Judge keeps lawsuit against Devon Energy and Nabors Drilling in New Mexico federal court

 

Two and a half years after a derrickman working at a Devon Energy well site in New Mexico was killed, a lawsuit against the energy company and Nabors Drilling Technologies USA, Inc. continues in New Mexico federal court.

The family of Jose Martin Moreno, Jr. sued Devon, Nabors and a man identified as Matthew Hale. Moreno died when he was crushed to death between a manifold and a handrail on the rig platform during the disassembly of the drilling rig.

While the case was filed in Santa Fe County district court, Nabors had it moved to federal court. Attorneys for the Moreno family fought to have it returned to district court but a federal judge recently denied the motion.

Nabors, in seeking to move the case to federal court also accused the Moreno family of naming Matthew Hale as a defendant to keep it in state court and defeat federal jurisdiction.

Federal Judge Matthew L. Garcia also determined, “…the court finds that Plaintiffs fraudulently joined Hale.”