The Houston Ship Channel is home to one of the largest concentrations of refineries, chemical plants, storage terminals, and industrial facilities in the world. Thousands of employees, contractors, pipefitters, welders, operators, crane crews, longshoremen, and maritime workers report to these facilities every day. When a refinery explosion, chemical release, equipment failure, or unsafe work practice causes a serious injury, the legal issues can be every bit as complicated as the industrial operation itself.
Gilman & Allison, LLP represents injured workers and families throughout the Houston Ship Channel industrial corridor. Our attorneys handle serious personal injury, maritime, refinery, terminal, and workplace accident claims arising in Houston, Pasadena, Deer Park, Baytown, Channelview, La Porte, Jacintoport, Galena Park, Morgan’s Point, and surrounding communities.
If you were injured at a refinery, chemical plant, marine terminal, tank farm, or industrial facility, call (713) 224-6622 for a free consultation.
Attorneys for Refinery and Petrochemical Plant Accidents
Refineries and petrochemical plants contain high-pressure equipment, hazardous chemicals, heavy machinery, elevated work areas, pipelines, storage tanks, and ignition sources. A single failure can expose workers to catastrophic burns, toxic substances, explosions, falls, or crushing hazards.
Our firm investigates industrial accidents involving:
- Refinery fires and explosions
- Chemical releases and toxic exposure
- Hydrogen sulfide and benzene exposure
- Defective valves, pipes, pumps, and pressure vessels
- Boiler and furnace accidents
- Electrical shocks and arc-flash injuries
- Falls from scaffolds, ladders, platforms, and catwalks
- Crane, forklift, and heavy-equipment accidents
- Dropped objects and falling materials
- Confined-space incidents
- Tank-cleaning accidents
- Pipeline ruptures and leaks
- Inadequate lockout/tagout procedures
- Missing machine guards
- Unsafe contractor coordination
- Inadequate warnings and emergency procedures
- Vehicle and trucking accidents inside industrial facilities
- Dock, vessel, and marine-terminal accidents
These events are rarely “just accidents.” They may result from deferred maintenance, inadequate inspections, defective equipment, understaffing, poor communication, rushed turnaround schedules, or failures to follow established safety procedures.
Who May Be Responsible for a Houston Ship Channel Refinery Injury?
The company that owns the facility is not always the injured worker’s direct employer. Refineries and chemical plants often rely on layers of general contractors, subcontractors, maintenance companies, equipment suppliers, staffing agencies, transportation companies, and vessel operators.
Depending on the facts, a claim may exist against one or more third parties, including:
- The refinery or facility owner
- A plant operator
- A general contractor
- Another subcontractor working at the site
- An equipment manufacturer or distributor
- A crane or heavy-equipment company
- A scaffolding contractor
- A maintenance or inspection company
- A trucking or transportation company
- A property owner
- A vessel owner, operator, or charterer
- A marine-terminal operator
Identifying every responsible company is important because an injured worker’s legal rights may extend beyond workers’ compensation benefits. A third-party negligence or products-liability claim may permit recovery of damages that are not available through a workers’ compensation system.
Workers’ Compensation Is Not Always the Only Remedy
Texas workplace-injury law can be complicated. Some employers subscribe to the Texas workers’ compensation system, while others are nonsubscribers. Employees of federal contractors, maritime employers, staffing companies, and independent contractors may be covered by different laws.
The available claim may depend on:
- Who employed the injured worker
- Whether the employer carried workers’ compensation insurance
- Whether another company controlled the work
- Where the accident occurred
- Whether a vessel or marine terminal was involved
- The worker’s job duties
- Whether defective equipment caused the accident
- Whether the worker qualifies under a federal maritime statute
An injured worker may have a workers’ compensation claim, a claim against a nonsubscribing employer, a third-party negligence claim, a product-liability claim, or a maritime claim. In some cases, several claims may proceed at the same time.
Maritime Injuries at Refineries and Ship Channel Terminals
Many refineries and chemical facilities along the Houston Ship Channel include docks, wharves, loading platforms, vessel berths, and marine terminals. Injuries occurring near the water may fall under federal maritime law rather than ordinary Texas workplace-injury law.
Gilman & Allison handles claims involving:
- Longshoremen and terminal workers
- Seamen and vessel crewmembers
- Dock and wharf workers
- Tanker and cargo-vessel operations
- Gangways and accommodation ladders
- Vessel cranes and shipboard equipment
- Loading and unloading operations
- Barges, tugboats, and workboats
- Defective vessel conditions
- Unsafe access between a vessel and dock
Depending on the worker’s status and the circumstances of the accident, the claim may involve the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, vessel negligence under 33 U.S.C. § 905(b), general maritime law, or Texas negligence law.
Correctly classifying the worker and the claim can significantly affect the available benefits, responsible defendants, filing deadlines, and recoverable damages.
Common Injuries in Refinery and Plant Accidents
Industrial accidents frequently produce severe injuries requiring surgery, rehabilitation, or lifelong medical care. We represent clients suffering from:
- Severe burns and scarring
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal-cord and back injuries
- Neck, shoulder, and knee injuries
- Crush injuries and amputations
- Broken bones
- Lung and respiratory injuries
- Chemical burns
- Hearing and vision loss
- Neurological injuries
- Toxic-exposure illnesses
- Post-traumatic stress
- Permanent physical impairment
- Fatal injuries
Families who lose a loved one in an industrial accident may also have claims for wrongful death and survival damages.
