Undefeated Refinery Explosion Lawyers
If you’ve been injured in a plant or refinery explosion, and you’re waiting for your employer to make things right, you’re not just jeopardizing your own well-being – you could also be putting your family’s financial future at risk.
The truth is, no matter what they say, the company and its insurance carrier are only focused on one thing — protecting their bottom line by paying you and your family as little as possible, regardless of the true extent of your injuries and losses. While you’re trying to decide whether or not to hire an attorney, it’s likely they’re already taking steps to downplay your injuries, hide critical evidence, undermine your credibility and do anything else they can to avoid responsibility for the explosion and its catastrophic consequences.
Fortunately, you have rights and options — but you must act just as quickly. Your actions in the hours, days, and weeks following a plant or refinery explosion will likely determine whether you receive the maximum compensation possible or walk away with nothing but workers’ compensation coverage, which only pays a fraction of your lost wages.
Head to the Nearest ER or Urgent Care
In the aftermath of any workplace explosion or accident, your health and well-being should be your primary concern. It’s crucial to seek medical attention immediately, even if you think your injuries are minor.
Why? Because some injuries may not be immediately apparent. For instance, internal injuries or concussions can manifest symptoms days after an accident or explosion. By heading to the emergency or urgent care immediately after the incident, you ensure that any such injuries are diagnosed and treated early, preventing them from worsening over time.
Furthermore, seeking immediate medical attention establishes a medical record of your injuries, which will serve as a critical piece of evidence should you choose to file a personal injury lawsuit against the entities or individuals responsible.
Report Your Injuries to Your Employer
You’ll also need to report your injuries to your employer as soon as possible. By doing so, you’re officially documenting the incident, creating a record that will likely prove crucial to a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury lawsuit.
When reporting the accident, you’ll need to provide a detailed account, including the date, time, location, and any witnesses present. However, this is not the time to speculate about fault, even if you think you were somehow partially to blame. Establishing liability after a plant accident or explosion is incredibly complex, and any incorrect or inaccurate statements made in the heat of the moment could prevent you from obtaining full compensation in the future.
Gather and Preserve Important Evidence
Evidence is the cornerstone of any legal claim. To the extent possible, you should try to gather as much evidence as possible from the accident scene. This includes photographs of the location, your injuries, and any damaged equipment or machinery.
Additionally, collecting relevant documents such as incident reports, medical records, and witness statements can help establish liability and prove the extent of your injuries and damages. Even the clothes you were wearing could prove critical to your case. Don’t launder or alter any physical evidence in your possession, and keep everything in a safe place until you’re able to turn it over to your attorney.
Don’t Provide a Statement to the Company
Expect to be contacted by your employer’s insurance adjuster seeking either a written or recorded statement. Before you agree, it’s crucial to understand that these adjusters work for the insurance company and your employer, not for you. Their primary objective is to minimize the payout on your claim or even deny liability altogether.
No matter how friendly or helpful the adjuster seems or how much pressure they bring to bear, do not provide any statements, sign any documents, or accept any payments other than your regular paycheck without first consulting an experienced refinery accident attorney.
Don’t Expect Workers’ Compensation to Fully Cover Your Damages
While worker’s compensation can provide some relief, it’s crucial to understand that these benefits are often insufficient, especially when faced with severe injuries or long-term disability. Workers’ compensation operates under a no-fault system – it doesn’t matter who caused the accident as long as it happened at work. But while you can typically expect compensation for medical bills and a percentage of your lost earnings, benefits rarely extend beyond that and are often subject to strict maximum limits.
For example, in Texas, workers’ compensation only provides coverage for 70% of your average weekly wages, and the total amount is capped at a specific limit that often doesn’t come close to a worker’s actual wages, let alone the damages they could be awarded in a successful personal injury lawsuit.
Demand to See Doctors of YOUR Choice
Your employer will almost certainly pressure you to seek ongoing medical care from doctors and other healthcare providers chosen and paid for by the company or its workers’ compensation carrier. However, it is important to remember that you have the right to demand follow-up medical treatment from YOUR chosen providers.
You are not obligated to see doctors or specialists who could be financially motivated to downplay or ignore your injuries.
Assume You’re Under Surveillance
In the days and weeks following a refinery explosion, it’s likely that your employer’s legal team will try to gather evidence to undermine your credibility and dispute the extent of your injuries. This could include monitoring your social media accounts and even hiring private investigators to follow you and take photos or video footage that could be used against you.
To protect yourself from these tactics, always be honest about your injuries and limitations, follow your doctor’s orders, and avoid discussing the incident or your case on social media or with anyone other than your attorney and spouse. Remember, anything you say or do could be used to damage your credibility.
Contact an Experienced Refinery Accident Attorney
Navigating the complex legal landscape following a refinery accident can be daunting, and it’s not something you should attempt on your own. Having a knowledgeable, experienced attorney by your side will significantly increase the likelihood that you’ll receive the maximum compensation for all your injuries and losses.
Undefeated Refinery Explosion Lawyers: Call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here for a Free Consultation
Our Undefeated Refinery Explosion Lawyers have won Billions and consistently recovered record-breaking verdicts and settlements for injured workers and their families against the largest plant and refinery operators in the world.
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