Family Sues After North Slope Oil Worker's Tragic Death

Lawsuit alleges negligence led to crushing incident that killed 23-year-old Adam Trujillo.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 11:43pm

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The family of Adam J. Trujillo, a 23-year-old North Slope oil field worker who died in a construction accident in 2024, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the companies they say were negligent in his death. Trujillo was crushed between two pieces of an emission stack that was being assembled. This is one of multiple lawsuits brought after a string of separate workplace fatalities in the remote Alaska oil fields over a roughly yearlong period.

Why it matters

Workplace safety and accountability are major concerns in Alaska's oil patch, where limited police presence and controlled public access can make reporting and investigating incidents difficult. This lawsuit aims to shed light on the circumstances around Trujillo's death and hold the responsible parties accountable.

The details

According to the lawsuit, Trujillo, an employee of Chosen Construction, was helping to assemble a smoke stack consisting of four 28-foot, 6-ton pipe sections at the North Slope's central compressor plant. A Merkes Construction worker in charge of the project instructed Trujillo to apply sealing material to the mating surface of two pipe sections. The worker then caused a crane line connecting one section to be disconnected, and without proper support, the pipe section rolled into the other, fatally crushing Trujillo between them.

  • Trujillo died in June 2024.
  • The lawsuit was filed by his estate last week.

The players

Adam J. Trujillo

A 23-year-old North Slope oil field worker employed by Chosen Construction who died in a construction accident in 2024.

Jim and Victoria Trujillo

Adam Trujillo's parents, who are serving as representatives of his estate in the lawsuit.

Merkes Construction

The company being sued for negligence in Trujillo's death.

Dennis Merkes

The owner of Merkes Construction, Merkes Builders, and Merkes Enterprises.

Chosen Construction

The company that employed Adam Trujillo.

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What they’re saying

“Our heartfelt condolences and continued prayers are with Adam's family and loved ones. Adam was a good friend to our crew.”

— Dennis Merkes, Owner, Merkes Construction

“It has been a long almost two years. It's kind of crushed life out of everybody. It's been tough. It's been really tough.”

— Jim Trujillo, Adam Trujillo's father

“This will be kind of a closure for us.”

— Jim Trujillo, Adam Trujillo's father

What’s next

The judge will decide on whether to allow the lawsuit to proceed in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

This tragic incident highlights the ongoing challenges of workplace safety and accountability in Alaska's remote oil fields, where limited oversight can contribute to dangerous conditions and slow response times. The Trujillo family's lawsuit seeks justice and closure, while also raising broader questions about how to improve safety protocols and oversight in this critical industry.