Chemical plant explosions can cause catastrophic damage to victims and their families. Whether the explosion was caused by human error, safety violations, or equipment failure, the results are the same – serious and even fatal injuries, leaving families with emotional, physical, and financial challenges.
If you have been injured or a loved one was tragically killed in a chemical plant fire or explosion, Munley Law chemical plant explosion lawyers can help identify your legal options and fight for maximum compensation.
Immediate Steps After a Chemical Plant Explosion
Life in the aftermath of a chemical plant explosion can be chaos as you deal with traumatic physical and mental injuries. It can be hard while you are still reeling from the experience to think clearly, but protecting yourself legally and financially requires a few steps.
Seek Medical Attention
The most important thing is to get medical treatment. As you likely know, chemical explosion injuries can be hidden. When you breathe in hazardous gases, the symptoms may not be immediate, but the exposure is there. Both visible and hidden medical conditions can get worse without treatment. Even if you don’t believe you were injured or that your injury is too minor to matter – get treatment. Delays in medical treatment can not only impact your health but the viability of your legal options down the line.
Record Your Medical Timeline
You will want to document the timeline of your medical care and keep all records, including the doctor’s diagnosis and medical bills. Share every little detail with your doctor so they can document it; this includes initial symptoms and ongoing changes to your health. Even minor or seemingly unrelated things can potentially connect back to hazardous exposures at the explosion and be critical evidence. If your doctor’s office doesn’t take photos of your injuries, take photos of your injuries immediately and over time. Everything will be useful if you choose to file a lawsuit.
Preserve Evidence
Preserving evidence is also important to your legal case. This can involve safely keeping any personal protective equipment or clothing you were wearing at the time of the accident. Evidence should also include photos or videos of the accident, the incident report, and any documentation relating to the conditions that led up to the accident, such as work logs.
Record Your Version of Events
Write or record your version of the events on the day of the accident. Start from when you arrived at the plant, through the explosion and your subsequent care. No detail is too small and could be useful as your attorney prepares your case.
Contact our experienced chemical plant explosion attorneys now for immediate guidance on protecting your rights after an accident.
Chemical Plant Explosion Injuries
A massive explosion can be more than a workplace accident and become a public health risk, causing catastrophic injuries to those in the surrounding community. Injuries from a chemical plant explosion vary drastically from minor burn injuries to internal injuries and traumatic brain injuries.
Burn injuries are among the most common injuries our law firm sees in plant explosions. Whether the burns are from fire or chemical burns, they fall into four categories:
- First-degree burns (least severe burns)
- Second-degree burns
- Third-degree burns
- Fourth-degree burns (most severe burns)
It is common for people to suffer different burn degrees on different parts of their body based on exposure.
Burn injuries may be the most common, but they are hardly the only injuries we see following a chemical plant explosion. Other severe injuries we see include:
- Respiratory damage from inhaling smoke, chemicals, and other airborne contaminants
- Blast injuries and trauma, including spinal cord injuries, broken bones, concussions, internal injuries, and hearing loss
- Blunt-force trauma from falling debris
Chemical plant explosions also present unique long-term health effects. Toxic gases, which can be carcinogenic, are often released into the air when a chemical plant explodes. Chemical exposure can lead to an increased risk of certain cancers and respiratory illnesses.
Additionally, there is no understating the long-term mental health impacts following an explosion. Post-traumatic stress disorder is a common diagnosis in chemical plant explosion victims.
Don’t wait to get help – our attorneys understand the complexity of chemical plant injuries and will fight for your maximum compensation.
Types of Chemical Plant Explosions
There are four main types of chemical and industrial plant explosions:
- Pressure vessel explosions which occur when a pressurized container, like a tank or boiler, ruptures due to over-pressurization, corrosion, or mechanical failure
- Unintended chemical reaction due to improper handling, mixing, exposure, or storage
- Dust explosions which happen when fine, combustible particles like powdered chemicals or metal dust become suspended in the air and ignite
- Gas leaks and vapor cloud explosions which occur when flammable gases or vapors, such as methane or hydrogen sulfide gas, leak and mix with air, forming a vapor cloud
Each type of explosion requires specific personal injury expertise. Contact our chemical plant explosion lawyers for a thorough, free consultation.
