Earlier this year, the Multi-District Litigation Panel ordered all TPC cases to be coordinated for pre-trial discovery before the Honorable Courtney Arkeen of the 128th Judicial District of Orange County, Texas.
Consistent with this order, Judge Arkeen conducted a hearing on November 3, 2020 and directed the parties to seek agreements regarding the schedule for the litigation. On November 16, 2020, the Judge and the parties entered into various orders to control the scheduling, deadlines and discovery conducted in the litigation. There is currently not a firm date for pre-trial discovery to be completed, but we anticipate this work will be concluded before the end of 2021.
Settlement discussions with TPC are ongoing. If these discussions lead to a settlement offer in client cases, we will be contacting clients directly to discuss the offer and make recommendations. In furtherance of settlement discussions, the parties have requested the appointment of a Special Master, a liaison with the Court, to oversee and facilitate settlement discussions on certain types of claims.
We continue to investigate potential claims against other companies, contractors, and/or manufacturers whose products or conduct may have played a role in the TPC plant explosion.
It is possible that cases could be settled with TPC and/or other liable parties during the course of pre-trial discovery phase. If cases do not settle, they would then get remanded back to the Trial Court set for trial.
Now that the schedule is taking shape, Judge Arkeen has determined she will hold a monthly status conference. The purpose of the conference is the receive updates on the progress of the litigation, resolve any pre-trial disputes, and keep the litigation moving toward completion. After each scheduling conference, we will send clients an update of the litigation.
Questions regarding the TPC Explosion Litigation
If you are a client and have any requestions regarding your case, you can reach out to us anytime at 713-228-3030 or by email at claims@galindolaw.com.
If you are not currently a client but were affected by the TPC Explosion, feel free to give us a call at 713-228-3030. We're happy to talk with you and answers any questions you might have.