For more than eighty years, the industrial flare of the Big Spring refinery on the east side of SH 350 has served as a landmark for Howard County—but for the pipefitters, operators, and maintenance crews who worked the catalytic reformers and crude units, the sweet smell of benzene and the white dust of asbestos lagging were the invisible signals of a career that would one day take their breath away. In the Permian Basin, work is hard, dangerous, and essential, yet for decades, the corporations profiting from the West Texas soil knew that the substances their employees handled daily were triggering cellular-level destruction in the lungs and bone marrow of their workforce. If you or a loved one in Big Spring, Coahoma, or Sand Springs is now facing a diagnosis of mesothelioma, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), or a catastrophic oilfield injury, you are not just a medical statistic; you are the victim of a corporate choice to value production over human life.
At Attorney 911, led by founding attorney Ralph Manginello and backed by the insider knowledge of former insurance defense attorney Lupe Peña, we don’t just “handle” toxic exposure cases—we litigate them with a level of scientific and regulatory precision that makes corporate defense teams take notice. Our experience in high-stakes litigation, including the landmark BP Texas City Refinery explosion cases that resulted in over $2.1 billion in total recovery, has taught us that corporations don’t pay because it’s the right thing to do; they pay when they are cornered by attorneys who understand the macrophage failure mechanism of asbestos and the CYP2E1 metabolic activation of benzene as well as their own industrial hygienists do. While a diagnosis like mesothelioma or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) can feel like a death sentence, the legal pathway to accountability is very much alive in Howard County, provided you have a team that knows the difference between a standard workers’ compensation claim and a multi-million dollar third-party lawsuit.
Our firm is built on the unique advantage of having Lupe Peña, who spent years on the other side of the courtroom, learning the exact tactics large insurance companies and corporate defense firms use to suppress exposure evidence and hide behind the Texas workers’ compensation bar. We use that “spy-level” intelligence to break through their walls. Whether your exposure happened at the historic Webb Air Force Base before its 1977 closure, during decades of service at the Big Spring refinery, or on a drilling rig in the heart of the Permian Basin, we move with the urgency of a 911 response because we know that in toxic torts, evidence disappears as facilities are renovated and memories fade. Call us today at 1-888-ATTY-911 for a free, comprehensive case evaluation. No fee unless we win.
The Science of Betrayal: How Asbestos and Benzene Destroy the Body from Within
To understand your legal rights in Howard County, you must first understand the biological war happening inside your body. Toxic exposure is not like a car accident; it is an insidious, microscopic assault that takes years or decades to manifest. At Attorney 911, we believe that education is the first step toward conversion—both of your mindset and of your case value. We don’t just tell a jury you are sick; we show them exactly how the defendant’s negligence caused your cellular repair mechanisms to fail.
Mesothelioma and the Failure of Frustrated Phagocytosis
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer of the mesothelial lining, the thin tissue surrounding your lungs (pleural), abdomen (peritoneal), or heart (pericardial). In Howard County, this disease is the legacy of the heavy use of amosite and chrysotile asbestos in the Big Spring refinery, the local power generation facilities, and the former Webb AFB barracks.
When you inhale or ingest microscopic asbestos fibers, they travel deep into your alveolar sacs. Because of their needle-like structure and chemical composition, these fibers are “biopersistent”—your body can neither break them down nor expel them. Your immune system sends macrophages to engulf these foreign particles, but the fibers are too long and sharp. This leads to “frustrated phagocytosis,” where the macrophages rupture and die, releasing inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha and IL-1beta. Over a latency period of 20 to 50 years, this chronic inflammation generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that directly damage your DNA. Specifically, asbestos exposure is linked to the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes like BAP1 and p16, removing the biological “brakes” on cell growth and leading to the malignant transformation of the mesothelium.
Attorney Ralph Manginello explains the principles of high-value injury cases on the Attorney 911 YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmMwE7GqUFI. Understanding this mechanism is critical because it counters the common defense that “minimal exposure” couldn’t have caused the disease. As established by the National Cancer Institute, there is no safe level of asbestos exposure. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/asbestos/asbestos-fact-sheet
Benzene and the Bone Marrow War
If your career was spent handling crude oil, condensate, or refined products in West Texas, you were likely exposed to benzene. This colorless, sweet-smelling chemical is a natural component of Permian Basin crude but is also a potent Group 1 human carcinogen.
