If you or a loved one were injured, burned, or tragically killed while working at a chemical plant or refinery, you need to understand that you’re in a race against the clock.
The plant operator and other responsible parties have already hired lawyers to limit the injured party’s ability to obtain damages for their injuries and restrict them to workers’ compensation benefits, which pay a very small fraction of the damages that the accident victim would otherwise recover through a personal injury lawsuit.
If you don’t take immediate steps to protect your rights and your families’ future, there’s a good chance you’ll never obtain full compensation for all of your injuries and losses.
Get Checked Out at the ER, Even if You Don’t Think You Were Seriously Injured
It’s imperative that you get checked out at the emergency room or by a doctor of YOUR CHOICE immediately after a chemical fire or explosion, even if you don’t think you were seriously injured.
Many injuries, especially toxic chemical exposures, aren’t immediately apparent, especially if you’re in shock and your adrenaline is running high.
A visit to the emergency room or your own doctor ensures that any injuries you did suffer are documented and treated right away. If you wait even a few hours, your employer will use that fact against you to deny and discount the severity of your injuries.
You Have a Right to See a Doctor of Your Choice
If you are hurt in a chemical plant fire or explosion, you’ll likely face pressure to see doctors and other medical providers paid by your employer’s insurance (or worker’s comp) company. But no matter what they tell you, you have the right to demand follow-up medical care with the healthcare providers of YOUR CHOICE.
You deserve to be under the care of a doctor you trust throughout the entirety of your physical recovery and are under no obligation to limit yourself to doctors chosen by the company.
Keep a Record of Everything You Remember About the Explosion or Fire
As soon as you have a chance, write down and record everything you remember about the explosion or fire, including:
- Everything that happened in the moments before the incident.
- Where you were and what you were doing just before the explosion or fire.
- Names and phone numbers of any witnesses in the area.
It’s also a good idea to preserve the clothes and shoes you were wearing and any other physical evidence in your possession. Don’t wash these items. Just place them in a clean plastic bag before turning the evidence over to your attorney.
Don’t Trust Your Employer to Take Care of You
Chemical plant operators often talk a good game after a fire or explosion. They’ll tell you not to worry, promise to make things right, and offer reassurance that you and your family will be taken care of.
Don’t believe them. No matter what they promise, the company’s only priority is to save money by paying you and your family as little as possible and limiting your recovery to worker’s compensation benefits.
You should NEVER agree to provide a recorded statement, sign ANY paperwork, or accept any money from the company (other than your regular paycheck) before speaking with an experienced personal injury lawyer who has successfully represented the victims of chemical plant explosions and fires, both in and out of the courtroom.
Follow Doctor’s Advice and Attend All Medical Appointments
Always keep in mind that your employer and its insurance company will use the slightest excuse to deny your valid claims. If you miss medical appointments or fail to follow your doctors’ advice, they won’t hesitate to use that information to downplay the severity of your injuries and avoid paying you and your family all that you are owed.
Don’t skip appointments and follow your doctors’ recommendations to the letter. Not only will this help speed your recovery, but it also shows you’re making a reasonable effort to get better and denies your employer the opportunity to cast doubt on your injuries.
It’s also a good idea to keep a written record of your care, including co-pays and the cost of any prescription medications and medical supplies related to your treatment.
Contact our Undefeated Chemical Plant Fire and Explosion Lawyers for a Free Consult at 1-888-603-3636 or by Clicking Here
Injuries associated with a chemical plant explosion or fire – severe burns, inhalation injuries, broken bones, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, hearing and vision loss, amputations, and organ damage – often lead to life-long pain and permanent disability, robbing victims of their ability to work and support their families.
As a result, the verdicts and settlements awarded to injured workers and their families tend to be significantly larger than those recovered by the victims of other workplace accidents and often break records.
Unfortunately, the potential for a record-setting settlement or verdict can motivate plant and refinery operators, their insurance companies, and their teams of attorneys to do whatever it takes to avoid responsibility for your injuries and losses, even if that means:
- Losing or even destroying maintenance records, closed-circuit video, and other critical evidence that proves the company was responsible for the explosion and your injuries.
- Seeking conflicting statements from your co-workers or outside “experts” in an attempt to blame you.
- Attempting to downplay the severity of your injuries by insisting you see doctors hired and paid by your employer, their insurer, or their workers’ compensation company.
- Pressuring you to sign documents releasing the company from all responsibility for the accident and your resulting injuries.
- Hiring private investigators to follow, photograph, and videotape you and your family in a bid to cast doubt on your injuries.
- Monitoring your family’s social media postings for anything that might allow them to blame you for the accident or dispute the seriousness of your injuries.
- Attempting to wear you down by delaying your claim, giving you the runaround, and making inadequate settlement offers.
You should never assume that a plant or refinery operator will act in good faith after an explosion or fire – they simply have too much to lose. If you do, you’ll likely make a mistake or fall into a trap that will cost you and your family thousands of dollars
Only an Experienced Plant and Refinery Explosion Lawyer — one with the resources to locate and preserve vital evidence and a willingness to go to trial when the company refuses to pay the maximum compensation possible — will be able to ensure your family’s future.
Undefeated Chemical Plant Explosion Lawyers with Billions Won: Call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here for a Free Consultation.
As our track record confirms, our Undefeated Plant Explosion Lawyers don’t just win for our clients – we set records.
In just the past 10 years alone, we’ve won Billions, including the Largest Individual Burn Settlement in US History, for workers severely injured, catastrophically burned, or tragically killed following the worst industrial explosions and fires in recent history.
If you or a loved one were seriously injured, catastrophically burned, or tragically killed in connection with a Chemical Plant Explosion or Accident, call 1-888-603-3636, use the “chat” button on our homepage, or click here to send us a confidential email through our “Contact Us” form.
Our Experienced Chemical Explosion Attorneys will answer all of your questions, explain your rights, and provide the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.
You can also learn more about our success representing plant and refinery workers and their families by visiting our “Results” page or Clicking Here to see what our clients have said about their experience with our firm.
Consultations are always free, and you won’t owe us a dime unless we win your case.
Call 1-888-603-3636 or click here to send us an email through our “Contact Us” form.