A welder has filed a lawsuit against several companies following a serious workplace accident that resulted in severe injuries, including the loss of a finger. The complaint was lodged by Mario Ortiz De Leon on April 9, 2025, in the District Court of Harris County, Texas, targeting Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., WC Welding Services, Randy McWilliams Safety Consulting, LLC, and HDI Instruments, LLC.
The case revolves around an incident that occurred on March 22, 2025. De Leon was working at a well site in eastern Ohio when he was instructed to weld a pipe onto a gauge manufactured by HDI Instruments. Despite informing his supervisors from WC Welding and Patterson-UTI that he lacked the necessary training for the task, he was ordered to proceed. During the operation, De Leon lost his footing and suffered multiple injuries as the equipment fell on him. The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence for failing to provide proper training and safety measures. "Defendants breached their duties through acts and omissions," the complaint states, highlighting inadequate supervision and failure to ensure safety protocols.
De Leon's legal team argues that the defendants' actions were not only negligent but also intentional. They allege that WC Welding knew about the risks involved yet proceeded with conscious indifference to De Leon's safety. The complaint asserts that this conduct elevates beyond mere negligence to an intentional tort due to "substantial certainty" of harm.
In addition to negligence claims against all defendants, De Leon has also filed premises liability charges specifically against Patterson-UTI Energy. He contends that they failed to maintain a safe work environment by providing defective equipment and not implementing adequate safety procedures.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages exceeding $1 million for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related costs. Additionally, he is pursuing exemplary damages due to what he describes as grossly negligent conduct by the defendants.
The case is being handled by attorney Michael Darling from Falcon Law Group PLLC. It has been assigned Case ID 2025-24724 in Court 281 of Harris County District Court.