The chemical industry is an important slice of the U.S. economy, especially in Texas, which is one the country’s largest producers of chemical products and petrochemicals. All of us rely on the chemical industry for the products we use in our daily lives, but this reliance can come at great cost. The chemical industry can be extremely hazardous even for the most cautious and experienced of workers, who are at risk of being killed, injured, or made seriously ill by chemical exposure from an industrial accident.
If you, your spouse, or one of your family members suffered burns, organ damage, or other injuries from a chemical spill in Dallas, compensation may be available for medical bills, lost earnings, and other losses arising from the accident. Turn to the Texas chemical spill accident attorneys of Queenan Law for help. With more than 20 years of experience representing injured industrial workers in Dallas, we are thoroughly prepared to fight aggressively for compensation on your behalf. Call our law offices today at (817) 476-1797 for a free consultation.
Texas Industrial Accident Lawyers Representing Chemical Spill Victims in Dallas
Houston is sometimes called the “energy capital of the world,” and Dallas isn’t far behind. In addition to having one of the largest and most robust petrochemical industries in the world, Texas is also one of the leading chemical producers in the United States.
As one of the largest cities in Texas, Dallas is a major hub for chemical companies and chemical plants. Some examples of Dallas chemical companies include:
- Affinity Chemical, LLC
- Harcros Chemicals, Inc.
- Occidental Chemical Corporation
- Oxea Chemical
- Royal Chemical
Though the risk of harm may be elevated at a chemical plant or production center, many types of companies use or store chemical products, and chemical-related injuries can occur in any location. Anyone can be affected, including people who do not even work in the industry.
For example, if toxic industrial runoff seeps into the ground, local food and water sources can become dangerous to drink or consume. Property values can also be negatively impacted by toxic contamination, heaping financial harm atop the often severe medical complications caused by exposure.
While anyone can be harmed by exposure to toxic waste, pesticide, or other industrial chemicals, certain types of workers are generally at greater risk than others. Examples of occupations with a heightened risk of chemical-related injuries include:
- Agricultural Workers
- Chemical Plant Employees
- Construction Workers
- Electricians
- Healthcare Workers
- Lab Workers
- Oil and Gas Extraction Workers
- Shipyard Workers
- Welders
Injuries and Illnesses Caused by Exposure to Chemicals, Pesticide, or Toxic Waste
Injuries and illnesses related to chemical exposure can arise in three ways:
- A victim can be injured or sickened by coming into direct contact with the chemical substance itself. For example, an industrial accident can cause dangerous materials to spill directly onto a chemical plant employee’s skin.
- Sickness can develop gradually if the victim lives or works in an area where dangerous chemicals are present in the ground, water, air, and/or local vegetation. A famous example of this is Love Canal, where contamination by toxic waste caused numerous residents, including children, to develop serious health problems like skin rashes, seizures, chromosomal damage, and birth defects during the 1970s.
- Chemicals can ignite and cause a fire or explosion when exposed to the air or to other chemicals.
Depending on what type of chemical is involved and how it is introduced to the body, such as ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact, chemical exposure can cause wrongful death or lead to serious injuries and illnesses. Some examples of the harmful effects of chemical exposure may include:
- Anemia
- Berylliosis (Chronic Beryllium Disorder)
- Cancer
- Chemical Burns
- Cognitive Impairment
- Coma
- Eye Problems
- Hair Loss
- Infertility
- Liver Damage
- Manganism
- Nerve Damage
- Poisoning
- Rashes
- Respiratory Illness
- Seizures
- Skin Irritation
Some examples of toxic and dangerous chemicals include:
- Ammonia
- Arsenic
- Benzene
- Cadmium
- Carbon Monoxide
- Chlorine
- Cyanide
- Diborane
- Ethylene Glycol
- Formaldehyde
- Lead Mercury
- Nitric Acid
- Phosphorus Trichloride
- Sulfuric Acid
How Does an Injured Worker Get Compensated for an Industrial Accident in Dallas?
There are several ways in which a Dallas resident who has suffered chemical injuries may seek compensation, depending on the manner in which the injury occurred and the circumstances surrounding the accident. For example, if a victim is injured at work, or while performing his or her job duties, he or she may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim with help from a Dallas industrial accident attorney.
“Tort” is a legal term for a non-criminal act that causes a victim to suffer harm. A mass toxic tort is a case where hundreds or even thousands of people – for example, the residents of a neighborhood that was affected by a chemical leak – all join together as plaintiffs against a common defendant, such as a factory or plant that failed to adequately maintain its chemical storage tanks, leading to a spill.
Contact an Experienced Dallas Chemical Spill Injury Attorney at the Queenan Law Firm
If there is only one victim and the accident is not employment-related, the victim may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit, or, if the victim was killed, his or her surviving loved ones may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit. For example, a DuPont plant leak that occurred in the Houston area in 2014 led to a wrongful death lawsuit – and ultimately, the closure of the plant.
If you, your spouse, or one of your family members was injured in a chemical accident in Dallas, there may be several options for pursuing compensation. Let the experienced Texas chemical burn lawyers of Queenan Law offer guidance and answer your questions. Call our law offices at (817) 476-1797 for a free legal consultation.