Refinery and Plant Explosion Information

An explanation of Refinery and Plant Explosion Accidents, including a list an explanation of the causes of explosions at factories, refineries, and plants, a guide to determining liability, and information on the statute of limitations for Refinery and Plant Explosions.

Understanding Refinery and Plant Explosions · Causes of Explosions at Plants and Refineries · Determining Liability · Statute of Limitations

Understanding Refinery and Plant Explosions

Oiil refineries, chemical plants and other chemical producing industries have accidents that result in serious and catastrophic injuries and deaths to their workers every year in the United States. Explosions, gas and chemical spills, fires and other accidents pose extreme hazards for people employed by plants and refineries each day. Despite safety regulations and laws, accidents occur far too often and the resulting injuries are often severe and may cause permanent disabilities. In the most severe cases, oil refinery and petrochemical plant accidents can be fatal because of exposure to toxic chemicals and the incidence of explosions and fire-related deaths. Although it is well known these are dangerous occupations, that does not mean that employers and third parties are not responsible when their actions, or failures to act, cause a preventable injury or death. Refinery and plant explosion accident lawyers work to protect the rights of injured workers by pursuing the justice and compensation they deserve. In addition, successful lawsuits that result in major settlements or verdicts can serve to convince a corporation that investing in safety is a good business decision, thereby protecting future employees.

Causes of Explosions at Plants and Refineries

The most common refinery and plant accidents involve falls, toxic fumes, explosions, fires, and electrocution. In addition, many workers are injured while using defective or dangerous products including scaffolding, cranes, power tools, derricks, hoists, conveyors, ladders, winches, trucks, graters, tractors, bulldozers, forklifts, as well as many other types of equipment found at or near industrial, refinery and plant worksites.

Other common causes of plant accidents and refinery explosions include:

Determining Liability

Refinery owners are obligated to provide a work environment that is properly maintained and meets safety and environmental guidelines and regulations. When a refinery accident, such as a fire or explosion, takes place and causes serious injury or death, an attorney can examine safety violations and other forms of negligence that may have contributed to the accident in order to determine liability.

Depending on the circumstances surrounding the plant accident or refinery explosion, a worker may be entitled to a personal injury claim against a third party, such as the manufacturer of defective equipment, a negligent property owner, or against other corporations. Because of the nature of explosions, determining all of the parties who may be held liable for paying damages to the injury victim requires extensive knowledge of the industry, and it is advisable to trust your case to an attorney who has experience in this area of law.

If a refinery or plant employee is injured on the job by an accident, Workers' Compensation will cover payments for medical treatment and lost wages in many cases. However, Worker's Compensation allows no compensation for the pain, suffering, and trauma suffered by the accident victim and his or her family. Workers' Compensation is a no fault system, so there is no need to prove fault on the part of your employer in order to collect payments.

Statute of Limitations

There are specific rules regarding the timing of making a claim and filing a lawsuit in connection with a refinery or plant explosion. These time limits are known as statutes of limitations and they vary depending on which state the accident occurred in and the circumstances surrounding the accident. If claims are not made and lawsuits not filed according to the applicable statute of limitations, you may lose your rights forever and waive your option of recovering compensation for your injuries. In order to be certain that the statute of limitations on your refinery or plant explosion accident case does not run out, it is advisable to contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

All content on Accidents.com is for informational purposes only and is NOT intended as legal or medical advice. Please seek advice from a professional on any related topics.

Tags:  Legal Help · Plant and Refinery Explosions · Work Accidents