampton Roads.

When a worker is seriously injured, he or she will often be awarded a large sum of money. Of course, no amount of compensation can make up for the devastation an injury of this magnitude can cause. On February 21, 2014, a jury in Harris County returned a verdict of about $4.3 million dollars to a worker who was severely injured in a refinery on the Houston Ship Channel.

In June, 2010, Jose Perez, a 29 year old husband and father of three, was working for an industrial cleaning contractor. He was vacuuming coke out of a coke pit at an oil refinery on Red Bluff Road in Pasadena, Texas when a serious accident occurred.

The coke pit was located in an area under the control and responsibility of a subcontractor, Austin Industrial Services, L.P.

At the trial, several employee of the refinery before entering the pit, the material handler in charge of the area knew there was a broken steel plate covering the pit, but did not warn Mr. Perez or his crew of the danger when he issued a work permit. He may have actually attempted to remove the broken plate while Mr. Perez was working inside the pit.

About two hours after starting work in the pit, the steel plate fell, crushing Mr. Perez’ right foot. It was a painful and debilitating accident. Since the incident, Mr. Perez suffered numerous reconstructive surgeries in an attempt to save his foot. However, the trial heard the worker is facing a below the knee amputation.

The jury found Austin Industrial Services was 70 percent to blame, and the refinery owner was 30 percent liable. The jury also awarded past and future damages totaling just over $4.3 million.

Mr. Perez was represented at trial by J. Kirkland Sammons. All cases are different and we cannot guarantee the same result in your case. Industrial accidents often lead to premises liability lawsuits. If you have suffered injuries in an industrial accident in Portsmouth, Norfolk, Newport News or elsewhere in Virginia, call the Cooper Hurley injury lawyers at 757.455.0077 or see Cooperhurley.com