Undefeated Midland Plant & Refinery Accident Lawyers
Were you or a loved one injured in a plant or refinery accident in Midland, TX? You need the best legal representation possible to hold the company fully accountable for the losses you’ve suffered. Our experienced Midland plant & refinery accident lawyers have a proven track record of standing up to some of the largest corporations–and winning big when it matters most.
Our lawyers at Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers have already won billions on behalf of injury victims and their families – including many of Texas’s largest accident recoveries in history. If you or a family member were seriously injured or killed, our lawyers won’t stop until we’ve recovered the total compensation possible in your case.
Just contact our law offices in Midland, Texas, at 432-220-0000 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about how our undefeated lawyers can help you win your case.
Table of Contents
- How Our Record-Setting Midland Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After an Accident
- Statistics on the Dangers of Plant & Refinery Accidents in Texas
- Laws Governing Plant & Refinery Safety: An Overview
- Why Do Plant & Refinery Accidents Happen in Texas?
- What Is My Midland Plant & Refinery Accident Case Worth?
- What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Plant & Refinery Accidents in Texas?
- How Long Do I Have To File a Claim for Compensation After a Plant & Refinery Accident in Texas?
- Contact Our Undefeated Midland Plant & Refinery Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation Today
How Our Record-Setting Midland Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You After an Accident
A serious injury is devastating, with consequences that can take a lasting toll on every aspect of your life. Your employer and their insurance company may promise to “make things right,” but they will only make things more difficult. You don’t have to deal with it alone.
When they deny responsibility or attempt to pay you as little as possible for your injuries and losses — and they will — our Midland personal injury attorneys know exactly how to fight back and win the full compensation and justice you deserve.
With Billions won, we have recovered the largest victories for accident victims in Texas and across the U.S., including the single largest oilfield burn injury settlement in history.
When you hire our undefeated attorneys, you are hiring a team that does whatever it takes to secure your future and support you every step of the way:
- We assemble a team of the best and brightest attorneys, experts, and specialists to quickly gather evidence and prove how the accident happened and should have been prevented. We work harder and longer than our opponents, devoting whatever time and resources necessary to build your case and hold reckless companies accountable.
- We make sure you receive the best medical treatment possible. And we’re here for you around the clock, from helping you pay your medical bills and reasonable living expenses while your case is pending to setting you up with financial advisors to protect your settlement when your case is resolved, because our clients are our top priority.
- We identify all sources of financial compensation, handle the paperwork and legal issues and aggressively negotiate for the maximum compensation possible, so you can focus on what matters most.
- We NEVER settle for less than the maximum compensation. We prepare every case for trial, so that if (and inevitably when) those responsible do not want to pay the full damages you deserve, they will face us in the courtroom, where we remain undefeated to this day.
- We not only win for industrial workers seriously injured, catastrophically burned, or tragically killed in plant, refinery, pipeline, or workplace accidents and explosions – we set records.
To learn more about how our lawyers can help you win your case, call for a free consultation today.
Statistics on the Dangers of Plant & Refinery Accidents in Texas
When plant and refinery accidents do occur in Texas, they have the potential to be devastating. Every day, workers are exposed to the risk of fires, explosions, and dangerous substances and equipment.
Texas consistently has the highest number of workplace fatalities in the nation–with 578 workplace deaths in 2022. That’s no surprise, as Texas is also the center of the nation’s petrochemical industry. In 2022, Texas was responsible for 42% of all crude oil production in the U.S. and 27% of all marketed natural gas production
At least 25 chemical accidents occurred in the first half of 2023 alone. While not every accident is deadly, thousands of workers in the Permian Basin and across Texas are injured in these dangerous accidents every year.
Laws Governing Plant & Refinery Safety: An Overview
Plants and refineries in Texas are subject to strict state and federal safety regulations. Plant and refinery operators are required to follow the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)’s safety regulations to the letter.
Plant and refinery operators must:
- Conduct regular property inspections to identify any violations and ensure safe working conditions
- Provide workers with proper safety equipment and protective gear
- Regularly inspect and maintain all equipment and machinery
- Promptly replace damaged or worn equipment and machinery as necessary
- Properly train employees on all health and safety procedures
- Provide workers with adequate warning of all worksite hazards
- Comply with all OSHA health and safety regulations
- Keep the workplace free of unnecessary hazards
- Notify OSHA whenever an accident injures at least three workers or kills even one worker
OSHA has the authority to conduct plant inspections and issue citations and fines for any violations. Still, the industrial industry moves at a fast pace. Operators often cut corners to improve profit margins–which can put workers at increased risk.
Why Do Plant & Refinery Accidents Happen in Texas?
