May 7, 2021 - CM Order Signed! May 21, 2021 - In Court Status Conference * Sat May 22, 2021 - We'll be back - pool clubhouse 11a-4p to scan your documents!
Stay safe, Rob Kwok
From Rob Kwok:
In my 28+ 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 live near the Watson facility. Many of my kids' classmates were affected. In fact, our lead Plaintiffs have 4 kids in school with our 4 kids. We're so glad to serve their family during this explosion that destroyed their 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 filed the first wrongful death case in the tragic 2005 BP Amaco Explosion that killed 23 workers. We had incredible results for all of our clients. I actually presented my last BP case to a Galveston County jury - that case settled on the first night of trial, 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 us 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 50+ 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!
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 we get to finally litigate your cases in state court. In short - I am "All In" on the Watson explosion case.
Together we are rebuilding your neighborhood, one home at a time.
Best, Rob Kwok - rkwok@kwoklaw.com
Dear Clients,
Thank you for a super productive weekend working on your cases! Our Watson Team was glad to meet with over 200 of you about your individual cases. Attorney Marcos was a big hit with our Spanish speakers, and Attorney Ranny really worked the crowd well. Senior Paralegals - Melanie and Nancy had the scanners running non-stop, and many thanks to rest of our hard working Kwok Daniel professionals. I was so glad to connect personally with over 50 of you, some for the first time in over a year! In the end we served over 30 pizzas, and will order extra food for this Saturday. I've told the team to make this a Saturday tradition until we get our fact sheets filed!
As part of the signed CMO (click HERE for CMO) appointing me to the Plaintiffs' Executive Steering Committee and setting cases for trial in 2022 and 2023, I will be in Court again on Friday representing your interests and the entire group. I'll report any updates in person on Saturday May 22.
Over the coming weekends, our Kwok Daniel PFS Team (Spanish and Vietnamese speakers included) will be at the Pool Clubhouse to help your family complete your PFS and scan your documents. We'll be set up with computers/scanners to intake your PFS info, documents, photos, contracts, policies and anything else you'd like to present to the jury as proof of your losses for reimbursement. Come join us for free refreshments and a live update from Rob! Look for our e-mails, phone calls, and group texts for more details this week! Again, that's Saturday, 11am-4pm at the pool house, bring your ID and documents for us to scan!
A word on the Plaintiff Fact Sheets - we need your help! The more information we have on your case the sooner we may move to certify your case for trial. No case will be certified for trial without a completed PFS. This means you will not recover anything from your case - ever - if you do not help us file your PFS. You will need to sign under oath the information you provide is true, and you will sign authorizations for medical records for the past 8 years. Much of the information you provide is personal to you, and will be marked as coinfidential - so please give us truthful and complete answers! Our team will be at the pool house on Saturdays in May and June to help you and scan documents.
Again, we know many of you have waited patiently for your day in Court. As we discussed in our last town hall meeting, we know many of your homes are partially repaired and others still unlivable. Our first party team (email us 24/7 at 1P@kwoklaw.com) continues to work with your insurance companies to approve supplements and repairs. Some first party insurance companies are fighting hard to underpay, even though your homes are so close to Watson. The insurance fight is unnecessary, as most insurance companies have joined the Watson lawsuit to get their money back. As we have discussed many times, your insurance companies usually have a "subrogation" right - to get paid back by the responsible parties what they paid you as a result of this "explosion.
Please keep sending your case evidence - documents, photos, estimates, medical records/bills to Watsondocs@kwoklaw.com. This email address automatically places the documents you send into your file on our secure server. Our team of 52 professionals are actively contacting our Watson clients, please cooperate fully with us please!
I look forward to seeing many of you in person again very soon!
Stay safe, 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 continuing 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.
If you are uninsured, contact Memorial Area Ministries. MAM approved a repair claim for one of our uninsured clients with a severely damaged home and work is near completion. We were glad to pack out and move out our clients into an apartment while their home is being restored safe to live. Thank you Texas Vanguard Construction and others who donated their time.
If you are not happy with your insurance offer, e-mail us at 1P@kwoklaw.com. Our 1P Team has been getting amazing results for our clients. Rebuilding is already underway in many client's homes. If you live on Stanford Court, Lybert, Rockcrest, Valleywood, Sunwood, Bell Gardens, Talina Way, Richmond Hill, Gladewood, Fieldstone, Sommerville, Bridgeland, Eagle Glenn, Cottage Field, Terrace Manor, or near those streets, your home may have structural damage that must be accounted for in your insurance settlement. You may be entitled to policy limits for your home like many of your neighbors - giving you the freedom to repair or rebuild - your choice! Your home is your greatest asset and place of rest, please trust us and allow us to maximize your insurance claim.
During this stay at home order, reach us by phone at 713.773.3380 or email at 1P@kwoklaw.com. Expect even more client group texts, e-mail, zoom and social media contacts. We had a great turnout for our last virtual town hall and will set another one once we have an MDL judge appointed. As usual, find real-time updates here at www.watsongrindingexplosion.com.
• The SBA is offering low interest loans. Terms are up to 30 years and rates as low as 1.5% for property damage victims from the Watson explosion. If you were uninsured or underinsured you now have the option to take a loan and rebuild. Contact Diana dbrowne@kwoklaw.com for help applying: 713.773.3380.
• The SBA is offering low interest loans. Terms are up to 30 years and rates as low as 1.5% for property damage victims from the Watson explosion. If you were uninsured or underinsured you now have the option to take a loan and rebuild. Contact Diana dbrowne@kwoklaw.com for help applying: 713.773.3380.
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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