Haynes Boone secured a complete trial victory for ExxonMobil after a Harris County district court granted a directed verdict dismissing all claims in a lawsuit alleging property damage from a 2021 incident at the company's Baytown refinery.
The lawsuit arose from a December 2021 fire at ExxonMobil's Baytown refinery, one of the nation's largest refining and petrochemical facilities. A nearby homeowner alleged the incident caused foundation movement and other property damage and sought to recover damages from ExxonMobil.
After the plaintiff rested his case, ExxonMobil moved for a directed verdict, arguing that the plaintiff had failed to present legally sufficient evidence establishing either causation or liability. The court agreed and dismissed all claims against ExxonMobil.
Haynes Boone Partner Lauren Brogdon led the firm’s trial team, which included Associates Morgan Haenchen, Chloe Warnberg and Sarah Hudson. During trial, Brogdon conducted voir dire and the cross-examination of the plaintiff, Haenchen delivered opening statement, Warnberg successfully argued ExxonMobil's motion for directed verdict and Hudson handled key pretrial motions.
"This ruling reinforces a fundamental principle of our legal system: liability must be established through reliable evidence," said Brogdon. "We're proud to have secured this result for ExxonMobil after demonstrating that the plaintiff failed to meet the legal burden required to proceed."
This victory marks the latest trial win for the firm on behalf of ExxonMobil. In May, a Haynes Boone litigation team helped secure a complete defense verdict for ExxonMobil and three former executives in a high-profile securities fraud class action following a nearly three-week federal jury trial.
Haynes Boone’s Litigation Department handles disputes of all sizes with a focus on achieving results that align with clients’ business objectives. The team represents industry leaders, startups and a full range of other businesses in contract disputes, class actions and regulatory matters. The firm’s skilled trial and appellate teams have secured numerous jury verdicts, bench verdicts and summary judgments ensuring efficient, client-centered strategies that drive successful outcomes.
