refinery accident injuryCompensation for Chemical Plant Injuries in Texas

Plants and refineries—even those with good safety records—are, by their very nature, dangerous places.

When chemical plant accidents occur, the types and severity of potential burn injuries may be varied, but they have one important thing in common: an injured worker may be entitled to compensation from their employer. The process for acquiring that compensation will depend on the situation.

Before our Pasadena personal injury attorney team explores compensation, however, let’s take a look at some of the common types of injuries employees may suffer in a plant or industrial refinery setting.

No Injury Is a Good Injury

The physical and often complicated labor required at plants and refineries provides plenty of opportunities for injuries.

An employee could be hurt in a fall, whether they slip while on the ground or tumble from an elevated platform or from the scaffolding that was not properly set up. They could be hurt if there is a toxic chemical spill, a fire, or an explosion. Or they could be hurt while loading or unloading equipment or by heavy equipment that malfunctions.

Whatever the specific cause of the accident, the resulting injuries can be quite severe. Some possible injuries include:

  • Burns, disfiguring cuts, and/or broken bones
  • Hearing loss or lung damage related to smoke inhalation
  • Damage to organs or nerves
  • The amputation of a limb
  • A traumatic brain or spinal cord injury

Any of these injuries have the potential to have long-term impacts on your life and career. And so it is only fitting that you should be fairly compensated if you suffer one of these injuries—or any other injury—while on the job.

The Compensation Question

In many cases, the proper course for pursuing compensation is through the workers’ compensation system. However, in Texas, an employer can opt out of workers’ comp. When a company does so, they are known as a non-subscriber employer—and pursuing compensation against them will likely involve taking them to court.

Even if your employer does participate in the workers’ comp program, there are still situations in which you may need to take them to court to pursue the full amount of compensation that is appropriate in your situation.

If your employer has acted negligently—evidence of which can often be found by checking the company’s record of violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s requirements—you can file a personal injury claim. Even without a negative OSHA history, a company can still be found negligent due to employee testimony regarding training practices and/or as a result of photographic or video evidence.

When it comes to pursuing compensation, your best move is to hire an experienced attorney who will know how to investigate your case and how best to argue on your behalf. Your employer and their insurance company may well try to lowball you—and to do so quickly so that they can reach a low settlement before you have a chance to think the whole thing through and take stock of the full extent of your injuries and their consequences. Hiring an attorney can ensure that doesn’t happen.

We should note here that the lawyers of SJ Injury Attorneys do not handle workers’ compensation cases. However, our team has the expertise and diligence necessary to fight on your behalf in a non-subscriber case or in a case in which you are suing your employer for negligence that led to your injuries.

Let Us Help You Get the Compensation You Deserve

As we have noted, companies and their insurance providers have an interest in paying you as little as possible after you have been injured at work. They may try to rush you to agree to a settlement in the immediate aftermath of your injuries, hoping they can dangle a little money in front of you to avoid having to pay significantly more money later.