Claims dropped in one of six lawsuits vs. Patterson

April 05-- Apr. 5--Negligence claims against Patterson-UTI companies in one of six lawsuits stemming from the Jan. 22, 2018, Patterson 219 rig explosion near Quinton were dismissed.

Attorneys representing the estate of Parker Waldridge -- one of five men who died in the explosion -- filed March 29 a notice of dismissal with prejudice, which dismisses the negligence claim against Patterson-UTI Drilling Company LLC, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc., and Patterson-UTI Management Services, LLC.

The legal term "with prejudice" means the case against Patterson-UTI companies is permanently dismissed.

The notice states each party is to bear its own costs and attorney fees pursuant to Oklahoma state law.

Amended petitions filed in the case listed Red Mountain Operating, LLC, Red Mountain Energy, LLC, National Oilwell Varco L.P., Crescent Consulting, LLC, CVM Holdings, LLC, and CVM Management, LLC, as other defendants.

In related cases, Pittsburg County District Judge Mike Hogan sent a letter dated Feb. 28 to the Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter's Chief Litigation Unit stating that "the parties (injured/deceased workers employed by Patterson UTI Drilling, Red Mountain LLC, and Red Mountain Operating, LLC) have raised a constitutional challenge to the Oklahoma Administrative Workers' Compensation Act."

Attorneys for the estate of Matt Smith, of McAlester, filed a motion to reopen deposition of Julie Jones, Patterson Drilling's former Vice President of Human Resources, and claims Patterson's deposition conduct was improper, court documents state.

Jones was deposed in January for four hours, resulting in a transcript of more than 200 pages, with many of the questions during the deposition focused on the filing of worker's compensation benefits for the Patterson Drilling employees, court documents state.

According to a third amended petition filed by Smith's attorneys, "Patterson-UTI used its Vice President of Human Resources to gain Julie Smith's confidence that she was looking out for Julie Smith's best interest and was able to obtain Julie Smith's trust and confidence which created a fiduciary relationship."

Patterson-UTI attorneys responded to the motion and asked for the motion to be denied due to the categories of questions seek the disclosure of communications protected by attorney-client privilege and the work-product doctrine.

A decision made by either the Pittsburg County District Court or by the discovery master, retired LeFlore County Associate District Judge Ted Knight, was not filed as of Thursday.

According to court documents, a hearing on Red Mountain and Patterson's motions for summary judgement in the cases of Matt Smith, Cody Risk, Josh Ray, and Kevin Carillo, is set for 1:30 p.m. May 28.

Smith, Ray, and Risk were killed in the Patterson 219 rig explosion along with Waldridge and Roger Cunningham. Carillo was seriously injured in the explosion.

Contact Derrick James at djames@mcalesternews.com

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