Plaintiff William Austin Barfield has filed a lawsuit against Penta Resources, LLC; NextTier Completion Solutions, Inc.; WPX Permian Surface Holdings, LLC; Devon Energy Production Company, LP; and Devon Energy Corporation. The case, filed in the District Court of Harris County, Texas (Court Case ID: 2024-29418), was submitted on May 8, 2024. The lawsuit alleges negligence and gross negligence leading to severe personal injuries sustained by Barfield at a frac site in West Texas.
Barfield was working as a swamper for Viper Products and Services under contract with Penta and NextTier when the incident occurred on September 11, 2023. He was instructed to tie a rope to machinery owned by Penta and NextTier to prevent it from hitting his truck. However, the machinery malfunctioned, causing the rope and wireline to swing erratically and drag Barfield across the ground. This resulted in serious injuries to his right shoulder, elbow, and back.
The plaintiff is seeking damages for severe pain, physical impairment, mental anguish, loss of earnings both past and future, as well as medical expenses incurred due to his injuries. Barfield's legal team from Arnold & Itkin LLP includes Kurt Arnold and Caj Boatright. The plaintiff demands a jury trial and seeks monetary relief exceeding $1 million.