Plant and Refinery Wrongful Death Lawsuits: What Families Need to Know

Refinery Wrongful Death Lawsuits | Undefeated Plant & Refinery Explosion Lawyers

Undefeated Plant & Refinery Accident Lawyers

Refineries and petrochemical plants along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast generate billions for oil and gas giants like ExxonMobil, Marathon, and Chevron. But those profits come at a devastating cost. Workers face constant dangers on-site, with the threat of explosions, fires, and falls ever present. Yet it isn’t the work itself that has claimed dozens of lives over the past decade — it’s corporations cutting corners on safety to protect profits, resulting in entirely preventable tragedies that have left countless families shattered.

If you’ve lost a loved one in a refinery or plant accident, the last thing you can do is trust the corporation or its insurers to “do the right thing.” They won’t.

At Zehl & Associates, we’ve stood up for families in the aftermath of the most devastating refinery and plant explosions in history — securing the largest record-setting wrongful death verdicts and settlements against the largest corporations in the world. We know what’s at stake for your family after a fatal accident, and we have the resources, experience, and results to hold these companies fully accountable.

Here’s what you need to know about your rights, your options, and how our undefeated refinery wrongful death lawyers fight — and win — for families like yours.

Why Families Choose Zehl & Associates

When it comes to refinery and plant accidents, results matter. But your attorney is only as good as their success both in and out of the courtroom. The best lawyers are defined not just by record-setting verdicts, but by how they stand beside families every step of the way.

At Zehl & Associates, our Undefeated Industrial Explosion Lawyers have won Billions for workers and families, including the largest verdicts and settlements in connection with the most catastrophic refinery, pipeline, and plant explosions in recent history.

We know what families go through after a devastating loss — from mounting bills to an uncertain future — and we make sure you have the support you need at every stage, from financial assistance while your case is pending to long-term planning after your recovery.

Watch our client videos to hear why so many of our former clients say: “Zehl treats you like family — and they took care of everything when we needed it most.”

What Causes Deadly Refinery and Plant Explosions and Accidents in Texas?

Plant and refinery accidents are happening more and more frequently across the Gulf Coast. According to the Coalition to Prevent Chemical Disasters, 28 major incidents were reported in Texas and Louisiana facilities in 2024, resulting in 4 worker fatalities and at least 58 injuries.

That deadly trend has already continued in 2025. In April, three contract workers were killed in a scaffolding collapse at Port Arthur LNG facility. Just four months later, a worker was tragically killed in a fatal accident at Golden Pass LNG in August. Weeks after, a massive explosion at Smitty’s Supply chemical plant in Louisiana exposed hundreds to hazardous chemicals and has become one of the biggest environmental disasters in the state in recent history. Each of these tragedies was preventable — and each underscores the enormous risks workers face when billion-dollar corporations put profits before safety.

In our experience, the root cause of most refinery and plant fatalities comes down to one thing: the industry’s relentless prioritization of profits over people.

The Most Common Fatal Accidents

Explosions & Fires: When companies ignore aging equipment, delay or skip essential maintenance, or fail to enforce hazard controls, a single spark can ignite catastrophic explosions or raging fires in seconds — hazards that have claimed countless lives across refineries and plants.
Chemical Releases: Leaks of toxic substances, like the 2024 Pemex Deer Park hydrogen sulfide release that killed two workers and injured 40 more, often result from neglected pipelines, faulty valves, and poor safety oversight.
Falls from Heights: Scaffolding failures remain one of the leading killers in industrial environments. Too often, these tragedies occur because companies skimp on construction, inspection, or maintenance to save time and money.

When companies cut corners, workers and families pay the price. While money can never make up for the loss of your loved one, taking legal action is often the only way to secure your future and force corporations to change.

Until oil and gas companies are held fully accountable, preventable tragedies will continue to devastate workers and their families.

What Is a Wrongful Death Lawsuit in Texas?

A wrongful death lawsuit is filed when someone’s death results from the negligence or careless, reckless actions of another party.

In refinery or plant accidents, this can include a refinery owner’s failure to maintain safe working conditions, a manufacturer producing defective equipment, or a contractor’s unsafe actions that contributed to the incident.

Who Can File?

Texas law allows surviving spouses, children, and parents of the deceased to file a wrongful death lawsuit. If they don’t, the executor of the estate may file on the family’s behalf.

Who Can Be Held Responsible?

