In what Chevron described as only a “fire” at its refinery in Mississippi, a handful of workers who were injured during the incident are saying it was an “explosion” that happened due to negligence of the oil and gas company.
Texas-based law firm Arnold & Itkin filed suit against Chevron in Harris County, Texas, where Chevron is headquartered, after five workers were injured on July 14 in Pascagoula. According to a press release from the law firm, “Chevron’s negligence and gross negligence caused the incident and resulted in lasting harm to the plaintiffs.”
The complaint alleges Chevron authorized hot work in an area where flammable gases were present, directly injecting those gases into a space where workers were ordered to operate. Ignition of the gases led to the explosion and fire and left the plaintiffs with injuries ranging from severe burns to permanent physical and psychological injuries, the firm argues.
“The complaint outlines a range of Chevron’s alleged safety failures, including improper gas monitoring, failure to purge flammable materials, lack of employee training, and failure to provide adequate warnings to personnel,” a portion of the release reads. “Plaintiffs argue that Chevron had actual knowledge of the hazards but allowed the work to proceed anyway.”
The release added that the five employees injured and included in the lawsuit have yet to return to work due to their injuries. They are seeking medical expenses and lost wages to be covered by Chevron, plus compensation for “physical impairment, emotional trauma, and other damages.” The lawsuit also seeks exemplary damages to punish Chevron for what plaintiffs believe was misconduct and deter similar actions in the future.
Chevron previously characterized the incident as a fire that injured four workers at the Pascagoula refinery’s wastewater treatment facility. Emergency personnel within the company immediately provided medical care until ambulances arrived and transported three workers to a local hospital.
Chevron had not responded to the lawsuit as of Tuesday. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SuperTalk Mississippi News, although it did release the following statement to Sun Herald:
“Protecting people and the environment is one of Chevron’s core values, and we strive to operate safely and responsibly. We are aware of the lawsuit, which we are reviewing.”
A jury trial has been requested by Arnold & Itkin, which specializes in workplace injury and personal injury cases. According to the firm’s website, it has won over $20 billion since 2004. Cases include a record $8 billion punitive damage verdict against Johnson & Johnson over a medication that caused gynecomastia and the largest workplace accident settlement in Texas history that landed at $357.7 million.
