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Chemical Spill Attorneys

Helping Victims of Serious Chemical Spills at Plants & Refineries in Texas & Nationwide

If there is a chemical spill, there must be safe cleanup procedures in place to ensure that accident and injury do not ensue. For those who work at a chemical plant, the employer is responsible for maintaining a safe working atmosphere. Therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that there is some clean up procedure in place to be followed in the event of a chemical spill. Most companies have a spill response plan set up, so it is important that all employees are fully informed as to how to respond in these situations.

What To Do in the Event of a Toxic Spill

Following a spill, workers must immediately alert coworkers and supervisors. If clothing was contaminated, they must be removed, and skin must be flushed for at least 15 minutes. This will ensure workers do not sustain chemical burns. When the flammable material is spilled, there is also an increased risk of fire. In this case, it may be necessary to contact the fire department and a hazardous material team so they can contain the spill. Chemical spills may not only be contained in the chemical plant; in fact, chemical spills may also affect the surrounding areas. Serious chemical spills can cause property damage, as well as injury to innocent victims. These spills may also cause explosions and fires.

If your employer did not have a proper spill plan in place or employees at your place of work were not properly trained on how to handle a situation of this nature, then you may be entitled to recover financial compensation.

Chemical Spill FAQ

Why do chemical spills happen?

Spills at chemical plants may happen in any instance where safety regulations are overlooked, equipment malfunctions, or someone fails to act with proper caution. Workers must be properly trained and provided with the right safety equipment for their protection and to prevent spills from occurring in the first place. If chemical plant owners allow inexperienced employees to handle dangerous chemicals or operate complex machinery, if they push their workers to meet unrealistic production deadlines, or if they fail to inspect and maintain aging equipment, everyone at the plant and in nearby communities will pay the price.

Our firm is committed to helping those whose lives have been adversely impacted by chemical spills—including plant workers and people who live or work near chemical plants where spills have occurred.

How do chemical spills affect nearby communities?

Depending on the type of chemical, where the spill occurred, and how far it spread until it was contained, chemical spills can affect the environment in many ways. It can affect groundwater or other water sources. It can release dangerous toxins into the air. It can cause fires that are nearly impossible to put out. People in the community may need to be evacuated and may experience various damages.

Individuals and businesses in a community affected by a chemical spill may experience:

  • Residential and commercial property damage
  • Health problems caused by chemical exposure
  • Financial losses caused by evacuations and the effects of the chemical spill on the environment, tourism, and more

What are my rights after a chemical spill accident?

If you were working at a chemical plant, live nearby, or own a business in the area, and you were injured or otherwise affected by a spill, you have the right to pursue compensation that will help set things right. The damages awarded in a chemical spill lawsuit are meant to help you rebuild your life by paying for medical care, property damage, lost income, and all other expenses or losses you have experienced. If you are a plant worker who was injured in a chemical spill, you have the right to pursue workers’ compensation benefits on a no-fault basis.

We can talk to you about your case to determine whether you have a workers’ compensation claim or another form of legal action that can help you recoup your losses, heal, and move on with your life.

Get Help from a Serious Chemical Spills Attorney

If you have been injured by a chemical spill, you should speak with a personal injury lawyer from our firm as soon as you can. Accidents of this nature are incredibly serious, so don't let your employer try to dissuade you from seeking legal help. At Arnold & Itkin, we have helped hundreds of people who have been injured by chemical plant accidents obtain the recovery that they deserve. We can hold the responsible party accountable for your injuries, which is exactly what we will fight to do should you become a client of our firm.

If you want help like this from a skilled attorney familiar with plant and refinery accidents, contact us today. We are proud to offer free case evaluations!

Case Results

Check Out Our Victories

  • $171Million One of the Largest Confidential Settlements in History Arnold & Itkin worked over the course of several years to represent clients in a case that many other law firms turned down. In the end, we were able to obtain a record-setting confidential settlement of $171 million.
  • $97Million Massive Settlement Secured for Refinery Workers Arnold & Itkin is proud to share that after months of preparation for trial, our firm was able to secure a huge settlement for clients who were injured in a refinery fire. Find out more now.
  • $39.7Million Record Verdict Won for Victim of Industrial Accident Attorneys Kyle Findley and Adam Lewis obtained a record $39.744 million verdict on behalf of a client who was burned in a severe dust fire and explosion at a plywood plant in Corrigan, TX.
  • $18.5Million Second Verdict Won for 4 Victims of Geismar Explosion In our second trial on behalf of victims of the 2013 plant explosion in Geismar, LA, Arnold & Itkin won a massive verdict for 4 workers and their families. The verdict will go toward providing the extensive care they have required in the years since the explosion as well as the care they will need for the rest of their lives. This was the second of 2 massive verdicts Arnold & Itkin won against Williams Companies, Inc.
  • $15.5Million Massive Verdict Won for Geismar Explosion Victims Arnold & Itkin won a landmark verdict against Williams Companies, Inc. and child company Williams Olefins LLC for their part in the 2013 explosion that killed 2 workers and injured over 100 more. Williams Companies tried to blame the incident on their limited liability shell company, but the jury saw through the defense. They awarded 95% of the blame to Williams Companies, Inc. and gave our clients the money they needed for medical care.
  • $13.7Million Massive Settlement Won Only Months After Injury Arnold & Itkin represented a plant worker who was seriously injured in an accident on the job. Plant injuries are often complex, taking years to fully investigate and litigate. Fortunately, our firm’s work was able to secure a multi-million dollar settlement mere months after the injury took place. Now our client’s medical expenses and other needs are taken care of for the rest of his life.
  • $12Million Injured Worker Received Settlement for Burn Injuries Our industrial injury lawyers have recently recovered $12 million on behalf of a plant worker who suffered burns when a safety valve failed at the refinery where he was employed. His settlement will go toward providing him with extensive and long-term medical care. His employer chose to settle his case two weeks before trial was set to begin.
  • $11.7Million Settlement Won for Plant Worker Injured During Turnaround Attorneys Kurt Arnold and Jason Itkin successfully recovered $11.75 million on behalf of a man who was injured while working a turnaround at an industrial plant. He was injured because he and his team were not informed of the plant’s dangers, and his family turned to Arnold & Itkin shortly afterward. Our team was able to get him money for his present and future medical expenses less than a year after he was injured.
  • $11.6Million Verdict Secured for a Worker Partially Blinded on the Job Our client was only offered $300,000 by the defendant for his near-total loss of sight in one eye, but the jury only deliberated for less than 2 days before they found the defendant guilty of defective equipment design. They gave our client an award of $11.6 million.
  • $4.97Million Settlement Reached for Orthopaedic Injury Victim Our team worked to represent a client who was severely injured while working at a chemical plant. He was performing construction and maintenance work at the time of the incident. In the end, our firm was successful in settling the case for $4.97 million.
  • $4.8Million Verdict Won for Bereaved Daughter Kurt Arnold recovered $4.8 million for a client whose father was killed after suffering a severe head injury in Port Arthur, Texas. Winning justice for grieving clients is a primary reason we became lawyers, and it's our honor to help clients like this one receive help.
  • $4Million Victim of Plant Explosion Received Millions in Settlement Arnold & Itkin attorneys represented a Mississippi man who was severely injured in a Texas refinery plant explosion. Cases like these require a high level of experience and investigative resources due to the myriad factors involved in a plant explosion. Our attorneys are proud to have helped our client receive a settlement of $4,000,000.
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