Bernsen Firm Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit After Fatal Port Arthur LNG Accident
Jefferson County, Texas — A devastating scaffolding accident that occurred Tuesday at the Port Arthur LNG site has claimed the lives of three workers and led to a wave of legal action from the victims’ families and surviving co-workers. Among the legal responses is a wrongful death lawsuit filed by The Bernsen Law Firm, the first of its kind initiated locally, as the community reels from the tragedy.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the identities of the three deceased victims as Felix Jose Lopez, 42, of Pearland; Felipe Mendez, 25, of Houston; and Reginald Magee, 41, also of Houston. The men were reportedly performing elevated work when the scaffolding collapsed without warning, causing them to fall to their deaths.
According to sources close to the case, Attorney David Bernsen of The Bernsen Law Firm filed the wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of one of the victims’ families. While details of the filing remain under court seal, the firm is reportedly seeking damages for negligence, lack of proper safety protocols, and failure to adhere to occupational safety standards at the LNG construction site.
Further legal action is also being led by Attorney Ryan Zehl of Zehl & Associates, a Houston-based firm specializing in catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. Zehl has filed a sweeping lawsuit in the 295th Texas Judicial District Court, with Judge Donna Roth presiding. The suit names ConocoPhillips Company, Port Arthur LNG, LLC, and other parties allegedly responsible for the construction and site safety. Zehl’s firm represents the families of Felix Lopez and Felipe Mendez, as well as Lopez’s son, who was also working on-site and tragically witnessed his father’s death. The firm is also representing Marcos Ramirez, a survivor of the accident who sustained injuries and trauma.
Separate lawsuits are also being pursued by firms based in Houston and Corpus Christi on behalf of Martin Macedo, the second worker who survived the collapse. The filings emphasize what plaintiffs claim is systemic negligence on the part of the companies overseeing construction and infrastructure development at the Port Arthur LNG site.
The Port Arthur LNG project is a massive energy development initiative and a joint venture between Sempra Infrastructure and ConocoPhillips. The site has been under construction to serve as a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal, a critical part of U.S. energy infrastructure with global economic implications. Bechtel, a leading global engineering and construction firm, has been contracted to handle much of the construction work.
In response to the incident, both Sempra Infrastructure and Bechtel released brief statements expressing condolences to the victims’ families and confirming cooperation with authorities during the ongoing investigation. Neither company, however, addressed specific concerns regarding the safety measures in place at the time of the collapse.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is currently conducting a formal investigation into the accident. Early indications suggest potential failures in scaffolding integrity and oversight protocols, though no final determination has been made.
This tragedy has cast a spotlight on the working conditions at large-scale industrial construction sites and renewed calls for stringent safety reforms. The lawsuits, which could take months or even years to resolve, are expected to set a precedent for future accountability measures at energy infrastructure projects across Texas and beyond.
Community members in Jefferson County and workers within the regional construction industry have begun organizing vigils and safety awareness events to honor the lives lost and call for more robust workplace protections.
As investigations proceed and court proceedings begin, the families of Felix Lopez, Felipe Mendez, and Reginald Magee are left mourning profound losses—losses now at the center of a legal battle over safety, responsibility, and justice.
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