Houston Refinery Accident Lawyer

At AK Law Firm, we are proud to serve as a valuable source of information and support for clients injured in oil refinery accidents in Houston. When you hire our firm to represent you in an oil refinery accident claim, we will do the following on your behalf:

• Prepare and conduct a detailed investigation into your claim
• Collect all available evidence
• Interview any possible witnesses to the accident
• Identify all potentially liable parties
• Identify all possible means of compensation
• Pursue any workers’ compensation claim
• If warranted, file a personal injury lawsuit against any responsible third-party
• Work diligently to obtain all compensation legally available for your injuries and losses promptly

Employers are generally helpful with workers’ compensation claims; however, you may pursue other avenues of recovery. AK Law Firm can review your oil refinery accident claim and advise you of any additional options for reimbursement. There are time limits to file an oil refinery accident claim in Houston, so reach out to a work injury lawyer at our office today.

Oil refineries are large, industrial complexes that process crude oil into gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, kerosene, and liquid petroleum gas. They employ thousands of workers who use hazardous substances and heavy machinery every day to make these products. Although oil refineries are required to follow strict safety rules and regulations, there are a lot of opportunities for accidents to occur.

When accidents do happen, they often involve massive fires and explosions that result in severe or even deadly injuries to workers. Some of the more common causes of oil refinery accidents include:

• Improper safety training or lack of safety training.
• Failure to comply with federal and state laws, industry safety standards, and protocols.
• Failure to supply safety equipment or providing insufficient safety equipment.
• Failure to train and provide site visitors with proper safety equipment.
• Failure to provide adequate or working fire suppression equipment.
• Failure to provide routine maintenance to equipment.
• Failure to repair or replace faulty equipment.
• Faulty design or manufacturing of equipment.
• Cracks and fissures in pipes and lines.
• Cracks and fissures in chemical storage units.
• Improper storage of hazardous fluids.
• Failure to report safety violations.

There are injuries more common to the oil refinery industry than other workplaces. These include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Burns. When refineries use Coker units, employees are subject to second and third-degree contact burns. Coker units heat oil to more than 900 degrees Fahrenheit. After a suffering a burn injury, get in touch with a Houston burn injury attorney from our firm.
• Chemical exposure. Chemical reactions cause container and the release of toxins into the atmosphere. This results in worker injury and multiple chronic diseases.
• Gas exposure. The decomposition of crude oil releases toxic gases, including sulfur dioxide and benzene. These gases are emitted from containers into the air and inhaled by workers. Mercury vapor and hydrogen sulfide are released into the oil refinery atmosphere along with diesel exhaust fumes. All of these toxins may result in lung disease, including lung cancer.
• Explosions. Oil refineries remove hydrogen from oil. This process is hazardous because hydrogen is a combustible gas. Any concentration of hydrogen in the atmosphere, when combined with a spark, can create a massive explosion.

There are generally four kinds of compensation that the victim of an oil refinery accident may seek. For more information on any of these methods of recovery, it is best to consult an experienced Houston oil refinery accident lawyer. They are as follows:

• Workers’ compensation. As an employee injured at the workplace, workers’ compensation benefits are most likely available. No proof of fault or wrongdoing is necessary to collect workers’ compensation benefits. However, workers’ compensation benefits are generally far less than those available through a Jones Act claim or a third-party personal injury claim.
• Jones Act compensation. Workers classified as “seaman,” spending a significant amount of time working on a vessel, qualify for compensation under the Jones Act. This is instead of, not in addition to workers’ compensation. The Jones Act is a federal law. It compensates a seaman for medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering. Workers’ compensation does not pay anything for pain and suffering.
• Product liability. If a defective product caused a worker’s injury, product liability law applies. Product liability law may hold any party in the distribution chain of the product liable for the injury.
• Personal injury liability. If a third party, like a contractor, was at fault for a workers’ injury that party may be liable for the personal injury and any damages.

In exceptional cases, when more than one of the above is liable for a worker’s injuries or death, multiple sources of compensation may be available. To learn more about the types of compensation that are available to you or a loved one, contact AK Law Firm today.

At AK Law Firm, we offer our clients a client-focused legal experience. Our attorneys will communicate with you through every step of your claim, as well as answer your questions and include you in any decision-making.

This is your case and your future. Let us be your guide along the way.