Plant and refinery accidents in Texas occur for the same reasons that any other type of accidents occur. Unfortunately, the stakes are much higher when an industrial accident happens.
At Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers, we handle all types of plant & refinery accident cases, including those involving:
Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosions (BLEVEs)
BLEVEs happen when liquids stored in a sealed vessel begin to boil. When the liquid starts to release gas, that gas can take up more space than when it’s in liquid form. If the vessel isn’t large enough, it will eventually explode.
BLEVEs can be extremely dangerous. If you were injured or lost a loved one in a BLEVE, our undefeated explosion accident lawyers are here to help you fight for full compensation.
Failure to Maintain Plant Equipment and Facilities
It’s critical to make sure that all equipment, machinery, and facilities are maintained in safe condition. Plant operators are required to conduct regular inspections to ensure boilers, pressure valves, alarms, and other safety features are in good working order.
Equipment and safety failures are a leading cause of industrial accidents. For example, when an alarm fails to warn workers about abnormal conditions, the results can be deadly. Alarm failures were cited as the cause of the BP Texas City Refinery Explosion.
Failure To Properly Train and Supervise Plant and Refinery Employees
Under OSHA safety regulations, all employees must be trained in:
- Risks associated with hazardous substances
- Chemical safety control measures and safety hazards
- Emergency response protocols
- How to properly use PPE
- Safe use of electrical equipment
- Hot work
- Lockout/tagout procedures
- Forklift safety procedures
It’s up to the plant or refinery to implement proper training and safety protocols. Unfortunately, when those protocols are inadequate or improperly enforced, accidents become much more likely.
Explosions Caused by Corrosion
Liquid and gasses are often moved through metal pipelines and stored in metal tanks and vessels. When that metal erodes over time, the risk of explosion increases significantly. While corrosion is sometimes obvious, it can also be missed even by trained inspectors.
Contaminated Chemicals
Plants and refineries are subject to strict regulations about the types of chemicals that can be used in the worksite. These chemicals can be highly volatile. When they’re improperly stored or allowed to come into contact with other substances, they may become contaminated–leading to potentially disastrous results for nearby workers.
Regardless of how you were injured, our Midland plant & refinery accident attorneys are here to fight for you. If you were injured due to a natural gas explosion, contaminated worksite or even combustible dust, we can help you fight for the money you need and deserve.
What Is My Midland Plant & Refinery Accident Case Worth?
When it comes to assessing your case value, details matter.
While all cases are different, your case value will depend on:
- The severity of your injuries
- The cost of your medical care
- Whether you’ll suffer any permanent disability
- The value of your lost earnings
- Whether you’ll return to work in the same capacity
- The emotional and physical trauma you have suffered
Your case value can also be impacted by whether you’re entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit or are limited to Texas workers’ compensation benefits.
In Texas, employers can choose whether to subscribe to workers’ compensation. When they don’t, you retain the right to sue them for damages if their careless acts caused you to get hurt.
What Types of Damages Are Available to Victims of Plant & Refinery Accidents in Texas?
The types of damages you can recover depend on how you seek compensation.
Workers’ compensation covers:
- Your reasonable and necessary medical expenses
- Temporary disability
- Permanent disability
- Death benefits for survivors of fatal accidents
If you can file a personal injury lawsuit, you can seek compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages, including:
- Past and future medical expenses
- 100% of your lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Disfigurement
- Loss of consortium
Bottom line? If you were injured on the job, consult our experienced attorneys in Midland. We can make sure you aren’t leaving money on the table.
How Long Do I Have To File a Claim for Compensation After a Plant & Refinery Accident in Texas?
It’s important to consult a lawyer as soon as you can.
In Texas, you must give your employer notice about your injuries or illness within 30 days. If you wait longer, you risk losing your right to workers’ compensation benefits.
If your employer doesn’t carry workers’ comp insurance, you have two years to sue for damages. The same two-year statute of limitations applies if a third party (someone other than your employer) was responsible for the accident.
Contact Our Undefeated Midland Plant & Refinery Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation Today
If you or a loved one were injured in an industrial accident, you need the best possible law firm in your corner, a team with a track record of securing the largest verdicts and settlements in Texas history.
With Billions won, our undefeated Midland plant and refinery accident lawyers have successfully represented over 1,000 industrial workers against the largest insurance, oil and gas, maritime, and energy companies in the world. We have seen just how far companies will go to avoid responsibility when workers and contractors are seriously injured and killed on the job, and we don’t let them get away with it.
Contact us at 1-888-603-3636 to discuss your legal rights and options.
All consultations are free and confidential, and you won’t pay us a dime unless we win your case.