Oil Refinery Accidents

Accidents in an Oil Refinery Explosion - Leaks - Toxic Chemical Releases

Texas has some of the most hazardous oil refineries in the United States. It is home to the largest number of refineries using hydrofluoric acid. When released, hydrofluoric acid forms a cloud that can cause skin and deep tissue burns, serious bone damage, and death by burns to the skin, tissue or lungs. There have been serious releases of hydrofluoric acid at Texas refineries, with major incidents in 1987 and 1991. There are safer ways of refining oil, but the older refineries in Texas have not adopted new technology that limits the use of hydrofluoric acid.

In addition to handling toxic chemicals as part of the refining process, Texas oil refineries have seen more than their share of explosions. Any type of accident that affects oil refineries happens disproportionately in Texas, which is home to the largest concentration of oil refineries in the country and home to the great number of large refineries. There are more proven oil reserves in Texas than in Alaska, which means that oil refining will continue to be a major part of the Texas economy.

It also means that accidents and injuries will continue to happen to oil refinery workers. At the Friendswood, Texas law offices of Alton C. Todd, we help refinery workers seek the remedies for their injuries allowed by law. If you have been injured in an oil refinery accident, you need an attorney who knows the oil industry. Our law firm has more than 35 years of experience helping injured refinery workers. Contact our offices at the Law Firm of Alton C. Todd to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case.

Your case is our cause

One might assume that an oil refinery explosion or other accident is just an inevitable part of the oil refining industry, but this is not true. In our experience, negligence and carelessness account for most oil refinery accidents. We have helped workers injured because of poorly maintained machinery, accidental release of toxic fumes, explosions caused by failing to follow safe work rules, and rigging mistakes that caused falling pipes and other heavy equipment. Many accidents follow a shutdown and startup of an oil refinery in which proper procedures were not followed. All of these accidents were the result of some type of negligent behavior.

Because of our many years of experience with oil refinery accidents, we know how to determine the truth of the incident. We know the questions to ask, the documents to request, and the key personnel to interview. If you have been injured in an oil refinery accident, contact an attorney who knows how to find out what really happened. Call the Friendswood, Texas office of The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd. We can help.