Welder sues over injuries at Tinian military construction project

A California welder has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Guam alleging he suffered severe injuries while working on a major U.S. military construction project on Tinian, one of the largest ongoing defense infrastructure projects in the Northern Mariana Islands.

Steve Gonzalez, a California resident employed by Nova Group Inc., alleges he was injured on June 11, 2024, while performing welding work on a fuel pipeline project associated with the Francisco Manglona Borja-Tinian International Airport, formerly North Field.

The project is part of the U.S. military buildup in the Marianas and involves the construction of fuel tanks, a receipt pipeline and a hydrant fueling system for the U.S. Air Force.

According to the complaint, Black Micro Corp. was awarded a contract valued at approximately $225.8 million by the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, or NAVFAC, for the Tinian project. The lawsuit names Black Micro Corp., Black Construction Corp., and unnamed defendants.

The complaint alleges Gonzalez was working inside a welding enclosure along a pipeline corridor when a section of large-diameter fuel pipeline became dislodged from its supports during nearby heavy-equipment operations and fell onto his feet and lower legs.

Gonzalez claims the pipeline was being installed along a route connecting Tinian's port area to the airport and that construction operations involved welding and staging sections of pipeline through a cleared corridor across the island.

According to the lawsuit, Gonzalez sustained bilateral crush injuries, including fractures to his feet and ankles and damage to tendons and soft tissue. The complaint states he was treated by first responders on Tinian, transported to a hospital on the island, airlifted to Saipan for further evaluation, and later transferred to the mainland United States, where he underwent surgery and continues to receive medical treatment.

The lawsuit alleges negligence, negligence per se, and negligent hiring, retention and supervision. Among other claims, Gonzalez alleges inadequate safety planning, insufficient worksite supervision and failures related to crane and heavy-equipment operations. These allegations have not been proven in court.

The defendants have not yet filed a response to the complaint.

Gonzalez is seeking damages for medical expenses, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other relief to be determined at trial. He has also requested a jury trial.