Get Help from a Houston Plant Explosion Lawyer When You’ve Been Hurt
Explosions at plants and refineries and the fires they ignite often cause severe and permanent injuries that require extensive medical treatment. They may also lead to death. Our experienced plant explosion lawyers help injured victims get compensation to pay for their medical care and other damages. We also help bereaved families of people who have been tragically killed in plant explosions.
As anyone who pays attention to news reports knows, chemical explosions happen far too often in Texas. Just recently, there was the Port Neches blast that hurt three workers and the Crosby explosion that killed one and injured others. These are just a couple of examples, but there are many more. And many of them could have been prevented if companies complied with safety regulations. But in a state powered by the chemical industry, profits can take priority over people.
If you’ve suffered serious injuries from a work accident at a plant, we want to speak with you. If you are a first responder who was hurt or a resident living near a plant that exploded, we want to learn how we can help you. Our skilled Houston plant explosion lawyers provide free consultations. We assist people injured in a variety of chemical plant, refinery, and storage facility and tank explosions. Call us at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000 to schedule a free consultation.
Here is a sampling of our firm’s successes in chemical plant explosion cases:
- $2.06 million for arm, shoulder, and neck injuries from refinery explosion
- $1.72 million for back surgery due to refinery explosion
- $1.16 million for injuries in plant explosion
Why Do Plant Explosions Happen in Texas?
Texas, and especially Houston and the Gulf Coast, is the capital of the nation’s petrochemical industry. This industry is largely unregulated, according to an in-depth investigation by the Houston Chronicle, which noted that during one approximately single-year period, there were plant explosions every six weeks.
When no one is paying attention, it’s not surprising that issues leading to explosions happen. Here are some reasons explosions may occur:
- A disregard or lack of attention to safety standards
- Aging infrastructure that isn’t fixed or replaced
- Poor training of workers
- A lack of proper equipment
- Defective products.
These dangerous and negligent explosions happen at oil refineries, fertilizer plants, storage facilities, underground pipelines, and elsewhere. If you’ve been hurt in one, our Houston plant explosion lawyer wants to learn about your case. If it was caused by negligence, we’ll fight for you to get compensation for your injuries.
Who is Responsible for Plant Explosions?
When the oil and gas industries save money by not putting proper safety procedures in place, they risk workers’ lives. They also risk causing devastating harm to surrounding neighborhoods and the people who live in them. When this happens, they can be held liable through a legal claim. If explosions occur because of defective equipment, designers and manufacturers of those products may also be to blame. Our attorneys will review your unique situation to understand and establish liability. Call (713) 973-8888 now to schedule a free consultation.
Getting Help After a Workplace Injury Due to a Plant Explosion
Workers injured in plant explosions may be entitled to workers’ compensation insurance benefits. If your employer doesn’t provide workers’ compensation, you may have other options. Here is a breakdown of possible help you can get.
Workers’ Comp
If your employer carries workers’ comp, you can file a claim to get medical coverage and partial wage replacement benefits following a workplace injury. However, workers’ comp only pays for two-thirds of weekly wages and there is a waiting period before benefits start.
Non-Subscriber Lawsuits
Texas is the only state in which employers are not required to provide workers’ compensation. Employers who don’t provide it are called non-subscribers. Unlike companies that carry workers’ comp, non-subscriber companies can be sued in court by injured employees of chemical plants.
Third-Party Claims
Sometimes contractors and other third parties at chemical plants and refineries, such as product manufacturers, may be responsible or partly responsible for plant explosions. Workers who are hurt in blasts that are caused by parties other than their employers may be able to file third-party claims. Both workers employed by companies that carry workers’ comp and those employed by non-subscribers can bring third-party liability claims.
Our Houston Plant Explosion Attorney Will Review Your Case
Once we learn about your case, we’ll explain what financial recourse you may have for your injuries and help you pursue it. Even if your employer carries workers’ comp, we may be able to help you get additional money through a third-party claim.
To learn more, contact the accident and injury law office of Terry Bryant today to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation with a Houston plant explosion attorney. Call us at (713) 973-8888 or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000.
Damages and Compensation for Plant Explosion Injuries
Every case is different when it comes to compensation. But when injuries are especially severe, jury awards have ranged into the millions. For example, in 2018, a Houston jury awarded an incredible $38 million to a severely injured victim of an explosion and fire at a Georgia-Pacific wood processing plant.
What you might get for your case will depend on your degree of damages, or losses. Damages in plant explosion cases may include compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost or reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Punitive damages for extreme negligence.
