Judge Manuel A. Fernandez of the 34th Judicial District Court in St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana ruled in favor of a group of former Murphy Oil Corp. employees who’d sustained noise induced hearing loss from working at Murphy for years.
Attorneys with Baron & Budd, P.C. and the Mumphrey Law Firm, LLC represented the employees. The judgment is believed to be the first for Louisiana workers suffering from occupational hearing loss.
According to today’s press release at PR Newswire, Renee Melancon, Baron & Budd shareholder was quoted as saying: “Murphy Oil knew that the noise at its plant was harmful, but the company decided it didn’t make financial sense to protect the workers. Unless we hold employers responsible for decisions like this, there’s simply not enough incentive to keep workplaces safe.”
In reference to Murphy’s decision not to spend $110K for noise control equipment during a 1970s $35 million plant expansion, Wayne Mumphrey, local attorney for the plaintiffs, was quoted as saying: “Murphy Oil put profits over people for decades.  We’re gratified to see the court take so seriously the wrong that was done to these workers.”
Founded in Dallas in 1977, Baron & Budd has garnered national acclaim for championing the rights of people and communities harmed by corporate misconduct. With about 50 attorneys and 200 staff, Baron & Budd has offices in Baton Rouge, Austin and Beverly Hills.
For 35 years, the Mumphrey Law Firm, LLC has devoted its practice to representing individuals and entities harmed by individual or corporate misconduct.