The danger of benzene lies in its metabolism. When you inhale benzene vapors at a Howard County worksite, your liver uses the enzyme CYP2E1 to convert benzene into benzene oxide. It then metabolizes further into highly reactive compounds like muconaldehyde and p-benzoquinone. These metabolites concentrate in your bone marrow, where they attack hematopoietic stem cells. These are the “parent” cells that produce your red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Benzene metabolites cause specific chromosomal translocations—pathognomonic signals like t(8;21) or inv(16)—that effectively “reprogram” your bone marrow to produce leukemia cells instead of healthy blood. This process often begins as myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or aplastic anemia before progressing to the rapid and often fatal Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
If you worked anywhere in the Permian Basin and have been diagnosed with any blood-related cancer, it is essential to document your exposure timeline immediately. Lupe Peña, our insurance defense insider, knows that companies frequently monitor benzene levels but keep those records hidden from the workers. We know how to subpoena those industrial hygiene reports to prove you were exposed to levels far exceeding the OSHA permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 1 ppm. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1028
Howard County’s Industrial Defendant Roster: Who Is Responsible?
You don’t get mesothelioma or benzene-linked leukemia by accident. You get them because a corporation made a calculated decision that your health was a secondary concern to their quarterly earnings. When we file a case for a Howard County resident, we are looking at a specific roster of potential defendants based on the industrial history of the Permian Basin.
The Big Spring Refinery (Delek US / Legacy Alon/Fina/Cosden)
For nearly a century, the refinery in Big Spring has been a primary source of employment and exposure. Workers here—from those who worked for Cosden Petroleum in the 1940s to those at the facility under American Petrofina (Fina), Alon USA, and now Delek US—have faced constant risks. Asbestos was the standard insulation for the miles of high-heat piping and the massive process vessels. Every turnaround and maintenance shift involving the removal of old lagging released millions of fibers into the air.
Furthermore, the refinery process inherently involves benzene at every stage of cracking and reforming. We look at specific units—the FCCU (Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit), the Alky unit, and the tank farm—as primary exposure points. If you were a contractor for companies like BrandSafway or Brock at this facility, you may have a third-party claim against the premises owner that bypasses the workers’ compensation bar.
Webb Air Force Base Legacy Claims
Closed in 1977, Webb AFB was a major jet pilot training facility. Veterans and civilian contractors who worked at Webb were exposed to two major toxic threats: asbestos-insulated heating systems in the barracks and hangars, and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) found in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) used for fire training near the runways.
PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because their carbon-fluorine bonds are virtually indestructible. They bioaccumulate in the human body, particularly the liver and kidneys, and have been linked to kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and thyroid disease. If you lived near the Webb AFB site in Big Spring and have been diagnosed with these conditions, the contamination of the groundwater plume may give you a significant community contamination claim.
The Railroad: Union Pacific’s Big Spring Hub
Big Spring has always been a railroad town, serving as a critical hub for the Texas and Pacific Railway and now Union Pacific. Under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA), railroad workers have rights that are vastly superior to standard workers’ comp. If you were a track worker, machinist, or conductor who developed lung cancer or mesothelioma, we don’t just look at the railroad; we look at the asbestos-containing brake shoes, the locomotive engine insulation, and the creosote-treated ties you handled.
Under FELA (45 U.S.C. § 51), the “featherweight” burden of proof means that if the railroad’s negligence played even the smallest part in causing your illness, they are liable. As Ralph Manginello explains in his podcast on statutes of limitations, the clock for these FELA claims typically starts at the moment of diagnosis: https://share.transistor.fm/s/bddc1426.
The “Lupe Peña” Advantage: Why a Former Defense Attorney Matters for Your Case
Most personal injury firms in West Texas use a “sign and settle” model. They take your case, file some paperwork, and wait for a lowball offer from an insurance adjuster. That doesn’t work in toxic exposure litigation. Corporate defendants like ExxonMobil, Shell, or major asbestos trusts don’t settle because they’re invited to; they settle because they’re afraid of the evidence.
This is where Lupe Peña becomes your greatest asset. Having spent years working for a national defense firm, Lupe knows exactly how these companies internally value a Howard County toxic tort claim. He knows the “playbook”:
- The “Alternative Cause” Defense: They will comb through your medical records to find any mention of smoking, obesity, or family history to blame for your cancer.