Once we understand all the facts of your case, we can advise you about a potential value range. Then we will go to work holding the responsible company or other party accountable.
Our Plant Explosion Attorneys Help Families Who’ve Lost Loved Ones
Tragically, deadly plant explosions also lead to fatalities. If you’ve lost a loved one and their company carried workers’ comp, you can file a claim for benefits. We can answer your questions and assist you with the filing process. Our plant explosion attorneys will also advise you about damages you may be able to get through a wrongful death lawsuit (or survival action). In Texas, surviving spouses, parents, and children can bring wrongful death claims.
Types of damages claimed in wrongful death suits include:
- Medical costs
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Lost income
- Lost inheritance
- Lost love and support
- Pain and suffering.
Every wrongful death claim is different when it comes to settlements and awards. Contact us to learn more about potential compensation for your family member’s loss. Call us at (713) 973-8888 to schedule a free, no-pressure consultation.
Injured by an Explosion Near Your Home? Get Help Today.
The Houston and Gulf Coast areas are filled with petrochemical plants and storage tanks, many of which are very close to residential neighborhoods. Explosions at these facilities have led to entire neighborhoods being evacuated. They have also led to complaints of injuries and illnesses.
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury from an explosive blast that rocked your home or you became ill due to toxic gases and chemicals leaked into the air or water, we want to help you. You shouldn’t have to pay the financial price in addition to the physical costs simply because you live near dangerous chemical facilities run by negligent companies.
Call us today at (713) 973-8888 to speak with a compassionate Houston plant explosion lawyer.
First-responder Hurt in a Negligent Plant Explosion? We Are Here for You.
Brave emergency responders are the first ones rushing in to aid others when devastating plant explosions happen. And, unfortunately, they often pay a price in injuries for their heroism.
If you are a firefighter, police officer, paramedic, or EMT who responded to an explosion and fire and were hurt, we may be able to help you get compensation for your injuries.
Our law firm is here for you and your family. Speak with a plant explosion attorney by calling (713) 973-8888 today.
Type of Life-Changing Injuries Plant Explosions Cause
Plant explosions can cause severe injuries and illnesses that last a lifetime. They also cause emotional, mental, and psychological impacts. Here are some of the life-changing effects of plant explosions:
- Burns
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Broken bones
- Severe cuts and bruises
- Soft tissue damage
- Damage to lungs and other organs
- Paralysis
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Cancer, heart attacks, and respiratory illnesses
- Post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental and emotional problems
- Death.
These injuries and illnesses require expensive and sometimes long-term medical care. And many people who experience them are never able to work again. With the help of a Houston plant explosion attorney, you may be able to get compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and emotional suffering and other costs.
What to Do Following a Plant Explosion
If you are seriously hurt in a plant explosion, you may be taken to the emergency room. Even if your injuries are not thought to be an emergency, see a doctor as soon as possible. Sometimes serious injuries don’t show up right away.
To help your legal claim:
- Keep a file with your medical records and bills.
- Consider keeping a journal that describes your pain levels and how the injuries have affected your day-to-day life.
- Speak with an experienced Houston plant explosion lawyer.
It’s important not to wait to get legal assistance following a plant explosion injury. There are deadlines for filing workers’ comp and legal claims. If you miss these deadlines, you may not get benefits or compensation.
Always speak directly to an attorney about the deadlines that apply in your unique case.
Call Our Skillful Plant Explosion Attorneys for Help
Don’t hesitate to speak with a Houston attorney when you’ve been hurt or lost a loved one due to a plant explosion. Our supportive plant explosion attorneys understand the physical, emotional, and financial devastation that victims of negligent oil, gas, fertilizer and other chemical plant explosions face. We will carefully review all the evidence in your case to determine liability. We’ll compassionately advise you throughout the claims process to ensure that your interests are upheld. At the same time, we’ll aggressively pursue compensation from the negligent parties responsible for your injuries or your family member’s death. Call the accident and injury law office of Terry Bryant today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Reach out to us at (713) 973-8888, or toll-free 1 (800) 444-5000.
Attorney Terry Bryant
Terry Bryant is Board Certified in personal injury trial law, which means his extensive knowledge of the law has been recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, setting him apart from many other injury attorneys. The 22 years he spent as a Municipal Judge, Spring Valley Village, TX also provides him keen insight into the Texas court system. That experience also helps shape his perspective on personal injury cases and how they might resolve. This unique insight benefits his clients. [ Attorney Bio ]