We’ve Tried Louisiana Plant Explosion Cases to Verdict & Won
The stretch of petrochemical facilities along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is one of the most active industrial corridors in the country. Refineries, chemical plants, and petrochemical facilities run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Most are 50 to 60 years old. That combination of aging equipment, volatile chemicals, and high-pressure systems creates conditions where a single deferred repair or failed maintenance call can kill workers and injure dozens more.
We don’t just know that from reading reports. We’ve tried these cases in Louisiana. After the 2013 Williams Olefins explosion in Geismar, 20 miles from Baton Rouge, attorneys Kurt Arnold and Kyle Findley took two separate trials to verdict and won $15.45 million in the first and $18.5 million in the second. That history matters when you’re choosing who will stand against a refinery operator with an army of defense lawyers.
We’ve represented clients in hundreds of plant and refinery accident cases, recovering billions over the years. That includes a $117 million verdict that set the record for the largest single-event injury verdict in Louisiana history. From the 2005 BP Texas City explosion to the 2013 Williams Geismar explosion, we’ve been at the center of the nation’s most significant industrial disasters, helping survivors demand justice and families find answers. Our lawyers have tried more cases in the last 10 years than most attorneys try in their entire careers.
Call (888) 493-1629 to schedule a free consultation with our Louisiana plant accident attorneys. We work to get answers for our clients and fight to see justice served. Let us help you.
Our plant and refinery accident attorneys proudly serve clients throughout all of Louisiana, including Lake Charles, New Orleans, Shreveport, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Bossier City, Metairie, Kenner, Port Arthur, and more.
Fire & Explosion at Westlake Chemical South Near Lake Charles, Louisiana
The communities of Sulphur and Lake Charles were rocked by an incident at the Westlake Chemical South plant on PPG Drive in Westlake. At about 10:45 a.m. on January 26, 2022, an explosion shook the area. Witnesses saw a mushroom-shaped cloud bloom into the sky, and officials confirmed that a tank of ethylene dichloride had detonated. Emergency crews responded quickly to the Westlake Chemical plant explosion, and local schools implemented a shelter-in-place order to protect students and faculty from potential exposure.
Ethylene dichloride, also known as 1,2-dichloroethane, is classified by the EPA as a probable human carcinogen. Inhalation causes throat and nose irritation, skin contact causes burns, and continued exposure can lead to headaches, loss of consciousness, and dizziness.
Six people were injured in the explosion. One was treated at the scene, and five others were transported to local hospitals. The cause of the incident remained under investigation.
How We Won Two Verdicts After the Williams Olefins Explosion in Geismar
On June 13, 2013, a catastrophic heat exchanger failure triggered an explosion at the Williams Olefins plant in Geismar, Louisiana, just 20 miles southeast of Baton Rouge. The blast was felt for miles. Two workers were killed, and more than 160 employees onsite were injured.
Attorneys Kurt Arnold and Kyle Findley immediately stepped up to represent those injured that day. We launched our own investigation and worked to seek full compensation for the injuries and trauma our clients endured.
In two separate trials, we proved negligence on behalf of the defendants. The evidence showed that the plant had been undergoing a $400 million expansion project that the company chose to run while keeping the facility in live operation. Everyone involved agreed it was safer to shut the plant down during construction. The company chose otherwise. Following the explosion, OSHA cited Williams Olefins for six Process Safety Management standard violations, including one willful violation.
Despite the defenses raised by the other side, we used our resources, experience, and countless hours of preparation to build the case. We prevailed in both trials. In the first, we won a $15.45 million verdict. In the second, we won an $18.5 million verdict.
The pattern we see in Baton Rouge-area plant and refinery cases is remarkably consistent. Operators generate enormous profits from these facilities and invest too little back into them. Most plants and refineries are 50 to 60 years old, mixing outdated equipment with dangerous chemicals and enormous pressure. Supervisors identify hazards in their own safety records and choose not to address them.
