Undefeated Houston Chemical Plant Injury Lawyers
Update: Our Chemical Plant Injury Lawyers filed the first lawsuit on behalf of contractors and nearby residents injured in the October 10, 2024 Pemex chemical release. This lawsuit comes weeks after our firm reached a confidential settlement on behalf of contractors injured in the May 2023 explosion at the Shell Deer Park refinery. See Ryan Zehl’s interviews here.
Two contractors tragically killed in connection with Thursday’s hydrogen gas leak at the Pemex Deer Park refinery were recovered early Saturday morning once the highly poisonous gas had finally dissipated enough for crews to safely enter the affected area.
However, Pemex is facing increasing scrutiny in the wake of the fatal incident, including a federal investigation that is only just beginning.
13 Workers Remain Hospitalized After Pemex Chemical Release
The Pemex chemical release occurred at approximately 4:40 p.m. on Thursday, October 10th, but the City of Deer Park did not issue a warning to residents until 7:00 p.m. At that point, residents of both Deer Park and Pasadena were advised to shelter in place with their air conditioners off.
The two unidentified contractors died at the scene, and it’s been reported that they may have come into contact with the deadly gas due to an open flange. Another 35 workers were treated on-site or transported to local medical facilities for hydrogen sulfide exposure, including 13 who remained hospitalized as of Friday.
During a news conference yesterday morning, Pemex Chief Executive Officer Victor Rodriguez confirmed that all of the workers injured or killed in the incident were contractors but did not identify their employer.
Pemex Criticized for Lack of Communication
The delay in warning Deer Park and Pasadena residents has raised criticism of the Pemex response, particularly what Harris County officials have characterized as poor communications in the immediate aftermath of the hydrogen sulfide leak.
“Being a good neighbor requires much more than what we saw during the Pemex incident,” Commissioner Adrian Garcia said during yesterday’s news conference. “We have been in conversations with the East Harris County Manufacturers Association, and they agreed to coordinate a meeting between our industrial neighbors and local governments in the coming week.”
Among other things, Garcia slammed Pemex for failing to use the CAER notification system as intended to keep residents informed. The Mexican state-owned company did post a message to the CAER website just three minutes after notifying Deer Park officials of the hydrogen sulfide leak, but the notification did not mention a gas release and seemed to many like an alert for routine maintenance.
“We are performing activities that may cause flaring. We are taking steps to minimize any noise, light, or smoke associated with this flaring activity. At this time, we are not aware of an impact to the community or our industrial neighbors,” the full message read.
Garcia also faulted Pemex for failing to provide an appropriate spokesperson to update the public and local officials and for refusing to make a public statement until the situation became a recovery operation.
“These communication failures left the community wondering whether they were safe, and that is absolutely unacceptable,” Garcia added.
U.S. Chemical Safety Board Investigates Pemex Deer Park Chemical Release
On Friday, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) announced it had opened an investigation into Thursday’s hydrogen sulfide release.
“This is a very serious incident that caused multiple fatalities and injuries and potentially put the surrounding community at risk,” Board chair Steve Owens said.
The CSB is an independent federal agency tasked with investigating incidents and hazards that result, or may result, in the catastrophic release of extremely hazardous substances. Although it has no enforcement power to assess fines for safety lapses that contribute to incidents like the Pemex Deer Park release, the Board’s non-binding recommendations are frequently adopted by regulators and industries and have been credited with saving countless lives.
Your Rights After Deer Park Hydrogen Sulfide Release
If you or a family member were hurt in connection with the Pemex chemical release, you may be entitled to compensation from the Mexican state-owned company or any other parties found to have contributed to the hydrogen sulfuric leak.
Depending on the specific circumstances, individuals who were working at the Pemex Deer Park refinery at the time may be able to pursue:
- Workers’ Compensation: If Pemex or its contractors carried worker’s compensation coverage, injured workers can receive benefits for medical expenses, lost wages, and disability. However, when companies provide workers’ compensation, employees and their families are typically unable to make legal claims against their employers. Workers’ compensation also only pays a portion of an employee’s average weekly wage (40-to-60% in Texas) for a limited period of time, so it likely won’t come close to covering all of the damages incurred as a result of the Pemex chemical release.
- Employer Lawsuit: Texas is one of the few states that does not require employers to carry workers’ compensation. However, if their employer opted not to subscribe to coverage, workers injured in the Deer Park hydrogen sulfide release may be able to sue the company directly. Unlike workers’ compensation, such a lawsuit would allow injured employees and their families to seek compensation for pain and suffering, loss of future earnings, and other non-economic damages.
- Third-Party Lawsuits: If the actions of a third party, such as a contractor or equipment manufacturer, are found to have contributed to the Pemex Deer Park chemical release, workers can also sue that entity for negligence. This includes cases where contractors or equipment suppliers contributed to the leak or failed to implement adequate safety measures.
- Wrongful Death Lawsuits: Surviving family members of those killed in the Pemex release may be able to seek damages for wrongful death against their loved one’s employer (if the company lacked workers’ comp coverage) and any third party whose actions contributed to the incident. Damages that could be awarded in such a claim include loss of their loved one’s income, loss of companionship, funeral expenses, and emotional trauma suffered by surviving family members.
Residents harmed by the Pemex chemical release may be able to pursue:
- Personal Injury and Negligence Claims: If Pemex or its contractors are found to have violated safety protocols or failed to maintain safe conditions, affected residents of Deer Park and Pasadena can file personal injury and negligence claims against those parties.
Undefeated Chemical Plant Injury Lawyers Representing Those Effected by Pemex Deer Park Chemical Release: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult.
Our Undefefeated Chemical Plant Injury Lawyers have already filed a lawsuit on behalf of contractors and nearby residents who developed symptoms associated with hydrogen sulfide exposure during the Pemex chemical release.
In addition to being undefeated, we’ve recovered billions for thousands of people in Texas and across the United States and consistently win record-setting verdicts and settlements against the largest companies in the country.
If you were affected by the Pemex Deer Park chemical release, please call 1-888-603-3636 or click here to fill out our confidential contact form.
We’ll take the time to answer all of your questions, explain your legal rights, and ensure you have the information you need to make the right decision for your family.
The consultation is free, and because we only work for a contingency fee, you won’t owe us anything unless we win your case.