Brenham Gas Storage Facility – A Case Study

n 1992, a gas storage facility near Brenham, Texas leaked natural gas vapors that ignited and exploded. The resulting explosion was the size of an atomic bomb that was felt 90 miles away in Houston. The Brenham, Texas gas storage facility explosion caused many serious personal injuries, widespread property damage and significant reduction in the value of real properties in and around the blast site. Although the vast majority of the personal injury and damage cases were settled, 22 claimants tried their claims to a Harris County Jury in 1996. W. Perry Zivley, Jr., was lead trial counsel for 18 of the 22 claimants who chose to try their claims. Following a 4-week trial with dozens of witnesses and hundreds of exhibits, a Harris County Jury found the Defendants negligent, grossly negligent and liable for creating a nuisance. The Jury awarded $5,600,000 in actual damages and 138,000,000 in punitive damages. Subsequently the trial Court reduced the Judgment to 90,000,000, and the case was settled for a confidential amount.

Representing clients throughout Texas, in or near the following cities and counties:

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Texas Counties: Harris County, Fort Bend County, Brazoria County, Galveston County, Jefferson County, Liberty County, San Jacinto County, Montgomery County, Austin County, Colorado County, Nueces County, Maverick County, Bexar County, Travis County and Dallas County.