On Friday morning, July 29th, a large oil tank exploded at an oil well
storage facility in Flora, Mississippi, in Madison County. According to
media reports, the property is owned by W.S. Red Hancock Inc., and workers
were doing maintenance when the tank exploded, “creating a firebomb.”
Six workers were caught in the explosion, suffering
severe burns and injuries. Two were airlifted from the scene, while the others were
taken to the hospital by ambulance. It is unclear at this time what caused
the accident, but state and federal authorities are investigating.
Can I Sue for Damages if I’ve Received a Workers’ Compensation Payout?
In these kinds of
explosion incidents, workers and bystanders can be killed or suffer severe burns and injuries
that forever alter their lives and those of their loved ones. When a worker
dies or is injured at work, the employer is liable under state workers’
compensation laws to pay the worker’s medical bills and certain
other compensation, regardless of who was at fault. However, while workers’
compensation provides a virtually assured remedy, it is limited. For example,
workers’ compensation does not include damages for pain, suffering,
or lost enjoyment of life. It also doesn’t allow damages to punish
and deter wrongful conduct. Injured workers are permitted to sue for broader,
compensatory, and punitive damages from parties other than the employer.
Third-party claims cover the wrongful conduct of other parties who could
be the sole or contributing cause of an explosion or other workplace accident.
For example, the injured employee may seek to recover damages against
the owner of the premises where the employee was sent to work, the manufacturer
of a defective product, or a contractor that improperly installed, maintained,
or used equipment involved in the explosion.
Call Glenda Cochran Associates for Third-Party Lawsuits
In these “third-party” lawsuits, determining the precise cause
of the explosion and the parties at fault are critical, complex matters
that the injured employee is required to prove. Navigating these issues
to get the full recovery to which a worker may be entitled takes experienced
attorneys who have previously handled these kinds of explosion cases.
Glenda Cochran Associates has done so many times, including cases involving pipelines, storage tanks,
valves, gasoline, oil, natural gas, and propane.
If you or a loved one was seriously injured in an explosion accident,
contact Glenda Cochran Associates today for a free consultation.
Alabama State Bar, Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.2 (e), requires
the following language in all attorney communications: No representation
is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater
than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.