Common Causes of Chemical Plant Explosions
Chemical plant explosions can have many causes. While natural disasters cause some, unfortunately, most of these accidents are preventable. The most common causes of these explosions include:
- Equipment failures and defective equipment
- Safety protocol violations
- Improper equipment maintenance
- Human error
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation violations
If you’ve been injured in a chemical plant explosion, let our investigation team of explosion lawyers uncover the true cause and hold responsible parties accountable.
Your Legal Rights After a Chemical Plant Explosion
If you have been injured in a chemical plant explosion, you are entitled to compensation. Your legal rights will depend on a few different factors, including whether the chemical plant was your employer and who was at fault for the explosion.
Workers’ Compensation Claim
If you are a chemical plant employee, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. This is a no-fault claim you file with your employer’s insurance company. No fault means it doesn’t matter if your employer or another employee was negligent; you are entitled to compensation regardless of where the finger is pointed. Workers’ compensation is primarily administered at the state level, with each state having its own workers’ compensation laws, regulations, and insurance requirements.
Third-Party Personal Injury Claims
A third-party personal injury claim may also be possible to file if you are an injured worker of the chemical plant. These claims do take fault into consideration. You can only file a claim if the plant explosion was caused by a third party (i.e., someone who is not your employer, such as an equipment manufacturer).
When you are not one of the injured workers but rather a victim in the surrounding community, you will be filing a third-party personal injury claim. Who is liable in your case will depend on the facts of your case. Your plant explosion attorney will conduct a thorough investigation to determine who is liable; most often, it will be the chemical plant. However, others, such as equipment manufacturers, may be liable if their defective equipment contributed to the explosion.
Wrongful Death Lawsuit
If your loved one was tragically killed in a chemical plant explosion, you may be entitled to file a wrongful death lawsuit. While nothing can take away the pain of losing a loved one, your family shouldn’t be weighed down by medical expenses and funeral costs during this difficult time.
Statute of Limitations
Different types of lawsuits have different time limits on when you can file them; this is called the statute of limitations. For example, when filing for workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania, you typically have three years from the date of injury to file or two years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit.
Chemical explosion cases have some exceptions because many of the health impacts of a chemical plant explosion aren’t immediately apparent. In these cases, the statute of limitations begins on the date the injury was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered. This exception is called the discovery rule. If you have concerns about the statute of limitations, the qualified chemical plant explosion lawyers at Munley Law can help you calculate them and determine your claim eligibility.
Protect your legal rights – schedule a free consultation with our chemical plant explosion lawyers to understand your options.
Chemical Plant Safety Requirements and Violations
Chemical plants are strictly regulated by both the federal government and at the state level. At the federal level, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) sets regulations to protect workers in chemical plants and address in-plant emergency response. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes and enforces regulations around chemical plant community protection. Individual state agencies also regulate chemical plants, including requirements for emergency preparedness plans.
Regardless of the safety regulations, safety procedures are often violated. Common violations include
- Chemical plants failing to provide employees with appropriate personal protective equipment
- Improper storage of chemicals
- Insufficient dust control and ventilation
- Inadequate training for employees
- Insufficient equipment maintenance
Chemical plants are also required to adhere to certain industry standards. These chemical industry safety and emergency preparedness standards are set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
If you suspect safety violations led to your injury, our attorneys will thoroughly investigate your claim. Contact us today.
How We Help Chemical Plant Explosion Victims
If you are the victim of a chemical plant fire or explosion, you need an experienced chemical plant explosion attorney. Your average personal injury or workers’ compensation attorney won’t know the ins and outs of the chemical industry. You need plant explosion attorneys who:
- Are experienced in the investigative process for chemical plant explosions
- Are used to gathering the massive amount of evidence required to get maximum compensation in these cases
- Have working relationships with the best expert witnesses to attest to industry standards, safety protocols, and other relevant topics in your case
- Have ongoing relationships with medical expert witnesses who can discuss the serious injuries specific to this unique type of explosion
- Are experienced in negotiations with chemical plant insurance companies
Let the experienced premises liability attorneys at Munley Law handle your case while you focus on recovery. Contact us 24/7 for a free consultation.
