Oil, Gas and Chemical Accidents
Protect your rights. Contact our Texas attorneys.
Texas is home to many oil rigs, gas wells and chemical storage facilities. When there’s an accident – such as the TPC plant fire in Port Neches, ITC Deer Park fire, the KMCO LLC fire or the LyondellBasell chemical leak in La Porte – people can be seriously hurt. Sometimes the only way to get justice is through a lawsuit. Tracey Fox & Walters has experience with these types of cases and can guide you through the legal process.
In July 2021, two contract workers were killed and dozens injured in a chemical leak at the LyondellBasell facility in La Porte.
Before Thanksgiving Day, multiple explosions were reported at the TPC chemical plant in Port Neches. Three workers were injured and the blasts blew out windows and rattled houses for miles.
After the devastating ITC chemical fire, more details came to light and Occupational Safety and Health Administration citations shed light on what happened at Deer Park in March.
Whatever the cause of the La Porte chemical leak or the Deer Park and TPC fires, oil, gas and chemical accidents in Texas often happen fast. In an instant, an oil drilling rig can explode. Or a natural gas well or chemical storage tank can catch fire. When they do, the injuries sustained by workers and others nearby can be serious and permanent. In many cases, oil rig accidents prove fatal.
Knowing what to do after such a serious workplace accident or personal injury accident can be overwhelming. Your employer might be telling you to do one thing. Co-workers or family members might say something different. Knowing who to trust can be confusing.
Get straight answers after your oil, gas or chemical accident. Contact our firm. Our Texas oil rig accident attorneys and chemical accident lawyers can answer your questions and help you get your life back on track. We have decades of experience handling such complex cases and know what it takes to win.
Types of accidents
Accidents involving gas wells, oil drilling rigs and chemical facilities can cover a wide range of causes. Some of the most common - and most serious - accidents we deal with at our law firm include:
- Blowout drilling well accident – An uncontrolled release of oil or gas from a well.
- Drilling well explosion – Pressure built up in wells can release and explode.
- Gas fire – Fires are common since oil and gas are highly flammable.
- Chemical accident – A fire or other type of accident releases dangerous chemicals into the air, ground or water (for example, the Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) Deer Park fire and the KMCO LLC chemical facility fire in Crosby, TX). These chemicals can include benzene and isobutylene.
- Chemical explosion – Combustible chemicals are accidentally ignited and explode.
- Falling debris – Cables, drill strings, pipe tongs or other derrick parts can fall and injure workers, especially if a fire or explosion occurs.
- Burns – Hazardous chemicals or dangerously hot metal can cause severe burns.
These are just a small sample of common accidents involving oil, gas and chemicals. Many other types of oil, gas and chemical accidents are common. The circumstances surrounding each case are unique.
Common causes
While each accident is unique, there are often some similarities between such accidents. Some of the most common causes of oil, gas or chemical accidents include:
- Defective equipment
- Poorly maintained gas or oil well
- Reckless or negligent actions of workers
- Mistakes made by untrained workers
- Impaired workers
Accidents occur for many other reasons. And in each case, it's critical that you take immediate legal action to protect your rights. That's why we want to meet with you as soon as possible after your accident.
Why choose us
Experience matters when it comes to oil, gas and chemical accidents in Texas. That’s why so many injured people and their families rely on us to help them when they need us most. In case after case, we consistently obtain sizable settlements and verdicts for injury victims. Results matter here.
What's the secret to our success? We work tirelessly on every single case we handle. That includes our investigation into oil rig explosions, gas well accidents, chemical accidents and chemical explosions. From carefully reviewing accident reports to previous inspections conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), we leave no stone unturned.
That's just the beginning. We regularly consult with experts in their field. We interview witnesses whenever possible. We provide insurance companies accurate estimates of the true financial impact of your accident. And if they refuse to fairly compensate you, we're prepared to file a lawsuit against them on your behalf and take them to court.
This may be your only opportunity to get the money you rightfully deserve. Seize it. Contact us and discover what our tenacious, Texas attorneys can do for you.