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When a person works at a chemical plant, they understand then there will be certain risks involved in the job. Obviously, any type of chemicals can pose a threat if mishandled or improperly stored. However, when a chemical plant explosion occurs, this can lead to devastating consequences.
At the Doan Law Firm, our team is here to help if you need a Houston chemical plant explosion lawyer by your side. Our team has extensive experience handling complex explosion cases, and we have the resources necessary to determine the liability of any party involved. Our goal is to help victims secure the compensation they are entitled to.
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An experienced chemical plant explosion attorney in Houston is going to play multiple roles in these incidents. First and foremost, an attorney is going to have the resources necessary to conduct a complete investigation into these cases. This will include obtaining any safety records of the company or site where the explosion occurred. This can include employer records as well as the records of any third-party companies involved with the plant.
Additionally, an attorney will also work with federal and state safety regulators who may be brought in to help determine the cause of the incident. While this is ongoing, an attorney will ensure that their client is evaluated by trusted medical and economic professionals who can help properly calculate total expected losses.
There are various ways that chemical plant explosions can occur in and around the Houston area. Unfortunately, many of these explosions occur due to human error. At the Doan Law Firm, our investigations often find evidence that chemical factory explosions occur due to the following:
Often, our investigations will discover that chemical plant explosions in Houston are the result of a confluence of multiple mistakes made over long periods of time. For example, if employees receive inadequate training from the employer and the equipment they are using has been poorly maintained, this significantly increases the risk of a severe explosion.
The number one concern after a chemical plant explosion is injuries. Explosion and blast incidents often result in severe injuries for those in the vicinity. It is not uncommon for explosion injuries to result in permanent damage and lifelong disabilities.
There are various types of injuries that can occur as a result of a blast or explosion at a chemical plant in Houston, including the following:
Due to the nature of a chemical plant explosion, these traumatic injuries are not the only worry that individuals in the vicinity have. Exposure to chemicals, both on the exterior of a person’s body as well as through inhalation or ingestion, can lead to significant long-term health consequences. Additionally, individuals directly impacted by a chemical plant explosion in Houston can experience significant emotional and psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Aside from the health effects and injuries to workers and others around a chemical plant explosion, these incidents can lead to significant damage to the local environment around the area. Explosions can affect wildlife, local industries, and the health of residents in the vicinity.
If you or somebody you care about has been injured as a result of the careless or negligent actions of a chemical plant owner or operator, we encourage you to reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. A lawyer can examine the facts of the situation and determine the best steps moving forward for your particular case.
The ultimate goal is to prevent a chemical plant explosion from occurring in the first place. Factory managers and owners, as well as any relevant departments, must establish reasonable management regulations, make detailed emergency plans, and have a response plan in place in case an explosion does occur.
There need to be specific strategies in place to reduce risks and casualties. The main causes of explosion incidents can be mitigated by spending time training employees, ensuring that equipment is properly functioning, and ensuring that all employees know what steps to take in the event an explosion occurs or is about to occur.
All too often, chemical plant explosions occur, and it is later discovered that there were multiple points of failure in the months and years leading up to the incident. Chemical plant owners and operators sometimes take cost-cutting measures to save money in the short term but ultimately harm themselves and others in the long run.
There may be various types of compensation available to chemical plant explosion victims in Houston. At the Doan Law Firm, our team works diligently to recover both economic and non-economic losses on behalf of our clients. This includes:
When working to calculate total losses, an attorney will gather up all of the bills and receipts associated with the expenses. To calculate non-economic damages, a multiplier method will usually be used. This will include adding up all of the economic losses and then multiplying that total by a set number (usually a number ranging from 1.5 to 5). For example, if an individual sustains $300,000 worth of medical bills and lost wages after a chemical plant explosion, an attorney may use a multiplier of “three” to reach a non-economic damage total of $900,000. Overall, the attorney would ask for $1.2 million for their client.
There is no set amount of money available to Houston chemical plant explosion victims. Rather, the total amount of compensation these individuals receive will vary depending on the facts related to each particular explosion incident and their specific situation. Compensation amounts can fluctuate for a variety of reasons, including:
We strongly encourage you to work with a skilled chemical plant explosion lawyer in Houston who can examine the facts and circumstances surrounding your case and help recover maximum compensation on your behalf.
A skilled explosion accident lawyer will work with trusted medical and economic experts to fully examine the facts surrounding your particular case. These experts can provide reports to be given to insurance carriers, and they can also provide expert witness testimony during a personal injury trial, if a trial becomes necessary to ensure you receive full compensation.
If you or somebody you love has been injured in a chemical plant explosion in Houston, you need to take the steps necessary to secure full compensation for your losses. At the Doan Law Firm, our team suggests that explosion victims take the following steps in these situations:
There may be who could be held liable for a planned explosion in the Houston area, though a thorough investigation is needed to determine all possible liable parties. In some situations, more than one party could be at fault for an incident. Some possible liable parties include the following:
The company owning the plant is typically the first suspected liable party. They must comply with federal and state regulations regarding plant safety, operation, and maintenance. Failure to adhere to these regulations can have severe consequences.
Employees injured on the job are usually entitled to workers’ compensation insurance. Additionally, plant owners often have liability insurance policies covering accidents on the premises due to negligent employees or third parties.
If the explosion is due to equipment failure, a product liability claim against the equipment manufacturer may arise. This falls under a third-party lawsuit. Manufacturers could be liable for defective designs, manufacturing defects, or marketing defects (failure to warn). Proper instructions and warnings are crucial for the safe use of equipment in chemical plants.
There are other parties who could hold liability for a plant explosion incident, including any contractors or subcontractors working at the site of the incident, maintenance teams who work on equipment, and even government or private regulators or inspectors. The investigation conducted by the legal teams involved will help point toward any possible liable parties.
In the event a loved one loses their life as a result of a chemical plant explosion, the deceased individual’s surviving spouse, children, or parents may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. Wrongful death claims are challenging, and there are specific elements that must be in place in order for acclaim to find success. We strongly encourage you to reach out to an attorney with experience handling complex explosion cases and wrongful death claims who can help your family get through this process.
Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years from the date of the individual’s death, with a few exceptions. Failing to file a lawsuit within this specific time frame will likely result in the family becoming unable to recover in compensation for their losses.
When working to find an attorney after an incident like this, we know that one of your concerns is affordability. The good news is that our team handles plant explosion accident cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that we handle all upfront costs related to the claim and charge absolutely no legal fees until after we successfully recover the compensation you are entitled to. In the event we do not win the case, you will not have to pay anything at all. The final legal fee will be a previously agreed-upon percentage of any settlement or jury verdict we secure on your behalf.
If you or somebody you love has been injured in a chemical plant explosion in or around the Houston area, reach out to the team at the Doan Law Firm for help as soon as possible. We have a track record of success handling complex explosion cases in Texas and throughout the US, and we know what it takes to help you secure full compensation for your losses. This can include coverage of all medical bills related to the explosion, lost income if you cannot work, pain and suffering damages, and more. When you need a Houston chemical plant explosion lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling 800-349-0000.