Undefeated Refinery Accident Lawyers
When an accident strikes at work, nothing is ever the same. Your family’s day-to-day, let alone the road to recovery, feels completely overwhelming. But while you’re left to face the physical, emotional, and financial toll alone, the company responsible often does everything possible to avoid responsibility.
Your employer may promise to “take care of you,” but injured refinery workers are frequently rushed back to work before they’re ready or pressured to rely solely on workers’ compensation — which will never cover the full scope of your injuries and losses. You cannot leave your future in their hands.
At Zehl & Associates, our Undefeated Plant Explosion Lawyers have recovered Billions for injured industrial workers, including some of the largest settlements and verdicts in history for catastrophic refinery accidents. We understand the challenges you’re facing, and we fight to protect your rights, hold negligent companies fully accountable, and secure the future you deserve.
Read on to learn how we can help after a Motiva refinery accident or explosion.
Motiva Enterprises: Operator of North America’s Largest Refinery
Headquartered in Houston, Motiva Enterprises is a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, operating North America’s largest refinery in Port Arthur, Texas. The refinery produces roughly 12 billion gallons of fuel products annually and markets petroleum under the Shell and 76 brands.
Motiva Port Arthur
Spanning 4,600 acres on the site of Texas’s first refinery (built in 1903), the Motiva Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex is the nation’s largest single-site refinery, employing more than 2,400 workers. With a combined throughput capacity of 720,000 barrels per day, it refines more crude than nearly any other facility in the United States.
History of Safety Concerns at Motiva
Despite its scale and resources, the company’s safety record reveals a troubling pattern of entirely preventable incidents and serious OSHA violations.
- Worker Killed – October 2025: A contract worker was fatally injured while performing maintenance work at the Port Arthur Manufacturing Complex. The cause of the accident remains under investigation.
- Caustic Vapors and Shutdown: Shortly after its grand opening in 2012, a major chemical spill released dangerous caustic vapors and forced a full refinery shutdown for months. Although no workers were injured, the incident cost Motiva billions and raised early concerns about safety practices.
- Repeated OSHA Violations: Over the last decade, Motiva has been cited over a half dozen times for serious safety infractions by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), including:
- Failing to protect workers from falls
- Failing to provide proper PPE for hazards like sulfuric acid
- Lacking written procedures for hazardous operations
Exposing workers to asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) without their knowledge
These incidents follow a common trend in the oil and gas industry: when companies prioritize profits over safety, employees and contractors are left at serious risk every day.
What To Do After a Motiva Refinery Explosion, Fire, or Accident
In the aftermath of a refinery explosion, chaos and confusion can make it hard to know what steps to take first. But one thing is certain — Motiva and its insurers will act immediately to protect their interests, not yours. With vast resources at their disposal, they’ll bring in lawyers, investigators, and insurance adjusters whose only goal is to limit their financial exposure by minimizing your injuries, shifting blame onto workers, and controlling the narrative from day one.
That’s why it’s critical that you move just as quickly. The actions you take in the hours and days following a Motiva refinery accident can determine whether you recover full compensation for your injuries — or end up with far less than you need to rebuild your life.
Here’s what to do after a Motiva refinery accident or explosion:
- Seek immediate medical care from a doctor you trust. Don’t rely solely on physicians chosen — and paid — by Motiva or its workers’ comp insurance carrier. Their priority is protecting the company, not your long-term health.
- Don’t limit yourself to workers’ compensation. Workers’ comp benefits rarely come close to covering your full losses, especially when you factor in future medical care, lost earning capacity, and pain and suffering that can be recovered through a personal injury or third-party lawsuit.
- Document and preserve critical evidence. If you’re able, take photos or videos of the accident scene before it’s cleaned up or repaired. Save the clothing, boots, and safety gear you were wearing in clean plastic bags — don’t wash or alter them. As soon as possible, write down everything you remember about the incident, including sounds, smells, or warnings that may have preceded the explosion.