- The “Empty Chair” Tactic: They will try to point to other employers or products you may have encountered to dilute their own liability.
- The Spoliation of Evidence: They will “lose” industrial hygiene records or maintenance logs from the 1960s and 70s.
Because Lupe used to advise these companies on how to minimize their payouts, he can anticipate these moves before they make them. As Chelsea M. wrote in her verified Google review, “Special thank you to my attorney, Mr. Pena, for your kindness and patience… I appreciate everything you did to resolve my case.” At Attorney 911, we use this insider knowledge to front-load your case with the exact evidence that makes the defense’s “standard” excuses fail.
Lupe’s experience with depositions is also critical. In a mesothelioma case, the plaintiff is often the most important witness, but they are also the most vulnerable. Lupe ensures our clients are prepared for the high-pressure tactics defense attorneys use to create “confusion” about which products they used 40 years ago. You can see Lupe’s approach to deposition preparation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_qCwqfeRRs.
Howard County Onshore Oil & Gas: The New Frontier of Silicosis and Crush Injuries
While the historical cases of asbestos and benzene dominate the “legacy” claims in Big Spring, a new crisis is emerging in the modern oilfield. Howard County is a powerhouse of Permian Basin production, but that production comes at a steep price for roughnecks, drillers, and frac crews.
Fracking and Silica: The “Next Asbestos”
The massive increase in hydraulic fracturing in the Permian Basin requires millions of pounds of “frac sand”—crystalline silica. When this sand is moved, blown into silos, or pumped into the wellbore, it creates a fog of respirable dust. These microscopic particles penetrate the deepest parts of the lungs, causing accelerated silicosis—a disease that can lead to total respiratory failure and the need for a lung transplant in as little as five to ten years.
OSHA recently reduced the permissible exposure limit for silica to 50 μg/m³ (29 CFR 1910.1053) because the previous standards were demonstrably inadequate to prevent PMF (Progressive Massive Fibrosis). https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1053. Many West Texas oilfield operators and sand-mining companies have ignored these standards, putting a generation of young workers at risk. If you are a frac hand in Howard County with unexplained shortness of breath, you may have a product liability claim against the silica manufacturer or the equipment provider.
The Texas Non-Subscriber Trap
Texas is the only state that allows employers to opt out of the workers’ compensation system. Many oilfield service companies operating in Howard County are “non-subscribers.” They do this to save on insurance premiums, but it opens them up to massive legal liability. If your employer is a non-subscriber and you are injured in a rig collapse, a pipe-handling accident, or a well-site explosion, you can sue them for the FULL value of your injuries—including pain, suffering, and mental anguish—with no statutory caps.
Workers’ compensation usually pays pennies on the dollar compared to a non-subscriber lawsuit. However, your employer will never tell you that you have this right. They will try to get you to sign a “waiver” or accept a small “disability payment.” Do not sign anything until you call Attorney 911. Ralph Manginello has spent 27+ years holding these companies’ feet to the fire, ensuring Howard County workers get the multi-million dollar results they deserve.
Case Results: The Proof is in the Recovery
When we say we fight for maximum compensation, we have the track record to back it up. At Attorney 911, we have been involved in some of the most significant industrial litigation in Texas history. (Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is unique.)
- $2.1 Billion Total Recovery: Ralph Manginello was part of the litigation team representing victims of the BP Texas City Refinery explosion. This remains one of the largest industrial accident resolutions in U.S. history and proved that no corporation is too big to be held accountable.
- Seven-Figure Mesothelioma Settlements: We have successfully navigated the complex bankruptcy trust system to recover millions for families across Texas who thought they had no path forward because their former employers were out of business.
- Confidential Benzene/AML Verdicts: By proving that refinery operators knew about the risk of bone marrow suppression as early as the 1950s, we have secured the future for families whose primary breadwinner was taken by leukemia.
- Multimillion Dollar Oilfield Injury Claims: We routinely win cases against negligent drilling contractors and service companies that cut corners on safety equipment, leading to life-altering crush and burn injuries.
As Greg G. shared in his Google review, “Big thank you for this law firm staff and Lupe Pena for taking good care of me. I highly recommend this law firm.” You deserve the same level of aggressive, result-oriented representation in your Howard County case.
