Oil Refinery Accident Lawyers In Galveston

Personal Injury Law Firm Advocating For Refinery Workers In Texas

With the energy industry playing a major role in Galveston, Brazoria County, and across Texas, many employees work in dangerous conditions, whether in oil fields or at oil refineries. If you have been hurt in a refinery accident, you don’t have to fight the oil companies and insurance companies on your own. Our team of Galveston oil refinery accident attorneys at Beeton Shabot LLC can help you pursue the justice you are owed. We have helped many clients recover fair compensation over the years and know how to handle tough and complex injury claims. No matter your situation, we are here to advocate for injury victims.

Arrange your free case evaluation by calling 409-291-4364. Our firm is here for you.

Common Causes Of Refinery Accidents

There can be many causes for an accident at a refinery, but common causes include:

• Fire
• Product failure
• Repetitive motion
• Chemical spills and leaks
• Equipment malfunction
• Slips and falls
• Falling objects
• Failure to properly coordinate activity

How Legal Representation Can Help You After A Refinery Accident

If you or your loved one has been hurt in an accident at a refinery, there could be medical costs, lost wages, loss of future wages and other expenses that you now have to worry about. Insurance companies typically want to limit the amount of money they payout. Our Galveston personal injury attorneys can help clients seek financial compensation for medical expenses, workers’ compensation or a product liability claim if the accident was caused by defective equipment or machinery. Trust your case to our team today!

Common Injuries From Texas Oil Refinery Accidents

Refinery accidents can cause life-altering injuries, including:

• Burns: Which may require surgeries or skin grafts
• Respiratory injuries: Such as those resulting from inhaling toxic fumes or smoke
• Crushing injuries: Such as bone fractures or amputations, resulting from heavy machinery accidents
• Traumatic brain injuries: Which can lead to memory loss and long-term cognitive problems
• Hearing loss: Such as a partial loss or complete deafness resulting from constant loud noise or sudden explosions
• Chemical exposures: Which could cause painful chemical burns and long-term health problems
• Spinal cord injuries: Which could lead to paralysis and profound changes in mobility and independence
• Occupational diseases: Such as cancers or chronic lung conditions

Such oil refinery injuries often require extensive medical treatment. They may keep you from being able to return to work for a long period of time. They can also have countless ramifications for your quality of life. The deeply impactful nature of these injuries makes receiving full compensation for them critical. Our oil refinery accident lawyers are here to help you pursue the financial relief you need to cope with the unique effects of your injuries.

Standing Up For Refinery Workers Across Texas

Texas is home to numerous large-scale oil refineries such as:

• Motiva Port Arthur Refinery
• ExxonMobil Baytown Refinery
• ExxonMobil Beaumont Refinery
• Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City
• Phillips 66 – Sweeny Refinery

Our team is deeply familiar with the unique safety concerns that can arise at such complexes, as well as offshore platforms, petrochemical plants and smaller operations. If you are injured at an oil facility in the Texas Gulf Coast region or elsewhere in the state, our refinery accident attorneys stand ready to fight for your rights.

Do Injured Texas Refinery Workers Have Workers’ Comp Rights?

Unlike most states, Texas law generally does not require employers to be in its workers’ comp system. So, to have workers’ comp rights after a refinery injury, your employer must have opted into this voluntary system. If they have, you are generally entitled to benefits, such as coverage of medical treatment and a portion of lost wages, for work-related injuries. To preserve these rights here in Texas, you typically need to report your refinery injury to your employer within 30 days. This system is no-fault. This means you do not have to prove anyone was to blame for your injuries to receive benefits.

When Can You File A Personal Injury Claim Over A Refinery Accident?

There are many reasons why an injured refinery worker may want to consider a personal injury lawsuit. This includes that such claims can provide access to damages not available under workers’ compensation such as pain and suffering.

If your employer has not opted into the workers’ comp system, you are allowed to sue them for a work accident. To do so, you need to show that your injury resulted from employer negligence.

If your employer has opted into workers’ comp, you generally cannot sue them directly for your injuries. However, you could still pursue a personal injury claim if a third party was responsible for your accident. Common grounds for third-party claims for refinery injuries include:

• Defective equipment or machinery
• Toxic chemical exposure caused by other entities
• Negligent contractors

Our team can meticulously investigate every aspect of your refinery accident to identify all potentially responsible parties and all possible routes for compensation.

Pursuing Product Liability Claims For Refinery Injuries

Product liability claims are a common type of third-party injury lawsuit in refinery accidents. This includes claims related to equipment failure or faulty safety gear. Texas allows for strict liability claims for product-related injuries. This means you do not need to show that a manufacturer or seller was negligent to receive compensation. Rather, you just need to show that the product was defective and caused your injuries. In Texas, you generally have two years from your injury date to file a product liability lawsuit. If you suspect your refinery accident was caused by a faulty product, our attorneys can guide you through the process of pursuing such a claim.

Refinery Accident Cases Require Knowledgeable Legal Experience

Refinery accident cases have unique intricacies that make them very different from typical workplace injury claims. These include:

• Complex industrial processes and equipment
• Multiple potentially liable parties
• Technical evidence such as safety reports and engineering analyses
• Resources deployed by oil companies to minimize payments
• Complicated interactions among various areas of law

Having a legal team that understands these unique facets is critical. Our oil worker injury attorneys have extensive experience with refinery accident cases. They know how to build strong and effective cases, even against powerful opponents.

Call For Personalized Service From Our Galveston Accident Firm

One of the things that sets Beeton Shabot LLC apart from other law firms is that our attorneys go the distance and actually do the work for clients. When one of our personal injury lawyers is hired by a client, they will handle the case from start to finish, providing them with detailed and honest feedback along the way. We have secured fair financial compensation for our clients over the years. Let us pursue the same outcome for you.