Court Finds BP Retained No Duty of Care for Refinery Subcontractor’s Workers

HOUSTON — A Texas appellate court has affirmed summary judgment for BP Products North America Inc. (NYSE: BP) in a negligence lawsuit filed by a refinery subcontractors’ employee, who blamed his heat stroke on conditions at a Texas City refinery.

The First District Court of Appeals said Jan. 17 that Bill Johnson offered no evidence that BP violated any duty to him, contractual or otherwise.

Bill and Melanie Johnson filed their lawsuit in the 10th District Court in Galveston County, Texas (No. 08-CV-0188), alleging that BP was negligent in failing to ensure that Starcon International Inc., BP’s subcontractor and Johnson’s …