“They make so much money from these plants, and they invest so little back. I’m always shocked at how they foresaw the problem, they knew it was a problem, and they just didn’t fix it. It shocks me.” - Kurt Arnold, Plant Accident Attorney
Other common causes of plant accidents include:
Malfunctioning or aging equipment
Poor training of industrial workers
Unseen corrosion
Dirty or impure chemicals
Poor facility maintenance
Unsafe working conditions
OSHA process safety management violations
Chemical plant accidents put entire communities at risk. Hazardous chemicals released into air or water cause significant and lasting harm to people well beyond the plant fence line. We stand up for workers injured in explosions, fires, and chemical exposure incidents, and we help affected community members hold the right parties accountable.
Turnaround Accidents at Baton Rouge Plants & Refineries
A turnaround is a scheduled shutdown during which plant equipment is inspected, maintained, and replaced or upgraded. These periods are among the most dangerous times to work at a Baton Rouge plant or refinery. Estimates suggest roughly half of all plant accidents occur during turnarounds. Nearly all turnarounds run over budget and take longer than planned, creating pressure on operators to delay shutdowns. That is itself a dangerous decision.
If you were injured in a turnaround accident in Baton Rouge or anywhere across Louisiana, we can help you find answers. These cases often involve shared accountability between multiple large corporations, none of whom are eager to admit fault. Our turnaround injury lawyers know how to build compelling cases against even the most formidable opponents, and our record-breaking recoveries for turnaround victims reflect that work.
Explosion at the Westlake Chemical Ethylene Refinery Near Sulphur, LA
Routine maintenance turned disastrous on September 27, 2021, when an explosion at the Westlake Chemical Petro Complex 2 Unit injured at least five people. The blast at the ethylene plant was felt throughout the region, with reports from residents of Sulphur, Lake Charles, Hammond, and Lafayette. Ethylene is an extremely flammable substance. Among the injured was at least one employee with severe burns across half their body. The cause of the refinery accident remained under investigation.
Who Can Be Held Responsible for a Baton Rouge Plant or Refinery Accident
Most plant and refinery workers assume their only recourse after an injury is through workers’ compensation. That assumption costs injured workers and their families a substantial portion of what they could recover. Workers’ compensation through a direct employer limits recovery and doesn’t cover pain and suffering or full future damages. Within hours of a major explosion, facility operators typically assemble legal teams whose sole purpose is limiting injured workers to those restricted benefits.
Third-party personal injury claims tell a different story. When a plant owner, turnaround contractor, equipment manufacturer, or outside engineering firm contributed to the conditions that caused the accident, injured workers can pursue claims against those parties directly. These claims can lead to substantially higher recoveries for serious or catastrophic injuries.
Parties who may share responsibility for a Baton Rouge refinery or plant accident include:
Plant owners and facility operators
Turnaround contractors and maintenance vendors
Equipment manufacturers
Engineering and design firms
Third-party service companies working onsite
Evidence at industrial accident scenes disappears quickly. Process data, safety records, equipment logs, work permits, and surveillance footage can all be lost or overwritten in the days following an incident. Contacting a plant injury lawyer in Baton Rouge as soon as possible is an important step you can take to protect your claim and preserve what is needed to build it.
Chemical Plant Accident Lawyers for Baton Rouge & Surrounding Areas
Our Baton Rouge chemical plant accident lawyers help those facing the consequences of catastrophic injuries. From fires to explosions to severe injuries from toxic chemical exposure such as sulfuric acid, we are there from the first contact, answering your questions: why did this happen, who is responsible, and will it happen again? We work to uncover the truth, and we hold accountable parties responsible for what they did.
What Industrial Workers We’ve Helped Say About Us
Since we were founded in 2004, we’ve been fighting for industrial workers throughout Louisiana. We’ve seen firsthand how major corporations fail to protect their workers and then fail to help them recover. We’ve taken on ExxonMobil, BP, and other industrial giants on behalf of our clients. There’s no opponent that would cause our Louisiana industrial injury lawyers to back down.
To learn more about our firm and what it’s like working with us, hear it directly from the people we’ve represented.
