Mississippi Injury Lawyer Blog

Update on Smith County, Mississippi gas pipeline explosion

In an update to yesterday's post on a gas pipeline explosion in Smith County, Mississippi, authorities have confirmed that three workers were critically injured while another man was killed. The worker killed in the explosion was identified as James Lee Candler, 40, of Sulphur, Louisiana. The three injured workers were Rick Lee, Wayne Williams, and David Matthews. The workers were performing a pressure test of the line at the time of the explosion.

The injured workers were airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson suffering from burns and other injuries. Lee and Williams were employed by Beckville, Texas based Grand Bluff Construction Company while Matthews was working for Priority Energy. The pipeline was part of the Midcontinent Express pipeline owned by Kinder Morgan. According to reports, Kinder Morgan has had previous safety problems with its pipeline.

The Kisselburgh Law Firm is a Mississippi injury law firm which handles all types of
cases involving serious injury or death including construction accidents, car accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, and injuries from defective products. If you have questions, call us at 601.936.4040 or contact us online.

Source: Clarion-Ledger

Pipeline explodes in Smith County, Mississippi, killing 1 and injuring others

Late this afternoon, a three-inch pipeline carrying natural gas exploded near Raleigh in Smith County, Mississippi, just off County Road 99 (Shell Oil Road). Emergency officials report that one person was killed and early reports are conflicting as to the number injured. It is reported that either two to three individuals were critically injured by the explosion.

Source: Clarion-Ledger, WAPT, WLBT

Information provided by: Robert M. Kisselburgh, Mississippi Accident Injury Attorney

Lennar Homes admits faulty Chinese drywall in 400 Florida homes

The Wall Street Journal reported today that Lennar Homes admits 400 homes in Florida have confirmed problems with defective Chinese drywall. Lennar has set aside $39.8 million to repair the homes. The question is whether this is just the tip of the Chinese drywall iceberg.

Chinese drywall was used in many Mississippi homes following Katrina. The latest estimates are that over 5,000,000 sheets of Chinese drywall were imported into the United States in 2006. Last month, the multidistrict litigation panel consolidated for pretrial proceedings many of the lawsuits in U.S. District Judge Fallon's court in the Eastern District of Louisiana. Judge Fallon has previous experience with other mass tort cases, most recently Vioxx.

If you or a family member suspects your home contains Chinese drywall, you need the assistance of an attorney. Call the Kisselburgh Law Firm at 601-936-4040 or contact us online. The Kisselburgh Law Firm is a Mississippi injury law firm which handles all types of cases involving serious injury or death including car accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, and injuries from defective products.

Runaway van ends in fiery crash on I-20 in Mississippi

Last night a van being towed broke away, crossed the median and collided with an 18 wheeler on I-20 in Pearl, Mississippi, just east of Jackson. The tractor-trailer caught fire, but the driver and passenger escaped without injuries. The crash closed down all lanes of I-20 while firefighters extinguished the fire. There was no news on the vehicle towing the van.

Source: Clarion-Ledger

Information provided by: Robert M. Kisselburgh, Mississippi Accident Injury Attorney

Meridian, Mississippi church bus accident kills 1, injures 23

A church bus from First Baptist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana crashed in Meridian, Mississippi after suffering a blowout. Witnesses said the bus rolled multiple times. One person was confirmed dead. 3 other passengers were airlifted to the University of Mississippi medical center while the others injured were treated at hospitals in Meridian, Mississippi. The bus was headed to a church conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Kisselburgh Law Firm is a Mississippi injury law firm which handles all types of
cases involving serious injury or death including car accidents,
tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, and
injuries from defective products. If you have questions, call us at 601.936.4040 or contact us online.

Source: Clarion-Ledger

Injury victims not provided for in General Motors bankruptcy

Most people have heard about the bankruptcy of General Motors and its attempt to reorganize as a "new" company. This week U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerber gave General Motors the green light to move forward by selling the majority of its assets to a the "new" General Motors. However, what happens to those individuals who had pending product liability claims against General Motors prior to the bankruptcy filing?

Under the plan approved by the Bankruptcy Judge, those individuals with pending product liability claims against General Motors prior to the June 1, 2009, would have to look to the "old" General Motors to recover any monies to compensate them for their loss. The "new" General Motors has agreed to assume responsibility for future claims involving vehicles made by the "old" General Motors. The problem is that "old" General Motors will have limited assets and as one source stated, "those seeking claims against Old GM would likely get nothing."

Let's put a face on this problem. Robert Dinnigan, whose 10-year-old daughter was left a quadriplegic in an car accident while riding in a 2003 GMC Envoy two years ago, currently has a lawsuit pending against General Motors. According to the Mr. Dinnigan, he faces medical bills around $500,000 a year and needs $100,000 to make improvements to his home for his daughter's care given she is confined to a wheelchair. If the current plan were approved, he would probably be unable to recover any money from the "old" General Motors if he proves General Motors was responsible for his daughter's injuries.

An appeal is being filed on behalf of those accident victims in hopes those injured by General Motor products prior to June 1, 2009, will have some recourse. How big is the problem? Huge. According to the Associated Press, General Motors paid $1.1 billion in product liability payments in 2007 and $960 million in 2008. It is estimated that there are currently 1,000 lawsuits pending against General Motors that will be negatively impacted by this decision. If the bankruptcy ruling stands, those approximately 1,000 pending product liability claims against General Motors would most likely receive nothing for their injuries from General Motors. How do you explain that problem to the father of the girl injured by a defective car that has left her a quadriplegic for life? Who pays for her care? Who compensates her for her loss?

The Kisselburgh Law Firm is a Mississippi injury law firm which handles all types of cases involving serious injury or death including car accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, drunk driving accidents, and injuries from defective products. If you have questions, call us at 601.936.4040 or contact us online.