Multiple Compensation Pathways: Leaving No Money on the Table
One of the biggest mistakes Howard County victims make is believing they only have one “claim.” In reality, a single toxic exposure diagnosis often opens four or five different pathways to money. Most law firms only pursue the easiest one. Attorney 911 pursues them all.
1. Asbestos Bankruptcy Trust Funds
There are currently over 60 active asbestos bankruptcy trusts holding approximately $30 billion in remaining assets. Companies like Johns-Manville, Owens Corning, and W.R. Grace were forced to set this money aside during their bankruptcies to pay future victims.
- The Catch: These trusts pay a “payment percentage” (e.g., the Manville Trust currently pays ~5% of the approved claim value).
- The Opportunity: A typical refinery worker in Big Spring was exposed to dozens of different products. We can often file claims with 10 to 15 different trusts simultaneously. That adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars before a single lawsuit is even filed.
2. Third-Party Personal Injury Lawsuits
If the company that manufactured the asbestos or the chemical that made you sick is still in business, we sue them directly. Companies like John Crane Inc. or ExxonMobil are still solvent and can be held liable for the FULL compensatory and punitive damages awarded by a jury. In 2024, a Pennsylvania jury awarded $725 million against ExxonMobil in a benzene case—a signal that juries are increasingly willing to punish corporate concealment.
3. VA Disability Benefits and the PACT Act
If your exposure happened at Webb AFB or during your military service, you are entitled to VA benefits. The 2022 PACT Act radically expanded “presumptive” conditions for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins. This money Is yours by right and does NOT prevent you from filing a civil lawsuit against the contractors who provided the toxic materials to the military.
4. Wrongful Death and Survival Actions
In Howard County, if a family loses a loved one to an occupational disease, Texas law allows for two distinct legal actions. A Wrongful Death claim compensates the survivors (spouse, children, parents) for their loss of companionship and financial support. A Survival Action recovers the damages the victim suffered before they died—their medical bills, their physical pain, and their mental anguish. We file both to ensure the family is fully protected. Attorney Ralph Manginello explains these distinctions in this podcast episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/1f8970c7.
Evidence Preservation in Howard County: The Clock is Your Enemy
The most critical factor in your case isn’t just “what happened”—it’s what you can prove. In Howard County, industrial evidence is being destroyed every day.
- The Retention Schedule: Employers are only required to keep most safety and industrial hygiene records for a limited number of years (often 5 to 30 years depending on the regulation). If you wait to hire an attorney, the records proving they knew about the benzene levels or the asbestos dust may be legally shredded.
- The Witness Factor: Your best evidence is often the testimony of your co-workers. In Howard County, the “old guard” of refinery and railroad workers is aging. Every year you wait, an estimated 3% of potential witnesses are lost to age-related mortality.
- The Physical Site: As facilities like the Big Spring refinery are modernized, the old equipment and insulation are removed and buried in hazardous waste landfills. Once that physical evidence is gone, proving your exposure becomes much harder.
At Attorney 911, our Phase 1 Litigation Response Protocol starts within 24 hours of you hiring us. We send formal “spoliation demand letters” to current and former employers, subpoena the OSHA 300 logs, and retain some of the nation’s top industrial hygienists to reconstruct your exposure. As Lenore O., our lead case manager, explains on the Attorney 911 podcast, “Can I Use My Cellphone to Document a Legal Case?”: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a42daf06.
Medical Resources for Howard County Families
Fighting a toxic exposure disease is a medical battle as much as a legal one. While Big Spring has the Scenic Mountain Medical Center and the Big Spring VA Medical Center, many complex cancers like mesothelioma or leukemia require the expertise of an NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Where to Turn for Treatment:
- MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston): Ranked #1 in the nation, MD Anderson has the world’s most advanced programs for mesothelioma and benzene-linked leukemia. While it is a 4.5-hour drive from Big Spring, we strongly encourage our clients to seek a second opinion there. Their research into targeted immunotherapies for thoracic cancers is unmatched. https://www.mdanderson.org
- UT Southwestern Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center (Dallas): For Howard County residents, this is the closest NCI-designated center (approx. 280 miles). They have exceptional programs for lung cancer and myelodysplastic syndromes. https://utswmed.org/cancer/
- The Big Spring VA Medical Center: For veterans exposed to toxins at Webb AFB or elsewhere, this facility is the entry point for PACT Act screenings and VA disability documentation. https://www.va.gov/big-spring-health-care/
A Legal Note on Medical Care: Getting the best medical care isn’t just about your health—it’s also about your case. When a world-class oncologist at MD Anderson or UT Southwestern prepares your pathology report, it becomes high-authority evidence that a corporate defense team cannot easily challenge.
