Ammons Law Firm : Starr County, Texas Jury Awards $3.4 Million to Oil Field Worker.

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas -- A Starr County jury has awarded a $3.4 million verdict to a 30 year-old Edinburg oil field worker who was seriously injured when a pipe weighing several hundred pounds slipped from the hands of a co-worker and fell on him during oil rigging operations.

Raul Garcia, Jr. and his wife Graciela were represented during the three-day trial by attorneys Rob Ammons and Thomas Bickham of Houston's Ammons Law Firm.

"This verdict should send a message to companies that do business in the oil field," says Ammons. "Manual laborers such as Raul Garcia are not expendable."

The 12-person jury voted unanimously that Edinburg-based Cactus Iron Works, Inc. was negligent in not providing a safe work environment and for failing to assign adequately trained personnel to conduct the rigging operations. Mr. Garcia was hurt while assisting a Cactus Iron Works employee who was attempting to connect a large pipe to a "gas buster." According to trial testimony the employee unexpectedly and without warning let go of the heavy pipe; its substantial weight falling directly on Garcia.

Garcia, who at the time of the October 29, 2002 accident was employed by Parchman Oil Field Services, sustained a permanent back injury requiring spinal fusion surgery. He continues to suffer physical impairment. Parchman was not a party to the lawsuit and will be reimbursed from the money paid by Cactus Iron Works for the medical bills and weekly benefits that they had paid to Raul Garcia.

"We're happy that the negligent wrongdoer and not the Texas workers' compensation system will pay for Mr. Garcia's injuries," says Mr. Ammons. "There is no such thing as a double recovery under Texas law."

The jury verdict was announced Friday in the trial heard by 229th District Court Judge Alex W. Gabert. The defendant, Cactus Iron Works, Inc., is covered by insurance.

For more information on this case or other claims involving oil field liability, please contact attorney Rob Ammons of the Ammons Law Firm at 832-816-7149 or call Mike Androvett at 214-559-4630 or 214-507-5456 or by e-mail: [e-mail].