Houston Defective Machine Lawyer

Client Profile: Walter Conway

This story was featured in the August 2004 issue of the Letter of the Law.

April 21, 2000, should have been like any other day for Walter Conway. On that day, however, Walter’s career – and life – would be changed forever.

A machine operator for Van Leer Industries in Houston, Walter enjoyed his job with the plastics manufacturer. One of the regular duties he had to perform was to thread the top roller of a large machine called a stretching unit, which was used in the making of plastic film. While threading the film in the stretching unit, Walter's right hand became wedged into the in-going nip between the rollers. A co-worker saw this and quickly hit the emergency stop button. But the rollers did not have a "neutral" position so they could be released and free Walter's hand. Tragically, Walter would be forced to wait over 30 minutes before he could be freed.

By then, permanent damage had been done: the third and fourth fingers of Walter's right hand were so devastated by the machine that they had to be amputated. To this day, even simple tasks like holding loose change are impossible for Walter. "I can’t use my hand like I used to."

Once he was released from the hospital, one of the first calls Walter made was to Williams Kherkher. "My legal situation was explained thoroughly, and I was made to feel welcome," recalls Walter. Attorneys and staff immediately went to work on filing a lawsuit against the company that manufactured the dangerous machine. Meanwhile, Walter began to consider what to do next with his life.

As Williams Kherkher prepared for trial, Walter decided he would use this tragedy as an opportunity to go back to school. Not only did he complete his undergraduate degree in mathematics at the University of Houston, but also plans to pursue a graduate degree in atmospheric sciences. This will enable him to work in fields such as meteorology, resource conservation and environmental studies, where he will be able to identify and correct the effects of pollution on the air and water.

The defendant in the case ultimately decided to settle out of court, which left Walter "with a nice nest egg." Now that he has moved on with his life, Walter is filled with optimism for his future.