Pipelines are a critically important part of our state’s overall infrastructure. When proper safety precautions are not taken, these pipelines also have the potential to be extremely dangerous — even deadly. Unfortunately, pipeline explosions remain far too common in Texas. In recent years, pipeline workers, contractors, first responders, and innocent members of the general public have been injured or killed in preventable pipeline explosions in Texas.
At DJC Law, our Austin pipeline explosion lawyers have the skills and experience needed to protect the rights and interests of injured victims. Our dedicated personal injury attorneys understand these complex legal cases. If you or your family member was injured or killed as a result of a pipeline explosion, our law firm is here to help.
Austin Pipeline Explosion Lawyers Representing Injured Victims throughout Texas
According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), approximately 300 significant pipeline incidents occur every year. Tragically, at least 305 Americans have been killed in pipeline explosions in the last two decades. Many hundreds more innocent people were severely injured in these accidents. Pipeline explosions can occur for a wide range of reasons. While some pipeline incidents are relatively minor, others can be truly catastrophic. Perhaps most famously, a corroded pipeline caused a major explosion near El Paso, Texas in 2000, claiming the lives of 12 people and injuring many more.
All companies and entities involved in the manufacturing, construction, operation, and maintenance of pipelines must take the proper care to ensure that explosions and other dangerous incidents are avoided.
Preventing pipeline explosions requires taking proactive measures to ensure that the infrastructure is well-designed, properly constructed, carefully operated, and continuously inspected and maintained. Quick action must be taken at the first sign of a problem. A negligent company or multiple negligent companies can be held civilly liable for damages caused by the explosion.
Following a pipeline explosion, injured victims and their family members need access to the maximum available financial compensation. Negligent pipeline companies, contractors and subcontractors, and property owners must be held accountable. Among other things, compensation may be awarded for emergency medical bills, other medical expenses, physical therapy, pain and suffering, disfigurement, permanent impairments, and wrongful death. If you or your loved one was injured by a pipeline explosion, an experienced Austin lawyer can help protect your rights in a civil lawsuit.
Causes of Pipeline Explosions and Common Injuries
Replacing and repairing pipelines is a very expensive endeavor, however, so it is not uncommon for them to be neglected well past the necessary timeframe. Consequently, some pipelines are at extreme risk for failure. These failures can result in large-scale explosions that injure or kill those around them, and they can even damage property and person for many miles around.
Some other common reasons a pipeline may explode include:
- Metal fatigue or corrosion
- Improper maintenance of distribution lines
- Improper installation
- Defective parts in pipeline
- Inadequate safety training and procedures
- Failure to properly mark their locations
- Gas leaks
These causes and many more could result in a pipeline explosion, and the resulting injuries can be incredibly severe. Common injuries associated with these accidents include:
- Difficulty breathing after lung damage
- Severe burns and other skin damage
- Blindness and deafness
- Damage to bones and limbs
- Loss of limb
- Organ damage
- Concussion and traumatic brain injury
- Death
A knowledgeable attorney in Austin could analyze the cause of the pipeline explosion and help a plaintiff recover compensation for their injuries.
Contact Our Austin Pipeline Explosion Injury Attorneys Today
A pipeline explosion can cause extreme damage to one’s person and property. If you have been injured in one of these accidents, you deserve to know how to seek compensation, whether through an injury lawsuit or workers’ comp claim.
An experienced Austin pipeline explosion lawyer is here to help you. Contact us today.