In a tragic accident, a young life was lost on March 5, 2010 when a 19-year-old college student by the name of L. David Byers stopped at a BP station to refuel his Toyota Yaris. Young Mr. Byers died when a static electricity discharge ignited fumes surrounding him, resulting in a horrific gas pump fire. You can read a full press release of the gas pump fire case we filed against BP, Toyota, the gas station owner, and the gas pump manufacturer using this link.
This young man did not have to die. This was a case of negligence, both on the part of the gas station and on the manufacturer of the car that Mr. Byers had been operating. There were no signs posted at the BP station that would warn any drivers of a static electricity hazard. There was no attendant on duty at the station, which is required by law. The materials used in the car are known to cause static electricity, and Toyota could have inexpensively manufactured their vehicle to lessen the buildup of static electricity.
Handler, Henning & Rosenberg filed a wrongful death suit against BP, the gas station owner/operator, the manufacturer of the gas pump, and Toyota on August 3, 2010. The story was featured on two local news stations, WGAL and WPMT Fox43.
WGAL News Report on Pennsylvania Gas Pump Fire
WPMT News Report on Pennsylvania Gas Pump Fire
Tags: Code Violations, Liability, Pain and Suffering, Pennsylvania law, Premises Liability, Product Liability