FAQ: Toxic Exposure Rights in Howard County
Can I file a claim if my exposure at the Big Spring refinery was 30 years ago?
Yes. Texas follows the Discovery Rule. This means the two-year statute of limitations does not start until you were diagnosed or should have reasonably known that your illness was caused by your work. For a disease like mesothelioma with a long latency period, this often means the clock doesn’t start until decades after your last shift at the refinery.
My husband died of leukemia years ago. Is it too late to investigate?
It depends on the date of death and when you discovered the link to benzene. However, we encourage you to call 1-888-ATTY-911 immediately. We may be able to file “wrongful death” or “survival” claims if the cause of death was only recently linked to his occupational history through new research or corporate document disclosures.
Will filing a lawsuit affect my VA benefits or Social Security?
No. Personal injury lawsuits and asbestos trust fund claims are completely independent of your government benefits. In fact, we often work to ensure your legal recovery is structured so it doesn’t interfere with your eligibility for other programs. As Ralph Manginello discusses in his interview with financial expert Ryan Krueger, settlement management is a critical part of our service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaUIlk5HO9o.
What if I don’t remember the brand names of the products I handled?
That is extremely common. No one remembers a label from 1974. We solve this by using our massive product identification database and through the testimony of your “legacy” co-workers. Often, identifying the type of product and the dates you worked at a specific Howard County facility is enough for us to determine which Manufacturers were supplying it.
Do I have to go to court in Houston?
Not necessarily. Many toxic exposure cases settle before a trial date is ever set. However, if your case does go to trial, Ralph Manginello is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and has extensive experience in state and federal courts across the state. We handle the travel and the logistics; you focus on your health.
How much do you charge?
We charge nothing upfront. We work on a contingency fee basis. We advance all the costs of the litigation—which can be tens of thousands of dollars for experts and medical reviews. If we don’t recover money for you, you owe us nothing. As Ralph explains in “How Do Contingency Fees Work?”: https://share.transistor.fm/s/c1b705d4.
I am undocumented. Can I still file a claim for a Howard County oilfield injury?
Absolutely. Your immigration status has NO impact on your right to a safe workplace or your right to compensation when a corporation’s negligence hurts you. At Attorney 911, we treat you like family. Lupe Peña is bilingual and can explain your rights in Spanish. We even have a 4-part podcast series on immigration issues with attorney Magali Candler to address these specific concerns: https://share.transistor.fm/s/7787dfb4.
Take Your Life Back: The Attorney 911 Final Push
The corporations that poisoned the workforce in Howard County are counting on your silence. They have teams of lawyers, lobbyists, and insurance adjusters whose only job is to protect the company’s bottom line. They hope you’ll believe it’s “just bad luck” or “too late to do anything.” They are wrong.
In Big Spring, work defines who we are. For generations, we have built the engines and refined the fuels that keep this country moving. But the sacrifice of your health was never part of the deal. If you or your family is paying the price for corporate greed, you need a team that is as tough as the Permian Basin. You need a founding attorney with 27+ years of experience holding giants like BP accountable. You need an associate attorney who knows the defense’s secrets.
You need Attorney 911.
Our 4.9-star Google rating across 270+ reviews is the proof that we deliver. As Chad H. wrote in his review: “A true PITT BULL and fighter. He don’t play!… Unlike some law firms where you are dealing with an answering service, that’s NOT the case here. Ralph and I had DIRECT COMMUNICATION.”
When you call 1-888-ATTY-911, you aren’t just calling a law firm—you’re activating a high-speed litigation machine dedicated to West Texas workers and their families. Trust fund assets are depleting every day. Evidence at the worksite is disappearing. Deadlines are ticking. Don’t let another day go by without knowing what your case is worth.
Free Consultation. 24/7 Availability. Hablamos Español.
Phone: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Email: ralph@atty911.com
Principal Office: 1177 W. Loop South, Suite 1600, Houston, TX 77027 (Serving Howard County and all of West Texas)
Call 1-888-ATTY-911 now. The corporations that poisoned you have a team of lawyers. Now you have one too.
