Zehl & Associates Secures $165 Million Settlement for Two Workers Catastrophically Burned in West Texas Oilfield Explosion

Recovery believed to be among the largest oilfield accident settlements in U.S. history

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Zehl & Associates has secured another record-setting oilfield accident recovery: a $165 million settlement on behalf of two oilfield workers who suffered burn injuries in a West Texas battery tank explosion. The recovery is believed to be one of the largest oilfield accident settlements in history.

The case resolved in less than 15 months from the start of litigation — a reflection of the strength of the evidence and the firm’s aggressive preparation for trial. The settlement ensures lifetime financial security and long-term medical support for both clients, whose lives were permanently and profoundly changed by the explosion.

What Happened

Both workers sustained severe burns when combustible gases accumulated and ignited inside a battery tank system. The investigation uncovered multiple alleged safety failures, including:

• Improper venting and pressure management
• Inadequate hazardous gas monitoring procedures
• Equipment maintenance deficiencies
• Failure to follow established industry safety protocols

“These young men went to work trusting that the company had done what it was supposed to do to keep them safe. It didn’t. They placed their trust in us to uncover the truth and fight for everything they deserve — and that’s exactly what we did,” says Zehl & Associates founder Ryan Zehl.

Why Accountability Matters

Mr. Zehl emphasized that outcomes like this carry consequences that extend beyond any individual case. When companies that operate in one of the nation’s most hazardous industries cut corners on safety, workers pay the price. Recoveries of this magnitude send a clear signal that the cost of negligence is real.

“Every oilfield worker deserves to go home safely at the end of the day. When a preventable explosion takes that certainty away — forever — accountability is not optional. It matters for the workers and their families. And it matters for every worker who steps onto that job site tomorrow,” said Mr. Zehl.

Zehl & Associates is one of the nation’s leading oilfield and oil rig injury firms. The firm has represented hundreds of workers injured in blowouts, explosions, fires, and equipment failures across Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and throughout the United States, recovering the largest oilfield verdicts and settlements in history.

About Zehl & Associates

Zehl & Associates PC is an undefeated Houston-based personal injury law firm representing accident victims across Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and the United States. The firm has secured billions of dollars in record-breaking verdicts and settlements against the largest trucking, oil and gas, maritime, and petrochemical companies in the world. Practice areas include truck and 18-wheeler accidents; oilfield accidents; maritime and Jones Act claims; refinery and plant explosions; and catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases nationwide.

For more information, visit zehllaw.com.