Marathon Loses $46 Million Indemnification Verdict in Fire

Marathon Petroleum Co. is no longer owed a $46.48 million jury award, a state appeals court ruled, throwing out the verdict against a contractor involved in a deadly fire at a Texas refinery.

Marathon’s contract with Industrial Specialists LLC doesn’t provide for comparative indemnity, where each party covers losses for their own extent of negligence, the court said.

Instead, the contract says Industrial is excluded from liability for indemnification for damages attributable by any negligence of Marathon.

“Accordingly, we hold that Marathon is not entitled to any indemnification for the settlement under the parties’ agreement,” Chief Justice Terry Adams of ...