- Get witness names and contact information. Coworkers, contractors, or even nearby residents may have seen or heard important details. Their accounts could be vital in proving what actually happened.
- Don’t provide a recorded statement. Insurance adjusters and company lawyers are trained to twist your words to protect the company. You’re under no obligation to speak with them before consulting an attorney.
- Never sign documents or accept payment without legal advice. Anything you sign — even a modest “goodwill” payment — could prevent you from filing a lawsuit later once you understand the full extent of your injuries and losses.
- Stay off social media. Avoid posting or commenting about the explosion, your injuries, or your recovery. Insurance companies actively monitor social media to find anything that could weaken your claim.
- Assume you’re being watched. It’s common for insurers to hire private investigators to follow and film injured workers in an effort to discredit their claims. Even simple actions, like carrying groceries or walking your dog, can be taken out of context to undermine your credibility.
- Contact an experienced refinery accident lawyer as soon as possible. Even if you think you’re limited to workers’ compensation, only an experienced refinery injury attorney can determine your best legal options and identify whether you have grounds for a third-party or personal injury lawsuit. The sooner you contact a top-rated refinery accident lawyer, the sooner they can begin investigating the explosion, preserving critical evidence, and fighting for the maximum compensation you’re entitled to under the law.
Who Can Be Held Responsible After a Motiva Refinery Accident?
Motiva, like all operators of large petrochemical facilities, has a legal duty to provide a safe workplace. However, refinery explosions are rarely caused by a single error or a single negligent party. Most often, these incidents result from a chain of preventable failures, with multiple companies and individuals potentially responsible.
Identifying every at-fault party is one of the most important steps in protecting your rights and securing the compensation you deserve. Potentially responsible parties include:
- Motiva Enterprises: If unsafe working conditions, inadequate maintenance, or general safety failures contributed to the accident, the refinery owner and operator may be held fully accountable.
- Third-party contractors and subcontractors: Negligence on the part of contractors — including unsafe welding, faulty repairs, or shortcuts on safety procedures — can contribute to an explosion and make them liable for damages.
- Equipment manufacturers: Defective machinery, valves, or other components may play a role in a blast. In these cases, a product liability claim could be pursued against the manufacturer.
- Other third parties: Inspection firms, safety consultants, chemical suppliers, and others may also bear responsibility if their errors or oversights helped create the hazardous conditions that led to the accident.
How Zehl & Associates Can Help Recover Maximum Compensation After a Refinery Accident or Explosion
The impact of your injuries goes far beyond medical bills — affecting your income, future earning potential, and overall quality of life. At Zehl & Associates, we understand the full scope of what has been lost after a catastrophic refinery accident. That’s why we take a different approach than other law firms — by truly getting to know you and your loved ones, understanding how the accident has affected your daily life, your work, and your future.
We use this insight to accurately calculate all of your damages, ensuring every loss is accounted for, and every responsible party is held accountable. Then, we fight relentlessly to recover the maximum compensation available under the law.
Here’s how we maximize compensation for injured refinery workers
- Comprehensive Damage Assessment: We evaluate all of your losses — past, present, and future — including medical treatment, rehabilitation, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, and long-term care needs.
- Pain and Suffering: We quantify the emotional and physical toll of your injuries so the jury sees the full human impact of the accident.
- Punitive Damages: When a company’s negligence is gross or intentional, we pursue punitive (or exemplary) damages to hold them accountable and send a message that cutting corners on safety comes with consequences.
- No Settlements Without Full Recovery: Every case is prepared as if it will go to trial, ensuring insurance companies and corporations know we are committed to securing the maximum possible award.
- Personalized, Strategic Approach: We work with top medical specialists to make sure you receive the best possible care — and to clearly demonstrate how your injuries have changed your life and the support your family will need moving forward.
- Balancing the Scales of Justice: By translating your story and losses into clear, compelling evidence, we position every case for the maximum compensation possible under the law.