“Definitely go with Arnold & Itkin because they do what they say they are going to do. They don’t give you the run around. You’re looking for a firm that’s going to have your back and willing to go to trial and stick up for you. Go with Arnold & Itkin if you want results. They take their job seriously.” - Kevin Hillard
“I felt like family because they were there to listen and hear—not just brush you off because ‘you’re just a client.’ They let me know when I met them that everything was going to be all right. Ever since the day I met them until today that I’m sitting here, they have always had my back.” - Veronica Sowell
“They’re very professional. They didn’t back down. That’s why I like my lawyers. Even when I had to do my testimony in court, they didn’t let those lawyers run over me. They fought hard. You have some lions with Arnold & Itkin. They not going to back down.” - Maurice Dilworth
Wrongful Death in a Louisiana Chemical Plant or Refinery Accident
When a worker is killed in a plant or refinery explosion, families are left without answers alongside mounting medical bills, funeral costs, and lost income. Why did this happen? Who is responsible? What can be done to see justice served? Our Louisiana industrial death lawyers are known nationwide for uncovering the truth about chemical plant explosions and oil refinery accidents, and for fighting to pursue the compensation families may need to move forward.
Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 2315.2, surviving family members in wrongful death cases generally have one year from the date of death to file a claim, or two years from the date of injury. Missing that window can forfeit the right to pursue a claim regardless of how strong the facts are. If you lost someone in a Louisiana plant or refinery accident, contact our attorneys as soon as possible.
Louisiana Filing Deadlines for Plant & Refinery Accident Claims
Under Louisiana Civil Code Article 3493.1, most personal injury claims arising from plant and refinery accidents must be filed within two years of the accident date. For wrongful death, the deadline is governed by Article 2315.2 as described above. These deadlines are strict. A claim filed one day late may be dismissed before a judge ever considers the merits.
The urgency goes beyond the court calendar. Evidence at industrial accident scenes, including process data, safety records, equipment logs, work permits, and surveillance footage, can disappear within days of an incident. Facility operators move quickly to assess and manage their exposure. Injured workers need a refinery accident attorney in Baton Rouge moving just as fast in the other direction. The sooner we are involved, the more we can preserve and the stronger the case we can build.
Talk to Our Baton Rouge Plant & Refinery Accident Lawyers for Free
Whether you were catastrophically injured or lost someone to wrongful death, we are here to fight for you. We are aggressive trial attorneys who genuinely care about making this right. We’ve won over $25 billion for injured clients nationwide, and our clients only pay if we win.
Take the first step today. Call (888) 493-1629 for a free consultation. If we take your case, you pay nothing unless we win.
CommonQuestions
What Happens When a Plant Explodes?
Plant explosions are catastrophic events involving chemical spills and reactions that release heat, fire, and toxins through an initial, forceful blast. They can injure dozens of workers and may claim many lives. Depending on the type of plant and what substances are released into the air and water after an explosion, nearby residents, businesses, and communities may also be affected. The environmental impact of a Louisiana plant explosion may be long and widespread.
What Should I Do After a Plant Explosion?
If you were working at a Louisiana plant during an explosion, you need to act fast and seek medical attention. With plant explosions, you could be at risk of suffering serious harm from whatever chemicals and toxins were released into the air, that came into contact with your skin or clothing, or that have affected the water and soil in the area. You should also talk to an attorney about your rights. You may be able to recover money for your medical care and lost wages from a workers’ compensation claim, plus additional damages from an injury lawsuit. Recovering full benefits will make all the difference as you work to put the pieces back together after an explosion.
How Can Your Firm Help Me After a Louisiana Plant or Refinery Accident?
Because plant explosions and refinery accidents cause so much harm, they are a top priority for our firm. Our team believes in exposing the acts of negligence, safety violations, and wrongdoing that cause accidents at chemical plants and refineries. We’ve successfully represented hundreds of hard-working men and women who have seen their lives forever changed as a result of plant explosions and other catastrophes. We’ve fought tirelessly for families who have lost loved ones in these entirely preventable accidents. Our Louisiana chemical plant accident attorneys are known for getting results, and we’re ready to see how we can help you.
