Gas Pipeline Explosion Kills 12 in New Mexico: Record Settlement

On August 19, 2000, an interstate natural gas pipeline exploded in southern New Mexico. The explosion killed twelve family members that were spending the weekend by the Pecos River camping and fishing. Together with the Blenden Law Firm of Carlsbad, New Mexico, we represented the families of five of the people killed by the explosion. Investigation concluded that the failure point of the pipeline was severely corroded internally, had never been inspected, tested or cleaned for five decades. We prepared the case for trial before the defendants settled with our clients–the confidential settlement was the largest personal injury settlement in the history of New Mexico and one of the largest ever achieved nationally.