Every case is unique, but our goal is always the same: to ensure that you’re able to continue caring and providing for yourself and your family for the rest of your life.
Motiva Refinery Lawyers: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consultation
With decades of experience and Billions won, our undefeated Refinery Explosion Lawyers are nationally recognized for repeatedly recovering record-setting recoveries on behalf of industrial workers who were injured or tragically killed in connection with the worst plant, refinery, and pipeline explosions in history. Most recently, we secured a record-setting $85.7 Million Settlement (2025) for a worker seriously injured in a refinery scaffolding accident.
If you or a loved one was injured or tragically killed in a Motiva refinery accident, contact us today for a free consultation at 1-888-603-3636 or send us a confidential email through our Contact Us form.
We have the resources, knowledge, and experience to ensure that you and your family are fully compensated for all of your injuries and losses.
All consultations are free and confidential, and you won’t pay us a dime unless we win your case.
Frequently Asked Questions
The time you have to file a claim depends on the type of case. Workers’ compensation claims typically have strict deadlines under Texas law, often requiring you to report the injury within 30 days and file a claim within one year. For third-party personal injury or product liability lawsuits, the statute of limitations is usually two years from the date of the accident. Acting quickly ensures evidence is preserved and your rights are protected.
Yes. While workers’ compensation covers some medical expenses and lost wages, it does not fully compensate you for pain and suffering, permanent disability, lost future earning potential, or punitive damages.
The only way to hold the company FULLY accountable, prevent future catastrophes, and recover the full compensation you deserve is to file a refinery accident lawsuit. Otherwise, the facility will continue to place profit first.
In cases where a third party — including Motiva itself in some instances — is responsible, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover additional damages.
You may be entitled to compensation for:
- Medical expenses (past, current, and future)
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Loss of quality of life or enjoyment of life
- Punitive damages if the company’s negligence was gross or intentional
Yes. Large corporations like Motiva have teams of attorneys and insurance adjusters working immediately to protect their financial interests. Contacting an experienced refinery accident lawyer right away ensures your rights are protected, evidence is preserved, and you can maximize your potential recovery.
Suffering a serious injury in a refinery accident can leave you facing physical, emotional, and financial challenges that feel impossible to manage alone. At Zehl & Associates, we fight to maximize your compensation and stand by your side every step of the way, so you can focus on recovery while we handle the legal battle.
Here’s how we help injured refinery workers:
- Access to Top Medical Specialists: We connect you with leading doctors and medical experts to ensure your injuries are thoroughly evaluated and treated. Their expertise also helps demonstrate the full impact of your injuries when seeking compensation.
- Bills Covered While Your Case is Pending: You won’t have to worry about medical bills piling up while your case is in progress. We work to make sure your treatment is fully funded as part of our meticulous approach to calculating damages.
- 24/7 Support: Accidents don’t follow a 9-to-5 schedule, and neither do we. Our team is available around the clock to answer questions, provide guidance, and support you and your family.
- Never Settle for Less: We never accept a quick or lowball settlement. Every case is prepared as if it will go to trial, ensuring insurance companies know we are ready to fight for full compensation.
- Undefeated Track Record: Our unmatched record of Billions recovered and record-setting verdicts and settlements gives us the leverage to hold large corporations accountable and fight for every dollar you deserve.
We have the resources and experience to take on any petrochemical company or insurer in the world. And we don’t just win — we set records.
For more information, please contact our Undefeated Motiva Refinery attorneys in, Texas at Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.
We proudly serve Harris County, Midland County, and throughout the state of Texas. We are located in Houston and Midland and throughout the state of Texas:
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Houston
2700 Post Oak Blvd #1000, Houston, TX 77056
(888) 603-3636
Open 24 hours
Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Midland
306 W Wall St Suite 701, Midland, TX 79701
(432) 220-0000
Open 24 hours