Defective Gas Pump Leads to Lawsuit

Richard Ragali, an employee for 27 years with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office has filed a lawsuit against Shell Oil and seven other defendants for a motorcycle accident that left him unemployed and severely injured.

On October 2009, Ragali pulled up to a Circle K store and Shell Oil gas station to refuel his Harley Davidson motorcycle. The motorcycle slid on a puddle of fuel that had spilled over from a defective gas pump and caused the bike’s hot exhaust pipe to ignite. Flames shot up over Ragali’s body, the motorcycle, the gas pump, and another vehicle nearby. Ragali suffered severe burns to 60% of his body and spent a total of 6 weeks in the hospital. After his hospitalization, he was unable to return to his position with the County Sherriff’s office and lost his $96,000 annual salary.

Ragali and his attorneys are suing Circle K stores, Shell Oil, and 6 other defendants for punitive damages and gross negligence. Prior to Ragali’s October 2009 accident, employees working at the Circle K store had received 11 complaints about the defective gas pump, including two reports from firefighters. Instead of shutting the pump down, Circle K owners applied cat litter on the gas puddles to absorb the gas.  Circle K attorneys claim Ragali’s “negligence was the sole, proximate cause or contributing cause of the damages” and have made no further comments since.

If you or a loved one have been hurt or injured due to the wrongdoing of another, contact Khorrami, LLP for a confidential consultation.