Tennessee: Families of AES explosion victims prepare lawsuit, reject company's workers' comp defense [View all]

Related: AES fined $3M for ‘indifference’ to worker safety in blast that killed 16 (WPLN-FM)

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Source: WSMV-TV

Families of AES explosion victims prepare lawsuit, reject company’s workers’ comp defense

The lawsuit is expected to be filed no later than next Friday.

BUCKSNORT, Tenn. (WSMV) - Six months after a deadly explosion at an Accurate Energetic Systems plant killed 16 people, the families of victims are preparing to file a lawsuit against the company following a $150 million demand letter that was rejected.

The families of Steven Wright and Reyna Gillahan are moving forward with legal action after AES responded to the demand letter.

“In response, we got a rejection. We got an announcement of their defense, which is their position that workers compensation in Tennessee is the exclusive remedy for any injury in the workplace,” said attorney Darren Richie.

Jennifer Ward, the client liaison for the Wright and Gillahan families, said the company sent t-shirts with the deceased loved ones’ pictures on them to the families, along with a $50 gift card to Walmart.

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Read more: https://www.wsmv.com/2026/04/16/families-aes-explosion-victims-prepare-lawsuit-reject-companys-workers-comp-defense/