Miles, Sears & Eanni attorney Richard Watters recently reached a $2,650,000 settlement for the wrongful death of Christian Ivan Gonzalez Terrones in the case of Payan v. Smokey Jack LP.
This wrongful death action concerned an industrial explosion that occurred when defendant Smokey Jack partner Robert Thomason, Jr. instructed hired help to remove an old fuel tank stored in a shop on the Smokey Jack property and make the tank watertight. Thomason was aware the subject tank was previously used to store fuel, but did not tell any this information.
Ivan Terrones was instructed to repair small holes that were found in the subject tank using an oxy-acetylene torch and brazing rods. Nobody warned decedent not to weld on the tank or to use an alternative repair method. As soon as decedent approached the tank with the lit torch, the tank exploded.
The parties reached a $2,650,000 settlement on January 6, 2016.
