Refinery Explosion Lawyer in Houston 

Houston Refinery Explosion Lawyer

The Houston metro area has 10 oil refineries, which collectively account for more than 45 percent of statewide crude oil production and nearly 15 percent of production nationwide. These facilities employ tens of thousands of workers and account for millions of dollars of economic production. However, they also represent a serious potential hazard.

Refinery explosions can happen when equipment fails, or refinery owners, contractors, or workers fail to properly follow safety procedures. Victims of refinery explosions are often left with extensive injuries that require costly medical care and time away from work.

If you are struggling financially and emotionally in the aftermath of a Houston refinery explosion, you should know that you could be entitled to financial compensation for your losses.

At The Callahan Law Firm, our trusted attorneys are dedicated to fighting for the rights of Houston refinery explosion victims. We are prepared to help by evaluating your case and working closely with you to pursue the compensation you are owed.

Contact our office now or call us 24/7 at (713) 589-7767 for a free initial consultation with a refinery explosion lawyer in Houston. Our office is conveniently located at 440 Louisiana St #2050, Houston, TX. We can help!

Establishing Liability in a Refinery Explosion Case

If you were injured in a Houston refinery explosion, you should not be forced to shoulder the financial consequences. Determining those responsible for the explosion is a complex and challenging process, which is why it is critical to consult with a refinery explosion lawyer as soon as possible.

Depending on the circumstances, you could seek compensation from:

  • The facility owner and operator – If the company that owns or operates the refinery failed to take all necessary steps to prevent an explosion, it should be held responsible for its negligence that caused or contributed to the incident.
  • A contractor – If a contractor or one of its employees caused or contributed to the explosion, claims based on negligence and gross negligence can be brought against those responsible.
  • A product manufacturer – If a defective product was a cause of the explosion, a product liability claim can be brought against the manufacturer and possibly others.
  • Your employer – If injured on the job, a workers’ compensation claim can be made with your employer.  Workers’ comp should then pay for related medical care expenses and a portion of loss of earnings.

Is There a Time Limit on Refinery Accident Injury Lawsuits?

Yes, there is a time limit in which a refinery accident injury lawsuit must be filed. The general rule in the state of Texas is that a personal injury lawsuit based on negligence must be filed not later than two years after the date of the incident that caused the injury.

There are, however, exceptions to this general rule.  It is best to consult with an experienced personal injury lawyer to prevent your case from being derailed by avoidable mistakes or missed deadlines.

What Makes Refinery Accidents So Hazardous?

Oil refineries process crude oil by separating it into its component substances. This processing requires intense heat, energy, and dangerous chemicals to initiate and sustain chemical reactions. If substances are improperly handled, combined, or heated during processing, they can release toxic gasses, spew harmful dust, or even explode.

The materials used in modern refineries are also often hazardous in and of themselves, well before any processing happens. Many of these substances are flammable, explosive, corrosive, or carcinogenic. Because of the nature of what they do, petrochemical refineries necessarily handle large quantities of these dangerous materials.

Due to the inherent risks in an oil refinery, facility owners, operators, and contractors must take extensive safety precautions. Workers must be thoroughly trained and equipped with appropriate protective gear, equipment, and storage structures must be routinely inspected and maintained, and proper procedures must be followed at all times.

If refinery owners, operators, or contractors are careless or reckless, even minor slip-ups can have significant consequences. An oil refinery explosion can harm people both inside and outside the facility, potentially causing devastating long-term effects.

Who Can Suffer Injuries from a Refinery Explosion?

Workers in oil refineries and petrochemical plants are at the greatest risk when an explosion happens. These individuals experience the initial shockwave of the blast, the dangers of fire spreading through a facility full of flammable materials, and the highest concentration of harmful substances released by the explosion.

However, refinery and plant workers are not the only ones who suffer injuries during these incidents. The force of the blast and the resultant smoke and chemicals emanating from an explosion can spread for miles. People who live or work near a refinery can suffer respiratory injuries and even permanent damage to the eyes and lungs following a refinery explosion.

What Can Cause a Refinery Explosion Accident?

Oil refinery and chemical plant explosions are preventable accidents.  History shows that when an explosion happens, negligence or recklessness is all too often the cause.

