On June 13th, 2013, the Williams Olefins plant reboiler failed, over-pressurizing and
eventually igniting.
The resulting explosion killed 2 men and injured 114 plant workers. Since then, the plant owners have been fighting a jury trial, filing motions
for summary judgments or to get the case dismissed.
At Arnold & Itkin, we believe that Williams Olefins bears some responsibility
for the accident. They knew their reboiler was capable of developing dangerous
levels of pressure, and made no competent efforts to install a pressure
reliever or safety valve to prevent an explosion. As a result, they should
be held responsible for the injuries suffered by our client and his fellow workers.
Court Controversy & Good News from Iberville
As the plant sits on the line between Ascension and Iberville Parish, there
has been some controversy regarding whether Iberville or Ascension would
be responsible for the plant explosion litigation. Earlier this year,
a judge in Ascension Parish disallowed the filing of separate suits against
Williams Olefins.
However, Judge Elizabeth Engolio of Iberville Parish has denied the motion
for summary judgment from the company, clearing the way for plaintiffs
to make their case before a jury. One of our injured clients is one of
the plaintiffs who will now be able to hold Williams Olefins accountable
for their part in the plant accident. As you might guess, our firm is
thrilled our client will get his day in court.
In an article published by
The Advocate, Attorney Kurt Arnold had this to say about Williams Olefins’ efforts
and the impending jury trial in Iberville:
This was Williams’ last ditch effort on the eve of trial to avoid
responsibility for the injuries and deaths caused by the explosion at
their plant. They had known for years that explosion was going to happen
— it was just a matter of time. They could have prevented it with
a fix that would have taken five minutes and cost five dollars, but instead
they just watched it happen.
Our firm is pleased that, after years of waiting, our client will be able
to bring his case before a jury. Our attorneys will continue fighting
on his behalf to ensure he gets the recovery he needs to move forward.