The Lanier Law Firm Announces Lawsuit in North Texas Natural Gas Explosion

HOUSTON, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Lanier Law Firm is announcing a lawsuit filed on behalf of a severely injured worker and his family following last week's massive natural gas explosion in North Texas that claimed the life of one worker and injured many others.

Electrical technician Corey S. Gautreaux and his family are represented by The Lanier Law Firm founder Mark Lanier and Richard J. Arsenault and Wesley J. Gralapp from Alexandria, Va.'s Neblett, Beard & Arsenault. Mr. Gautreaux is in the first stages of recovery following the June 7 blast that left him severely burned on his neck, arms and back, in addition to blunt force injuries.

"Corey is suffering pretty badly right now, and he and his family want answers," says Mr. Lanier.  "We've just started our investigation, but I can tell you already that this looks like it was a very preventable catastrophe. What makes it so sad is that several people were seriously hurt and at least one life was lost simply because proper safety procedures weren't followed."

The deadly explosion occurred shortly before 3 p.m. at Georges Creek Ranch between the towns of Cleburne and Granbury. Mr. Gautreaux was part of a crew installing electric utility poles for Dewey, Okla.-based C&H Power Line Construction Co. when a natural gas pipeline owned by Houston-based Enterprise Product Partners exploded.

The lawsuit filed June 14, 2010, in the 295th District Court in Harris County names Enterprise Products as the defendant, and includes claims of negligence and gross negligence based on the company's alleged failure to properly mark its gas lines and failing to warn workers where the lines were located. The case is Corey Gautreaux v. Enterprise Products Partners, L.P., No. 2010-36243.

The blast claimed the life of James Robert Neese, 45, an employee of C&H Power Line who left behind a wife and seven children. The force of the blast created a deep crater and sent a pillar of flames that could be seen from at least 30 miles away. The site of the tragedy is being inspected by investigators who are working to determine the cause of the blast. Officials from the Texas Railroad Commission have estimated that it will be at least a month or more before its investigation is completed.

With offices in Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Houston and New York, The Lanier Law Firm is committed to addressing client concerns with effective and innovative solutions in courtrooms across the country. The firm is composed of outstanding trial attorneys with decades of experience handling cases involving pharmaceutical liability, asbestos exposure, intellectual property, business litigation, product liability, toxic exposure and maritime law.

For more information, please contact J.D. Cargill at 713-659-5200.

SOURCE The Lanier Law Firm

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