Common causes of refinery explosions in Houston include:

  • Lack of proper training – When workers lack the training to do their jobs safely, they are more likely to commit dangerous errors.
  • Welding accidents – When a welder begins work on a storage container or other structure needing maintenance at an oil refinery, explosions happen when flammable gasses are inadvertently present.
  • Improper storage – Refineries store large amounts of oil as well as refined products. If that oil or product is stored improperly or storage structures are poorly maintained, undetected leaks can lead to fires and explosions.
  • Improper waste storage – Refineries must store polluted waste from chemical spills before it can be purified. If the waste is stored improperly or in faulty containers, it can corrode structures, leak out, and contribute to explosions.
  • Cooling tower failure – Cooling towers are used to cool heated materials during refining. If these cooling towers fail, temperatures may spiral out of control, and runaway chemical reactions can lead to explosions.
  • Shut-off safety system failure – When accidents happen, remote shut-off safety systems can be the last line of defense against a disaster. If these systems are not installed or operational, dangerous explosions can happen.

What Are Common Injuries from Refinery Explosions in Houston?

Common types of injuries caused by oil refinery explosions include:

Contact Our Experienced Houston Refinery Explosion Lawyers Today

If you have questions about your rights and want to know whether you have a case after a refinery explosion, get in touch with The Callahan Law Firm as soon as possible. Our experienced Houston refinery explosion lawyers can provide the answers you need and explain your legal options.

Contact our office now or call us 24/7 at (713) 589-7767 to get started with an initial consultation.

To protect your interest and your legal rights, you should take the following steps after a workplace accident occurs:

  1. Seek medical attention immediately.
  2. Verbally notify your employer about the accident as soon as possible.
  3. As soon as possible and within 30 days, report the accident to your employer in writing and keep a copy of the notification for yourself.
  4. Contact an experienced workplace accident attorney to discuss your legal options, which may include bringing a personal injury action, a workers’ compensation claim, or both, depending on your situation.
  5. Keep track of your time off from work, medical bills, and healthcare records.
  6. Follow your physician’s treatment plan.

The trial lawyers at The Callahan Law Firm represent injured workers in a wide array of workplace accidents, including:

  1. Industrial accidents.
  2. Manufacturing accidents.
  3. Construction accidents.
  4. Heavy equipment accidents.
  5. Transportation accidents.
  6. Commercial vehicle accidents.
  7. Pipeline accidents.
  8. Explosions at work.
  9. Railroad worker accidents.
  10. Oil field accidents, including oil rig accidents.
  11. Maritime accidents and other offshore accidents.

Pursuing worker’s comp benefits without legal assistance can be complex and challenging, particularly when recovering from a severe injury. Retaining the services of a skilled attorney can provide the help you need to ensure you receive maximum compensation under Texas labor law.

If your employer does not have workers’ compensation coverage, or when a third party is responsible for your accident and injuries, the assistance of an experienced workplace accident lawyer is essential. Your attorney will investigate the facts of the incident to determine what happened and why, work to preserve and gather critical evidence, hire the appropriate experts, and take the necessary legal steps including filing a personal injury lawsuit against the responsible parties.

The general rule, under Texas statutes, requires you to file a personal injury workplace accident lawsuit that is based on negligence within two years of the date of the incident. You may lose your right to pursue a claim if you miss the deadline. For this reason, it is important to consult with a workplace accident lawyer as soon as possible. You’ll discover the proper statute of limitations for filing your claim and which legal path will optimize your financial recovery.

If your employer has workers’ compensation insurance and you were injured on the job, then under Texas law you can make a workers’ compensation claim and are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

If your employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance (is a non-subscriber) and you were injured on the job, your employer will only be required to pay for your medical care, lost wages and other damages, if you can prove that your employer’s negligence caused your injuries.

If the negligence of a third-party (someone other than your employer) caused your injuries, a claim can be made against that third-party for your damages including medical care expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, physical impairment, mental anguish and other damages.

Depending on the facts of what happened, you may have the right to compensation from multiple sources, including workers’ compensation benefits as well as a lawsuit against the company(ies) that caused or contributed to your injuries and damages.