Happy 2023 - Allocation Begins!
Best, Rob Kwok
From Rob Kwok:
In my 30+ years of law practice this explosion hits closest to home. Literally, 5 miles from home. We woke up to the sonic boom that set off our house alarm on January 24, 2020 at 4:23am. My phone started ringing around 7am and hasn't stopped ringing since. Many close friends from Church and school live near the Watson facility. Some of my kids' classmates had homes destroyed. In fact, our lead Plaintiffs have 4 kids in school with our 4 kids. We're honored to serve their family during this explosion that destroyed their home. We were grateful to help them win their lawsuit against their homeowners insurance company so they could find a replacement home.
A bit about me, I'm board certified in personal injury trial law, and have represented people my entire career. I am AV rated, peer review/judicial review rated - the highest possible rating. I'm a Texas Super Lawyer and serve on the nominating committee for Texas Monthly Magazine. Serving my clients well to my top priority. We continue to offer Personal Efficient and Agressive legal services at this firm.
I filed and won the first wrongful death case in the tragic 2005 BP Amaco Explosion that killed 23 workers. We won incredible results for all of our clients. I presented my last BP case to a Galveston County jury - and the case settled for many times the "final offer" after jury selection.
I also won the record setting jury verdict in the Channelview Explosion in 2014, that killed 1 worker and injured others. The 5-week jury trial record verdict landed Kwok Daniel LLP in the Texas Lawyers Hall of Fame.
When not working Explosion cases, my firm is one of the highest volume personal injury trial law firms in Houston. I'm so grateful for our world-class team of 66+ talented professionals. Update: we've added more team members in the past year to staff up for the Watson litigation and have tripled our mass torts division. We are grateful for our explosive growth!
Looking back on 2022, we are blessed and grateful for another record-setting year of income from our litigation practice. Name Partner Thomas Daniel continues to manage the firm well so my team may "work without worry" on your January 24 explosion cases.
Please know that I take each one of your cases personally. I'm deeply honored to represent 1,000+ of your family members, friends and neighbors. In December, I successfully concluded my appointment as co-chair of the January 24 Claimants Committee, and now serve in leadership on the January 24 MDL in state court. I am focused on bringing your cases to resolution by settlement or trial - that is our mission in 2023. Much good has already been done, as we charge forward on mission to rebuild your neighborhood, one home at a time.
Best, Rob Kwok - rkwok@kwoklaw.com
Dear Clients,
Thank you for your continued patience with the allocation process. Who knew dividing up funds for 2,000 claimants could be so complicated! For all of Q4 2022, our team has worked non-stop on your cases. In October, we presented your individual cases for 2 days to mediators. In December, we got back a set of Rules from the mediators on how they would place individual values on each of your cases. Presently, those Rules are being applied by the database administrator (Brown Greer) who holds all your documents and photos to create claims submission forms. In January we will begin completing your claims submision forms. Once all 2,000 forms are submitted, Brown Green will develop a census, so we know how many people have similar damages in similar categories so everyone's claim is treated fairly. In Q1 2023, you will receive a disclosure statement, listing each category of damages and its value. You will see what everyone else is getting to compare. You will have the opportunity to accept or reject your share of the available funds. We hired UT Ethics Professor Lynn Baker to advise us throughout the process to ensure every claim is allocated fairly and according to Texas law.
As previously reported in our last town hall meeting, both Watson entities - Watson Grinding and Watson Valve have agreed to pay their full insurance policy limits into the bankruptcy court, starting the allocation process. We see the bankruptcy Judge on January 12, 2023. We will post updates from the hearing here.
While this process continues in 2023, the Court has stayed (frozen) all legal proceedings until now. We return to Court on January 20, 2023 to update the Court on our excellent progress. Once we have guidance from the Court, we will hold hold another town hall meeting to update you on the allocation process and to answer your questions real time.
We will continue to diligiently represent you, our beloved clients, in this significant lawsuit. We know many are still suffering from the explosion from 3 years ago, indeed we continue to battle many of your homeowners insurance companies who refuse to pay what is owed. We are pleased to report the vast majority of the 1P lawsuits have settled to our clients' satisfaction. We will not forget the lives lost and damage done on January 24, 2020.
Thank you for cooperating with our office team led by Attorney Ranny Sawaf to complete your individual fact sheet. As you continue to treat and calculate your damages, please continue e-mailing your documents and photos to watsondocs@kwoklaw.com. We continue to amend and update your fact sheets as you continue your medical treatment and home repairs. Remember, your allocation will be based on a point system, points awarded for level of damages and injuries. So please make sure you get all your points allocated by getting us all your damages evidence.
Our team of 66+ professionals are working hard on your facts sheets and curing any alleged decifiencies in your facts sheets. Our team is also preparing and presenting many of you for depositions. Please continue to cooperate with us - help us help you!
Best, Rob Kwok
Reminders for our clients:
Our legal team has been actively reaching out to each one of you personally, so please cooperate with us to prove up your cases. All losses, property, injury, etc. must be properly documented for Court. As always, e-mail questions and documents/photos 24/7 to watsondocs@kwoklaw.com.
We have many clients experiencing continued ringing in the ears and hearing damage/loss. You need to document your hearing damage for your case. Please contact attorney Adam at advorak@kwoklaw.com.
We also have many clients experiencing continuing explosion related thoughts/feelings, affecting every day life. This includes unwanted upsetting memories, nightmares, flashbacks, emotional/physical distress after exposure to traumatic reminders, irritability, anger/aggression, risky or destructive behavior, hypervigilance, jumpy, on edge, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping etc. If this is you, please contact Attorney Adam at advorak@kwoklaw.com.
Any questions? As always, call us 24/7 at 713.773.3380 or email us at 1P@kwoklaw.com. We have been meeting with many of you in person at our offices and at the pool clubhouse (outdoors!) - we are here for you!
As always, find real-time updates here at www.watsongrindingexplosion.com
Lawsuit filed - 3 TROs Granted
Rob Kwok has already filed and won 3 TRO's in this case.
See Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) - here
See Houston Chronicle Article - here
See ABC news - here
See Fox 26 news story - here
See KPRC Ch2 news story - here
See ABC Watson/Kwok news story - here
See AP news story - here
See KPRC Ch2 walk through news story - here
See KPRC Ch2 TRO vs. City of Houston news story - here
See 1st TRO vs. City - here
See 2nd TRO vs. City - here
See Houston Chronicle Article - here
See Agreed 5-8-20 Lift Stay Order - here
See 06.21.20 Houston Chronicle Article - here
See 07.03.20 Houston Chronicle Article - here
See 12.30.20 Houston Chronicle Article - here
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