Employers if they opted out of workers’ compensation — in some cases, you may be able to sue an employer even if they carry Worker’s Comp, but only an experienced lawyer can determine your options.
Contractors or subcontractors whose actions created unsafe conditions
Equipment manufacturers or suppliers of defective parts
Property owners or facility operators who failed to maintain safe premises

Texas follows a comparative fault rule, meaning you can pursue lawsuits against multiple responsible parties at the same time. Our lawyers work with top experts in metallurgy, fire origin, and OSHA compliance to uncover the truth and hold every at-fault party fully accountable.

What Damages Can Families Recover?

Surviving family members may pursue both economic and non-economic damages, including:

Lost income and financial support
Funeral and burial costs
Medical expenses before death
Loss of services like childcare and household maintenance
Loss of companionship, consortium, and parental guidance
Emotional distress and mental anguish

In some cases, families may also be entitled to punitive damages to punish corporations for egregious safety violations. Zehl & Associates has repeatedly recovered the largest punitive damage awards in U.S. history against oil and gas companies.

Survival Claims

Separate from wrongful death, a survival claim allows the estate to recover damages the deceased could have claimed had they lived — such as pain and suffering before death, medical expenses, and lost wages.

At Zehl & Associates, we pursue every available claim to ensure families receive the maximum compensation they are entitled to.

NEVER Trust the Company to “Make Things Right”

While it’s tempting to believe that an oilfield company will do the right thing after a catastrophic accident, the reality is far different. From the moment the incident occurs, the matter is handed over to the company’s insurers and lawyers, whose sole focus is protecting their bottom line by paying you as little as possible.

Why You Should NEVER accept a Company’s Initial Settlement Offer:

Their priority is profits, not people: The company’s insurers and lawyers focus on minimizing payouts, offering far less than your family truly deserves.
Initial offers fall short: Settlement proposals will never cover the full extent of your financial and emotional losses.
They shield the company: These offers are designed to help corporations avoid accountability for preventable tragedies.
Only a lawsuit ensures justice: Legal action is the only way to secure full compensation, hold the responsible parties accountable, and force meaningful safety changes to protect others.

Before considering a settlement, it’s crucial to reach out to the best wrongful death lawyer you can find, one who specializes in complex oilfield accidents, knows how to protect your rights, and will do whatever it takes to secure what your family truly deserves.

Call us today at 1-888-603-3636.

Why Hiring a Texas Refinery Explosion Lawyer is Critical

Refinery wrongful death cases require extensive investigation, expert testimony, and a track record of standing up against the largest oil and gas companies in the world. At Zehl & Associates, we don’t just win against petrochemical corporations — we set records.

In just the past decade, our Industrial Explosion Lawyers have recovered Billions for accident victims and their families, including:

$100 Million record-breaking settlement for an oilfield worker severely burned in an oilfield explosion
$92 Million record-breaking settlement for refinery workers injured in a boiler explosion
$75 Million record-breaking settlement for refinery workers injured in an olefins plant explosion
The #1 Largest Accident Verdict in Texas
The #1 Largest Single Plaintiff Burn Injury Settlement in U.S. History

When plant owners and their lawyers try to limit families to workers’ compensation benefits, shift blame, or deny responsibility for a preventable tragedy, we are the undefeated trial team that knows exactly how to stand up, fight, and win record-setting results.

Zehl & Associates proudly represents families impacted by the most devastating plant and refinery accidents of 2024 and 2025, including workers tragically killed or injured in the Pemex chemical release, the Smitty’s Supply chemical plant explosion, and the Port Arthur LNG scaffolding collapse.

Undefeated Texas Refinery Wrongful Death Lawyers: 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult

With Billions won and having successfully represented thousands of industrial workers against the largest insurance, oil and gas, maritime, and energy companies in the world, the Plant and Refinery Explosion Attorneys at Zehl & Associates have consistently demonstrated that we don’t just win for our client – we set records.

If your loved one was tragically killed in a plant or refinery accident, call us today at 1-888-603-3636 or send us a confidential email through our Contact Us page.

We’ll answer your questions, explain your rights and options, and make sure you have the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.

All consultations are free, and you won’t pay us a dime unless we win your case.

Zehl & Associates Injury & Accident Lawyers – Houston
2700 Post Oak Blvd #1000, Houston, TX 77056
(888) 603-3636
Open 24 hours