In a dramatic turn of events, a former employee has taken legal action against his previous employer, alleging negligence and unsafe working conditions that led to severe injuries. On November 1, 2024, William Hubler filed a complaint in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, against Martin Foods, L.P., also known as Martin Preferred Foods, L.P. The lawsuit centers around an incident that occurred on November 3, 2022, when Hubler was employed as a maintenance technician.
According to the petition filed by Hubler, he was injured while working on a Reiser Vemag Thermoformer machine at Martin Foods. The machine is used for filling and sealing packaging for various food products. Hubler claims that due to either the removal or malfunctioning of a safety sensor, the machine slammed down onto his hand while he was performing maintenance work. This malfunction resulted in his hand being crushed and severely burned by the heated portion of the sealer. As stated in the court documents, "the incident resulted in serious injuries to Plaintiff for which medical treatment has been required."
Hubler's lawsuit accuses Martin Foods of negligence and workplace liability. He asserts that the company failed to provide a safe working environment by not ensuring proper machinery with functioning safety sensors. The complaint further alleges that Martin Foods did not secure worker’s compensation insurance and thus is subject to non-subscriber liability under Texas law. Hubler argues that Martin Foods had a non-delegable duty to provide him with a reasonably safe workplace and breached this duty by allowing unsafe conditions to persist.
The plaintiff seeks damages for past and future medical expenses, physical pain and suffering, mental anguish, physical impairment, and loss of earnings due to his injuries. Specifically, Hubler is asking for monetary relief exceeding $250,000 but not more than $1 million. He also requests pre-judgment interest from the date of injury through judgment date at the maximum rate allowed by law; post-judgment interest at the legal rate; costs of court; and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
Representing William Hubler is Keith Grady from The Bryant Law Firm located in Conroe, Texas. The case has been assigned Case ID 2024-76562 in Harris County's 11th Judicial District Court.