Patricia Alejandro Garcia and six other plaintiffs filed suit against Sunoco and S&B Engineers & Construction on Aug. 29 in Jefferson County District Court.
While Sunoco has been the target of lawsuits over the Aug. 12 flash fire at its Nederland terminal, this lawsuit alleges a different incident.
According to the petition, on Jan. 5, 2015 the plaintiffs were working at the Nederland Sunoco terminal while employed by Insulations Inc. They were insulator helpers working atop of scaffolding when, without warning, a thick chemical cloud descended upon them.
The chemical was later determined to be a chemical called “Purple K” and caused the plaintiffs to start coughing, hindering their breathing.
“Plaintiffs were scared and began to scramble to the ladders to escape the Purple K chemical that encircled them,” the suit states. “In the process of climbing down the ladder, the plaintiffs fell approximately fifteen feet to the ground causing severe injuries.”
The suit accuses the defendants of negligently failing to provide a safe work environment and warn them of the release of the toxic chemical.
If the evidence shows gross negligence, then the plaintiffs will seek to have a jury award punitive damages.
The workers are also seeking damages for their impairment, disfigurement, medical expenses, pain and loss of wages.
The other plaintiffs named in the suit include Gabriel Moreno, Jose Moreno, Samuel Moreno, Sammy Saldivar, Catalina Santos and Jonathan Gomez.
The plaintiffs are represented by RM&Q attorneys Glen Morgan and Taylor Miller.
Judge Donald Floyd, 172nd District Court, has been assigned to the case.
Case No. E-198919