Tanker Truck and Freight Train Accident Results in Catastrophic Personal Injury Lawsuit

Case Title: Camacho, et al. v. Penn Octane International, L.L.C., et al.

On August 11, 2005, a tanker truck loaded with liquid propane was hit by a freight train in the town of Lucio Blanco in Mexico. The accident killed six people and injured over 40 residents of the town. Ten people were hospitalized with burns over more than 70% of their bodies. More than a dozen homes and businesses burned down, and at least 17 cars were destroyed. A local Matamoros policeman stated that the truck was trying to “beat” the train to the crossing. Emergency personnel from nearby towns in Texas sent rescue and emergency personnel along with eight water tankers to help fight the fire. The two men driving the train were seriously injured, and the propane truck driver was injured but survived. He was seen running from the truck to avoid the imminent explosions.

Slack Davis Sanger represented 68 plaintiffs regarding their injuries in this matter. Investigation showed that the company that owned and operated the tanker truck had loaded the propane without also injecting ethyl mercaptan, an odorant that would have allowed the town residents to be aware of the chemical spill before it caught on fire. Mike Davis represented these plaintiffs who were unwittingly injured through the negligence of the companies that owned the tanker and its driver.

Mike Davis led the firm’s personal injury and trial litigation practice for nearly 30 years. He handled numerous personal injury cases throughout his career, including 18-wheeler accidents, serious car accidents, and oilfield accidents.