In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert welcome back fan-favorite trial lawyer Will (now with The Counsel Table podcast) alongside Ryan Loya, who's fresh off launching his own firm. After some classic Dirty Verdict banter—college football pain, unexpected fan shoutouts, and law-firm "launch party" flexes—the conversation pivots into a deep dive on one of the most catastrophic industrial incidents Houston has seen in years: a propylene leak and explosion that devastated a neighborhood in January 2020.

Will and Ryan break down how the litigation evolved into a massive Texas MDL, why the case became "the gamut" of tort claims (personal injury, property damage, business interruption, subrogation, and more), and how the trial team secured two monster verdicts—$37.8M in the first trial and $118M+ in the second. The group also digs into trial strategy: how MDL "trial tracks" get chosen, how the defense approached (and arguably misplayed) damages, the value of picking the right liability narrative, and why juries—especially younger jurors—are thinking differently about corporate accountability.

If you want a real-world masterclass in explosion litigation, MDL mechanics, and trial tactics under pressure, this one's loaded.

Show Highlights (with timestamps)

• 00:00:00 – 00:01:00 — Intro
• 00:01:00 – 00:02:22 — Will's return + the running joke about his podcast spinoff era (The Counsel Table / "coaching tree" banter).
• 00:03:03 – 00:04:28 — Ryan Loya joins, shares his background, and announces his new firm launch (including the Bentley showroom party).
• 00:04:28 – 00:05:33 — Law-firm websites, domain-name chaos, and the "starting a business is just buying URLs" reality.
• 00:06:15 – 00:07:52 — College football detour: hostile road environment stories and Texas/Georgia frustration.
• 00:07:52 – 00:09:43 — Fan shoutouts, the "who's your favorite host?" debate, and the crew reacting in real time.
• 00:09:43 – 00:12:13 — The incident overview: propylene leak, ~10+ hours of gas accumulation, switch flip → explosion → neighborhood damage.
• 00:12:13 – 00:14:00 — Casualties and injuries discussed; why Houston's lack of zoning can put heavy industry next to homes.
• 00:13:42 – 00:15:12 — MDL explained (for non-lawyers): centralized claims, same tort, different damages—how it differs from class actions.
• 00:15:12 – 00:17:03 — The case complexity explodes: nuisance, injury, property, insurer subrogation, business interruption; plus bankruptcy complications.
• 00:18:05 – 00:21:31 — Defendants and liability focus: gas detection systems, service obligations, corporate handoffs, and the "we didn't own it anymore" defense.
• 00:20:47 – 00:21:31 — The first big number lands: $37.8M (Trial 1), and the second: $118M+ (Trial 2).
• 00:21:31 – 00:23:14 — How MDL "trial tracks" are picked: plaintiff picks vs defense picks and the strategy behind each.
• 00:23:14 – 00:24:57 — Settlements/non-suits reshaping the lineup right before trial; trial team composition and collaboration across firms.
• 00:26:03 – 00:28:00 — Trial strategy critique: defense under-anchoring damages, limited pushback, and why that can backfire.
• 00:28:18 – 00:29:31 — Key tactical move: narrowing targets ("ride one horse") to simplify the liability story for the jury.
• 00:31:02 – 00:32:18 — Fault allocation talk + a rare joint enterprise finding discussion and what it means in practical terms.
• 00:33:07 – 00:34:36 — The "reptile" angle without gross negligence: internal safety language like "protect the community" becomes trial fuel.
• 00:38:06 – 00:39:48 — Appellate counsel mentions + jury selection decisions (including shuffling based on early panel composition).
• 00:42:44 – 00:44:14 — Trial 2 injuries: orthopedic workups/surgeries, chemical exposure claims, and the major plaintiff: a 9-year-old with scleroderma.
• 00:46:03 – 00:47:25 — Practice pointer: the danger of trial-depo video strategy and how cross-exam choices can haunt you.
• 00:46:31 – 00:48:30 — Deliberations lasted days; holdout dynamics; biggest award in Trial 2: $58M to the child plaintiff.
• 00:48:30 – 00:49:36 — A Gen Z juror's accountability mindset: "I'm not signing unless the corporate defendant is 51%+."
• 00:50:18 – 00:52:28 — Will reflects on how the show helped his firm; big shoutouts to the collaborative team that carried the case for years.