John Bridger handles a wide variety of civil and maritime litigation, including tort and commercial disputes, and has tried more than 70 cases to verdict. John frequently defends personal injury, transportation and property damage claims typically occurring on or at chemical plants, refineries, fabrication shops, docks, marine terminals, vessels, offshore oil rigs and platforms, and construction sites. These cases usually involve claims of negligence, gross negligence, personal injury, premises liability, products liability, maritime law, toxic tort, appellate law, and contribution and indemnity.
John also handles a variety of commercial and contractual matters, including claims arising from breach of contract, insurance and indemnity disputes, and maritime bunkers sales.
Areas of Focus
Maritime Law
John has represented vessels, offshore drilling contractors, terminals, and a major independent marine fuel supplier in personal injury and commercial maritime cases under Jones Act, LHWCA and general maritime law. Acting as lead counsel, John successfully prosecuted at trial in Beaumont federal court (and held on appeal) a marine terminal lost profit claim in an Oil Pollution Act matter.
Transportation
John has handled cases involving serious personal injury and death claims arising from the loading and operation of cars, vans, trucks, and tractor-trailers. Among other cases tried, John successfully represented a transportation company and its driver, obtaining a defense verdict in a wrongful death claim arising from the tractor-trailer colliding with an oncoming vehicle.
Products Liability
In the area of products liability, John has represented manufacturers of cranes, man lifts, valve actuators, paper mill equipment, plastic gas cans, bicycles, steel plate, cluster bombs, tires, welding equipment and tire rims.
Toxic Tort Litigation
John has handled toxic tort cases involving, among others, nickel, chromium, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, zirconium, asbestos and silica. In a Gulf War Syndrome case (putative class action), he obtained dismissal of a manufacturer that had pled guilty in a companion criminal case, based on a motion for summary judgment that, in part, invoked international treaties defining biochemical weapons.
Representative Matters
Maritime Law
As lead counsel, successfully defended (to defense verdict) maintenance and cure case in Jefferson County.
Represented vessels, offshore drilling contractors, terminals and a major independent marine fuel supplier in personal injury and commercial maritime cases under Jones Act, LHWCA and general maritime law.
As co-counsel, successfully defended (and held on appeal), in Beaumont (Jefferson County), Jones Act employer from gross negligence allegations in an unseaworthiness case (one of the first post-Miles cases to so hold).
In maritime collision case involving 450 plaintiffs claiming exposure to chemicals released as a result of the collision, successfully obtained, in Galveston, summary judgment on duty for shipowner.
In maritime wrongful death case, successfully obtained, in Beaumont, Jefferson County, summary judgment on duty for terminal.
As lead counsel, successfully prosecuted at trial in Beaumont federal court (and held on appeal) marine terminal lost profit claim in Oil Pollution Act claim.
Toxic Tort Litigation
As lead trial counsel, successfully defended (unanimous defense verdict) in Beaumont, Jefferson County a major oil company in hydrogen sulfide exposure cases resulting from injection well explosion and resulting in alleged brain damage to plaintiff.
Handled toxic tort cases involving, among others, nickel, chromium, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, zirconium, asbestos and silica.
As lead trial counsel, successfully defended (unanimous defense verdict in Galveston) 16 specialty steel producers and suppliers in nickel and hexavalent chromium inhalation case involving heart and lung injuries with past medical bills exceeding $1 million.
As trial counsel, successfully defended at trial on appeal (defense verdict in all but two claimants, with those two reversed on appeal to Fifth Circuit) asbestos supplier in Cimino class action trial in Beaumont federal court.
As trial counsel, successfully defended (to defense verdict) asbestos product manufacturer in consolidated action in Orange, class action in Beaumont, and consolidated and individual action in Philadelphia.
In Gulf War Syndrome case (putative class action), successfully obtained, in Brazoria County, dismissal of manufacturer that had pled guilty in companion criminal case, based on motion for summary judgment that, in part, invoked international treaties defining biochemical weapons.
Products Liability
Texas counsel for several product defendants in asbestos litigation.
Successfully prosecuted Daubert challenges to medical and liability expert witnesses resulting in their exclusion.
As lead trial counsel, successfully defended (to unanimous defense verdict), in federal court in Houston, a major retailer against claims that a defective bicycle caused an accident resulting in hip replacement.
As co-counsel, successfully defended to a defense verdict, in federal court in Marshall, a gas can manufacturer in a burn death case.
Personal Injury Defense
As lead trial counsel, successfully defended (defense verdict), in Orange, a local water supply company in brain damage case.
As lead trial counsel, successfully defended (defense verdict) in Kountze, Hardin County, a trucking company in wrongful death suit.
As lead trial counsel, successfully defended (to unanimous defense verdict) at trial in Houston federal court, major retailer in fall resulting in hip replacement.
Premises Liability
Defended major oil companies, petrochemical companies and public housing authorities in premises liability.