In
March 2005, an explosion and fire at a sprawling BP oil
refinery in Texas City -- located about 35 miles south of
Houston -- killed 15 workers and injured more than 100
others in the worst industrial accident the U.S. has seen in
decades. Texas City is also the site of the worst industrial
accident in U.S. history: In 1947, a fire on a ship at the
city’s docks led to an explosion that killed 576 people.
Houston is considered the energy capital of the world, with
hundreds of thousands of workers employed in the region’s
oil and gas refinery operations in and around the Texas Gulf
Coast. The Texas Gulf Coast has a crude operable capacity of
4.035 million barrels of refined petroleum products per
calendar day - 87.0 percent of the Texas total and 24.5
percent of the U.S. total.
The petrochemical industry is an inherently dangerous
environment, where serious personal injury, property damage
or wrongful death can
occur in the event of a catastrophic accident or explosion.
If you or a loved one has been involved in such an accident,
click here for a
free Personal Injury claim review.
The most common causes of catastrophic explosions at oil
refinery, gas extraction, gas processing and chemical plant
facilities include:
- Improper maintenance
- Improper repair
- Defective products
- Improper safety systems
- Violations of industry codes, standards and practices
- Improper training
- Operator error
These accidents can result in severe injuries that in
some cases could have been prevented: burns (fire, steam and
chemical); electrocution; chemical and toxic gas exposure;
explosive trauma; respiratory disorders; falls and safety
restraint failure; as well as
wrongful death.
In the state of Texas, the owner of the petrochemical
facility and each of its subcontractors and other service
providers are potential defendants in a catastrophic or
explosion case. Their roles and conduct in maintenance,
repair, shutdown or startup must be investigated and
examined to determine if there were violations to safety and
environmental guidelines and regulations.
If you or a loved one has been injured while working in the
oil and gas industry in the Houston, TX region, Barry &
Loewy LLP can help. You may be eligible for compensation for
medical bills, physical and mental anguish, disability and
loss of income to heirs (in the case of a
wrongful death). Barry & Loewy LLP individually reviews
your unique situation to promptly inform you as to whether
or not you have a case.
If you or a loved one has experienced a serious personal
injury or wrongful death at a refinery or petrochemical
plant, please contact
Barry & Loewy LLP today.
