Congratulations to Advocate Capital clients and friends Ron Netemeyer and Jill Harper of Harper, Evans, Wade & Netemeyer on obtaining a $2.45M settlement for their client.
The Plaintiff is a 64-year old Purchasing Agent for a pipeline construction project who was living on the job-site in his motorhome. When the Plaintiff was setting up his motorhome, he contacted an oil company to hook up a large external propane tank. As the weather cooled, the Plaintiff had trouble with the furnace and contacted an RV Sales & Repair company to perform the repairs.
The company diagnosed the problem and ordered the proper replacement parts. Without notifying the Plaintiff, an employee later went back to the motorhome and removed the internal components to the furnace, exposing an open gas line. The employee failed to finish the repair and left the motorhome without leaving any warning that repairs had begun or that a gas line was left open.
Soon after the Plaintiff arrived home, the motorhome exploded and caught on fire. The Plaintiff was trapped inside. His co-workers were able to pull him out, and they rushed him to the nearest hospital. He was flown via life-flight to another hospital that was equipped to treat his injuries. He spent weeks in the hospital’s burn unit and underwent multiple skin graft surgeries. He was discharged to a skilled nursing facility for physical therapy before he could return to his home in Mississippi.
Mr. Netemeyer and Ms. Harper filed suit on the Plaintiff’s behalf against the RV Sales and Repair Company, the oil company and the manufacturer of the motorhome. Each defendant was allowed to inspect the remains of the motorhome. Shortly after the inspection, the RV Sales and Repair Company settled with the Plaintiff for its insurance policy limits of $2.3M. The manufacturer of the motorhome settled with the Plaintiff for $150,000 after a detector was found to be installed through a fuse which had been unplugged before the explosion. The Plaintiff’s claims against the oil company are still pending.
It is a privilege for all of us at Advocate Capital, Inc. to serve clients who hold negligent businesses accountable for their actions. We offer our sincere congratulations to Attorneys Ron Netemeyer and Jill Harper on this outstanding settlement and wish them the best of luck while litigating with the oil company.
Executive Client Manager
