A Harris County district judge has ordered ExxonMobil Corporation to preserve evidence from a December 23 explosion at its Baytown refinery and grant access to the Potts Law Firm for an investigation on behalf of a Baytown woman and other clients of the firm who suffered injuries following the incident.
The temporary restraining order was granted Tuesday in response to a request by Potts Law Firm trial lawyers, who plan to perform a thorough independent investigation on behalf of plaintiff Tona Credit and any other nearby residents the firm represents who suffered injuries from the blast and exposure to potentially dangerous chemicals.
According to a lawsuit filed by the firm, the concussive force of the explosion at the gasoline-producing refinery unit resulted in hearing loss and related balance issues for Ms. Credit. In addition, residents near the refinery may have been exposed to potentially harmful chemicals released in the air.
"We know from experience that explosions like this one are the result of safety failures," says Derek Potts of the Potts Law Firm in Houston. "These residents deserve answers, and this restraining order is a critical first step to preserve evidence and provide access to the grounds so our investigators can determine what happened and why."
The lawsuit seeks damages on behalf of Ms. Credit, as well as a temporary restraining order to preserve all company documents, video and other materials related to the early morning blast.
