Injured Refinery Worker Can't Pursue Tort Claim Against Contractor

A California appellate court ruled that a refinery worker who suffered serious burns in an accident could not maintain a tort suit against a contractor who had performed work for his employer on the equipment that malfunctioned and caused his injuries. Robert Piontkowski worked for Chevron Corp. He suffered serious injuries at the company’s El Segundo refinery when he was splashed with super-heated materials generated during the coking process. Coking is a refinery process that takes place at about 900 degrees Fahrenheit and above atmospheric pressure. According to Piontkowski,...