Houston work injury law firm Arnold & Itkin LLP has filed a lawsuit on behalf of a well service worker who was injured when an ExxonMobil employee prematurely released pressure from a gas and oil line at a well site in Reeves County, Texas. The complaint, filed in Harris County District Court, alleges negligence, gross negligence, and premises liability against ExxonMobil Oil Corporation.
Per the court filing, on September 22, 2025, the plaintiff was performing his assigned duties on a platform at an ExxonMobil well site in Reeves County when an ExxonMobil employee improperly released pressure from a gas and oil line by pulling a chain connected to pipe or tubing beneath the blowout preventer. The sudden pressure release caused an explosion that resulted in injuries to the worker's shoulder, back, and other parts of his body.
The plaintiff was employed by Sonic Connectors Ltd., which had been contracted by ExxonMobil to assist in well service operations. According to the petition, the incident occurred because ExxonMobil failed to ensure no workers were in the vicinity of the blowout preventer or in the path of the pressure release before its employee pulled the chain.
The defendant, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, is a foreign corporation headquartered in Spring, Texas. The company operates in the oil and gas production industry.
The lawsuit asserts claims of negligence and gross negligence against ExxonMobil, alleging the company is ultimately responsible for pulling the chain that led to the plaintiff's injuries, failing to properly plan the work to avoid dangerous pressure releases, failing to ensure no workers were in the vicinity before releasing pressure, failing to properly train and supervise employees and contractors, and other related allegations..
The petition alleges ExxonMobil breached its duty by failing to identify the dangerous condition that caused the plaintiff's injuries. The firm seeks punitive damages, alleging ExxonMobil acted with flagrant and malicious disregard for the worker's health and safety despite having actual, subjective awareness of the extreme risk posed by the conditions at the work site.
The case is being handled by Arnold & Itkin attorneys Kurt Arnold, Roland Christensen, Alec Paradowski, Daniel Moreno, Jonathan Mack, and Taylor Fox. The lawsuit emphasizes that the incident occurred solely due to failures in employee training and awareness锟絝undamental safety measures that should have prevented the premature release of pressure.
"When companies do not take safety seriously, accidents like this become inevitable," said an Arnold & Itkin spokesperson. "We look forward to representing this client in hopes of providing justice so that he can get his life back on track."