Midway through a personal injury trial against several corporate defendants, a local judge ordered the parties into mediation.
Jury selection began Monday, April 25, in the trial of Gregory Hollis vs. Colonial Pipeline et al.
Three days later, Judge Bob Wortham, 58th District Court, ordered the parties into mediation.
"All parties are ordered to mediation on April 28 before Dan Ducote in Beaumont, Texas," the order states. "All parties are required to have present in person at mediation a representative for each defendant with ultimate authority to settle."
The order does not apply to defendant Don Miller & Associates.
Court records show that two days after falling through a hole in a storage tank, plaintiff Gregory Hollis filed suit against Colonial Pipeline Co. and Industrial Coatings Contractors on Oct. 31, 2008, in Jefferson County District Court.
On Oct. 29, 2008, Hollis, an Industrial Coatings employee, was on Colonial Pipeline's premises when he fell through an opening in a tank and was injured.
In his suit, Hollis contends "one or more of the defendants were negligent in cutting the hole in the top of the tank instead of the side of the tank."
"The defendants had actual or constructive knowledge that the hole ... was not adequately covered, barricaded and marked."
Attorney Curtis Leister of the Reaud, Morgan & Quinn law firm represents Hollis.
Houston attorney Knox Nunnally represents Colonial Pipeline.
Case No. A182-648