Visualizing Justice: Animation Company Highlights Hidden Damage in Chain | Cohn | Clark Multi-Million Dollar Explosion Case

When a catastrophic explosion nearly took a Bakersfield truck driver’s life, the Law Office of Chain | Cohn | Clark stepped in — partnering with DK Global — to reveal the unseen brain injuries that turned a five-year legal battle into a $15 million victory for justice.

The local truck driver miraculously survived a devastating explosion caused by a defective compressed natural gas fuel system. The case demanded more than expert testimony to convey the extent of the trauma. The challenge: how to make a jury see the damage beneath the surface. That’s where DK Global came in.

Working closely with the law firm’s legal and medical experts, DK Global created a powerful animation that transformed complex neurological data into a clear, compelling visual narrative. This collaboration not only helped illustrate the catastrophic impact of the explosion but also played a pivotal role in securing a $15 million settlement for the victim and his family, a hard-fought victory after years of litigation.

DK Global highlighted the case on its website and through a video, featuring interviews with law firm managing partner and attorney Matt Clark, as well as attorney and partner Chris Hagan. Read the article and watch the video below, and on DK Global’s website:

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When a fuel technology company manufactures a fueling system, customers generally expect it not to explode — particularly not within its first hour after purchase. William Johnson, a 60-year-old CEO of a family trucking business in Bakersfield, had been hired by the County of Los Angeles to haul waste products. The contract required he use natural gas-powered trucks — not a diesel truck from his existing fleet. William went out and purchased two semi-tractors powered by compressed natural gas (CNG). The large, carbon-fiber-wrapped tanks holding CNG sat behind the cab and were pressurized to 3,600 PSI. William drove one of his new trucks only 22 miles and began its first fill-up. Before the tank hit full, the compressed gas ignited. The explosion sent a shock wave through the area with a force equivalent to 13 pounds of TNT detonating. The fireball obliterated the truck and the fueling station’s canopy. Responders had even recovered debris over a mile away from the scene.

Firefighters rushed to the scene and unearthed William. Thousands of carbon-fiber needles studded his body; a firefighter testified the shards made him look like a “porcupine.” A bolt torpedoed through his right jaw out through his temple. Unconscious, erratically breathing, and with his left eye hanging out of its socket, William was expected to perish en-route to the hospital. Instead, he fell into a month-long coma, his body overwhelmed by multiple traumatic brain injuries and a litany of fractures. During his coma, a talented surgeon solved how to 3D-print a titanium replacement for his shattered jaw. To everyone’s surprise, he miraculously recovered. After a few months of recovery, he could drive, dress, and feed himself. Both physically and mentally, he appeared unscathed. A stranger holding a conversation with him would have no idea of the catastrophic trauma he had suffered. However, his loved ones knew that his hair-trigger, irrational temper had replaced his once bright, easygoing personality.

A law school colleague referred the case to Matt Clark and Chris Hagan, partners at Chain | Cohn | Clark. For over 91 years, the law firm has fought for clients seeking justice, making it one of the oldest personal injury firms in the state. Matt and Chris represented both William and his wife, Joan, who have been married for over 40 years. The attorneys plunged into an extensive discovery process, involving tens of thousands of documents — including materials from over 20 non-expert depositions. They immersed themselves in the technical complexities of CNG fuel systems. Ultimately, defendants were identified as the fuel system manufacturer and those involved in the production and sale of the CNG tank.

The litigation sprawled across five years within the federal court system. In the beginning, the Defense frivolously argued that the victim was to blame for buying the truck in the first place. Matt and Chris didn’t entertain the notion. The Defense initially offered a $125,000 settlement. This amount wouldn’t even cover the cost of the victim’s destroyed truck (valued at over $200,000), let alone the $1,000,000 in medical bills. Mediations went nowhere, as the Defendants turned to each other, bickering as to who would take most of the liability.

One of the case’s unusual challenges was William’s remarkable recovery. His lack of residual injuries was a common ground for the Defendants to unify and downplay William’s current health and prospects for a happy life. The challenge then would be to demonstrate the extent of Willian’s brain injury that would affect him for the rest of his life. To prove damages, Matt and Chris brought on a neurologist, neuropsychiatrist, neuroradiologist, life care planner, vocational rehabilitation specialist, and a psychiatrist specializing in brain injuries. They also enlisted engineering experts to address the pressurized fuel systems and the carbon-fiber overwrap. However, they knew their client’s hidden brain injuries would need to be made visible for a jury to understand the extent of his suffering.

Matt and Chris brought on DK Global to work with their experts to create an animation that would visually show their client’s trauma. The final animation dissected the victim’s multiple traumatic brain injuries. It began with a 3D reconstruction of the victim’s face with his skull and brain visible. Cross sections of the victim’s brain were flown out to reveal CT and MRI scan captures of his hemorrhages, edema, effacement, and herniation. The overall effect would allow a potential jury to correlate exactly where various injuries seen on imaging occurred within the victim’s brain anatomy.

A focus group brought in by Chris and Matt found the animation very compelling. Though it was never shown to a jury, the attorneys introduced the animation during expert depositions. The Defense had nothing to present that could counter the visuals and, instead, tried and ultimately failed to convince the judge to exclude the animation from being presented to a potential jury. After a week of trial, the parties reached a $15,000,000 settlement for damages. The liability aspect was left to jury verdict. Matt and Chris adopted a “Switzerland approach,” staying neutral leaving the three Defendants to fight among themselves as to who was liable. Ultimately, all three Defendants were declared to be partially responsible for the explosion. The outcome proved to be an enormous relief to William and his wife after their multi-year battle in federal court.

Matt Clark, managing partner at Chain | Cohn | Clark, joined the firm in 2006, after serving as a litigation associate at another local law firm for five years. Before turning 40, he was selected to the Rising Stars list in Southern California by Super Lawyers Magazine and honored as one of the 20 Under 40 People to Watch by Bakersfield Life Magazine. He has been ranked as a Southern California Super Lawyer. He has focused on personal injury law, including auto accident, sexual abuse, elder abuse and neglect, wrongful death, and other accident and injury cases.

Chris Hagan, partner at Chain | Cohn | Clark, has more than 20 years of experience as a trial lawyer. He has worked as an attorney since 2003, providing litigation services for insurance companies, public entities, and private businesses with a focus on personal injury, insurance defense, public entity liability, and employment litigation. He has been named a Super Lawyer, included in the “Up-and-Coming 100” Rising Stars list in Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine, and has been annually listed in the publication’s Super Lawyers rankings. He’s earned an AVVO rating of 10/10 as well as a Martindale-Hubbell AV preeminent rating. He served as a past president of the Kern County Bar Association.

“It’s hard to tell a story strictly with words and having those animations that DK Global has prepared for us is just remarkable.”

— Chris Hagan – Chain | Cohn | Clark

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If you or someone you know is injured in an accident at the fault of someone else, or injured on the job no matter whose fault it is, contact the attorneys at Chain | Cohn | Clark by calling (661) 323-4000, or fill out a free consultation form, text, or chat with us at chainlaw.com.