Evidence That Should Be Preserved After a Refinery Accident
Industrial facilities often possess important evidence that an injured worker cannot obtain without a prompt investigation. Relevant evidence may include:
- Surveillance and security footage
- Incident reports
- Photographs and videos
- Work permits and job-safety analyses
- Lockout/tagout records
- Inspection and maintenance records
- Equipment manuals
- Operator logs
- Control-room data
- Alarm histories
- Safety meeting records
- Contractor agreements
- Training materials
- Witness statements
- Radio and electronic communications
- Disciplinary or corrective-action records
- Prior incident reports
- OSHA investigation materials
- Damaged tools, components, or personal protective equipment
Video may be overwritten, physical equipment may be repaired, and contractors may leave the facility. An attorney can send preservation notices and begin identifying the companies that controlled the work, equipment, and accident area.
Compensation Available After a Refinery Injury
The damages available depend on the governing law and the parties responsible for the accident. A refinery or petrochemical worker may be entitled to recover compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Loss of future earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Physical impairment
- Disfigurement
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Household services
- Wrongful-death losses
- Funeral and burial expenses
In cases involving gross negligence or especially dangerous conduct, exemplary damages may also be available under applicable law.
What to Do After a Houston Ship Channel Industrial Accident
After receiving emergency medical care, an injured worker should report the accident and describe every affected body part. Workers should avoid signing statements, releases, or settlement papers they do not fully understand.
If possible, preserve the following information:
- The date, time, and exact location of the incident
- The names and employers of witnesses
- Photographs of the accident area and equipment
- Copies of incident reports
- The names of all contractors at the site
- Medical records and work restrictions
- Text messages, emails, and supervisor communications
- Pay records showing pre-injury earnings
- The clothing and protective equipment used during the incident
Do not assume that the facility’s investigation is being conducted to protect your legal interests. Its purpose may be to protect the companies involved and prepare for potential claims.
Refinery Injury Claims Throughout the Houston Ship Channel
Gilman & Allison represents injured workers in cases arising throughout the Ship Channel and surrounding industrial communities, including:
- Houston
- Pasadena
- Deer Park
- Baytown
- Channelview
- La Porte
- Galena Park
- Jacinto City
- Jacintoport
- Morgan’s Point
- Barbours Cut
- Bayport
- Manchester
- Sheldon
- Highlands
- Seabrook
- Clear Lake
- Texas City
- Galveston
Our attorneys understand that refinery accidents may involve overlapping areas of Texas negligence law, maritime law, federal compensation statutes, product liability, and workplace-safety regulations. That experience is particularly important when several contractors and corporate entities begin blaming one another for the same incident.
Frequently Asked Questions About Houston Refinery Injuries
Can I sue the refinery if I work for a contractor?
Possibly. Many injured refinery workers are employed by contractors rather than the facility owner. If the refinery owner, another contractor, an equipment manufacturer, or another third party caused the accident, the worker may have a separate personal-injury claim. The answer depends on the contracts, control of the work, accident location, and applicable law.
Can I bring a claim if I receive workers’ compensation benefits?
Potentially. Receiving workers’ compensation benefits does not necessarily prevent a claim against a negligent third party. A lawyer should evaluate whether another company, property owner, equipment manufacturer, vessel, or contractor contributed to the injury.
What if my employer does not carry workers’ compensation insurance?
Texas employers are not always required to subscribe to the workers’ compensation system. An injured employee may have a nonsubscriber claim against an employer that elected not to provide workers’ compensation coverage. Different defenses and procedures may apply to these cases.
What if my accident happened on a refinery dock or vessel?
An injury involving a dock, wharf, gangway, vessel, barge, or marine loading operation may be governed by maritime law or the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act. These cases require a careful analysis of the worker’s duties, employer, accident location, and vessel involvement.
Should I give a recorded statement?
You should speak with an attorney before giving a recorded statement to an insurance company or another company’s representative. Statements made shortly after an accident may later be used to dispute how the incident happened or minimize the extent of the injuries.
How long do I have to file a refinery injury claim?
The deadline depends on the type of claim. Texas personal-injury claims commonly have a two-year limitations period, but maritime claims, federal compensation claims, contractual provisions, and claims against governmental entities may involve different deadlines or notice requirements. Waiting can also result in the loss of surveillance footage and other evidence.
How much does it cost to speak with Gilman & Allison?
Initial consultations are free. You can discuss the accident, your employment, the companies involved, and the potential legal options before deciding how to proceed.
Speak With a Houston Ship Channel Refinery Injury Attorney
Refinery and petrochemical companies begin investigating serious accidents immediately. Injured workers deserve a legal team that will move quickly to preserve evidence, identify every responsible party, and determine which state or federal laws apply.
Gilman & Allison, LLP is a Texas litigation firm handling serious workplace, industrial, maritime, and personal-injury claims. Our attorneys represent workers injured at refineries, chemical plants, marine terminals, docks, and industrial facilities throughout the Houston Ship Channel.
For a free and confidential consultation, call Gilman & Allison, LLP at (713) 224-6622 or contact us through our website. We can evaluate your potential claim and explain the legal options available to you.
This page provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Every case depends on its particular facts, contracts, employment relationships, and applicable law.