The gauges showed zero pressure
Don was an experienced oilfield specialist known as a fisherman, a worker called on to solve difficult downhole problems. He was consulting for Weatherford when he was asked to investigate unusual pressure conditions at a West Texas well. Crews had been unable to balance the pressure while trying to cap the well.
On the morning of the blowout, the instruments showed zero pressure. Workers believed the well was safe to open. A hidden VR plug inside the wellhead, however, trapped pressure within the system. When the wellhead equipment was removed, the pressure escaped in a violent explosion.
Don moved toward the blast to help
Two workers died in the blowout, and others were seriously injured. Don moved toward the blast area to help injured crew members escape.
While dragging the crew foreman away from the well, Don severely injured his neck. The rescue was not the only source of lasting harm. The explosion left him with permanent hearing loss, and inhaling natural gas damaged his lungs.
The aftermath of the blowout
Don’s neck injuries required artificial disc-replacement surgery. He was also diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after witnessing his coworkers’ deaths.
The case needed to account for the physical injuries, the psychological consequences of the explosion, and Don’s future treatment and support needs.
Investigating the well operation
Brian Beckcom and the legal team pursued Don’s claims in Harris County against companies connected to the well operation. The lawsuit alleged failures involving pressure monitoring, wellhead installation, equipment safety, and the handling of dangerous pressure conditions.
The team retained engineering experts to investigate the blowout. Medical, psychiatric, economic, and life-care-planning experts addressed Don’s injuries and their long-term consequences. The investigation examined why a zero pressure reading did not reveal the pressure trapped inside the wellhead.
A confidential settlement for Don
After extensive litigation and multiple mediations, Don’s injury claims resolved through a confidential settlement. The resolution provided financial support for Don and his family as they faced the lasting effects of the blowout.
Practice experience
Meet the attorneys
Hear Don tell his story
Don describes the blowout, his recovery, and working with Brian Beckcom.
Watch Don’s testimonial on YouTube
Transcript as published in Don’s testimonial.
Read the video transcript
Hi, my name’s Don. I live in Eunice, New Mexico. I have grown up in the oilfield and have been running tools for 26 years now. If I was talking to anyone in the oilfield, if you get hurt, workman’s comp’s not your friend. You might think your company’s your friend. You need to get an attorney, and you need to get somebody like Brian, like Julian. And you need to get what you deserve.
The day started out like any other day. I was on another rig, and as soon as I pulled up, my buddies were around the wellhead and they all waved at me. And I opened the door of my truck, put my hard hat on, and stepped out and the well exploded.
When I pulled the guys from the rig, from around the wellhead while it was blowing out, I compressed a disc in my neck and found out that the disc was smashing on my spinal cord and that was what was making all the pain. From there, I couldn’t get any help from my company, workman’s comp wasn’t wanting to help. They were saying I was just wanting pain pills.
The oilfield is a cruel place - and nobody - if you can’t handle it, someone else will. So if you don’t have a good representative, then you’re in trouble. Once Brian got involved, everybody kind of stepped up. Everybody was kind of wanting to help me then.
Because of Brian, that I still have my job, I’m still making them money, I’m still making me money, and Brian’s the whole reason for that. I’m sure that if I hadn’t have gotten Brian, they would have kicked me to the curb. That would have been it. I put it in Brian’s hands - he was going to do what needed to be done. He doesn’t quit.
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