A group of Texas residents has taken legal action against several chemical companies, alleging negligence and seeking damages for injuries sustained in a gas leak incident. The complaint was filed by Alex Jaimes, Angel Gutierrez, Antonio Gutierrez, Christian Cocom, Daniel Garcia, Eleno Perez, John Vazquez, Mario Padilla, and Omar Lopez on March 13, 2025, in the District Court of Harris County, Texas. The defendants named in the lawsuit are OQ Chemicals Corporation, Roehm America LLC, and Roehm Texas Chemicals LLC.
The plaintiffs claim that on March 7, 2025, while working as contractors at a chemical plant owned and operated by the defendants in Bay City, Texas, they were exposed to harmful gases due to a valve failure in a brine cooler. This failure led to the release of toxic ammonia gas into the atmosphere. According to the petitioners' account of events within the court documents: "Plaintiffs were exposed to toxic gases and suffered serious life-threatening injuries." They argue that this exposure resulted from negligence on part of these corporations which failed to ensure safe working conditions.
In their petition against OQ Chemicals Corporation and its affiliates - Roehm America LLC & Roehm Texas Chemicals LLC -the plaintiffs allege multiple counts including negligence for failing proper inspection or monitoring procedures at their facilities; premises liability given how dangerous conditions posed an unreasonable risk without adequate warnings provided beforehand; gross negligence citing conscious indifference towards safety standards despite awareness about potential risks involved with operations thereon site.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief exceeding $1 million as compensation for past/future mental anguish alongside physical pain/suffering incurred during said incident. They also demand reimbursement covering medical expenses along with lost wages/earning capacity due inability work post-exposure period plus exemplary/punitive damages intended punish wrongdoers deterring similar conduct future occurrences potentially impacting others negatively too if left unchecked unaddressed legally speaking henceforth.
Representing them are attorneys L. Lee Thweatt and Joseph D. Terry from Terry & Thweatt P.C., based out Houston where they've been actively pursuing justice behalf clients affected adversely by alleged corporate misconduct herein detailed above mentioned contextually relevant circumstances surrounding case currently underway before presiding judge assigned docket number CAUSE NO: 2025-17135.