At least seven of the defendants named in a negligence lawsuit over the Jan. 22, 2018 gas rig explosion that killed five workers in southeast Oklahoma have been dismissed from the case.
At the same time, a Pittsburg county district court judge ruled against another defendant’s move for a protective order.
The case involved the lawsuit filed filed by Julie Smith, whose husband Matthew Doyle Smith died in the fire along with four other workers near the town of Quinton. Her lawsuit recently dropped legal action against Red Mountain Operating, LLC; Red Mountain Energy, LLC, RME ARKOMA, LLC; Crescent Consulting, LLC; CVM Holdings, LLC; CVM Management LLC; and B and B Drilling Consulting LLC. The dismissal was with prejudice, meaning it cannot be refiled against the seven defendants.
However, the Smith lawsuit continues against Patterson-UTI Drilling Company, LLC; Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.; Patterson-UTI Management Services, LLC; and National Oilwell Varco, L.P.
A Pittsburg County District Court judge also denied a motion for a protective order filed by National Oilwell Varco, L.P. stating that one of its witnesses will have to testify in a deposition.
The widows of two other victims, Roger Cunningham and Parker Waldridge also filed suit over the explosion. So have family members of two other victims, Josh Ray of Fort Worth, Texas and Cody Risk of Wellington, Colorado.
