South Texas Jury Awards $281 Million in Lawsuit

The family of a man killed by a part breaking off a truck doing Eagle Ford Shale oilfield work has won a $281 million lawsuit judgment from a South Texas jury.

The Dimmit County lawsuit stemmed from the May, 29, 2012, death of Carlos Aguilar. He was struck by a drive shaft from a tractor-trailer truck belonging to Heckmann Water Resources, an oil patch supplier in Pleasanton, near San Antonio.

Aguilar was in a pickup hit by the flying piece that went through the windshield, killing him.

A jury late on Dec. 7 agreed with a negligence lawsuit by Aguilar’s family that Heckmann didn’t properly maintain the truck. The verdict included $100 million in punitive damages.

Company attorney Rick Reyna didn’t immediately respond to a message from The Associated Press.