Two men are suing Sammi Machinery for negligence after they claim a piece of equipment designed and manufactured by the company caused a fire.
Jedadiah Mathews and Robert Marines filed a lawsuit in the Jefferson County District Court on July 15, citing negligence by Sammi Machinery after sustaining permanent injuries as a result of the fire on July 7, 2014 .
The fire occurred in the Port Arthur Ethylene Unit 1544 of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company while Mathews was operating a Sammi sliding blind manufactured, designed and sold by Sammi Machinery. According to the suit, the sliding blind was defectively designed.
The lawsuit alleges that Sammi Machinery failed to warn of defect of design and that this negligence was the cause of injuries sustained and that the defendant showed needless and reckless disregard for the welfare and safety of others.
Both men were hospitalized and are suing for damages including, but not limited to physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost wages, disfigurement, physical impairment and past and future medical bills. The damages claimed are in excess of jurisdictional requirements of the court and the lawsuit is calling for a trial by jury.
They are represented by James Payne of the Beaumont law firm Provost Umphrey.
Case number E-197342.