David Friend | Hissey, Mulderig & Friend
Serious accidents at construction sites, industrial factories, manufacturing facilities, refineries, and power plants are among the leading causes of catastrophic workplace injuries in the United States.
Workers in these high-risk environments are exposed to heavy machinery, hazardous chemicals, dangerous heights, electrical systems, and industrial equipment every day. When a preventable accident occurs, the consequences can be life-changing for workers and their families.
Although thousands of industrial accidents happen each year nationwide, states like Texas have some of the highest rates of construction and industrial workplace injuries due to the state’s large energy, petrochemical, manufacturing, and building industries.
Workers who are injured in an accident and their families may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. Contacting an experienced attorney to help understand your legal rights after an accident is essential in determining whether a lawsuit may be available in addition to traditional workers’ compensation benefits.
Construction Site Accidents and Contractor Negligence
Construction sites are among the most dangerous workplaces in the country. Workers regularly face risks involving scaffolding, cranes, falling debris, heavy equipment, and hazardous materials. Many of the most serious injuries at construction sites occur because general contractors, subcontractors, or equipment companies fail to follow proper safety procedures.
Common construction-related industrial injuries include:
- falls from heights
- crushing injuries
- machinery entanglement
- electrocution
- toxic exposure
- trench collapses
Construction injury lawsuits often arise when a responsible third party—such as a subcontractor, crane operator, or equipment rental company—creates a dangerous condition that causes serious injury. These accidents may provide grounds for a construction negligence lawsuit separate from any workers’ compensation claim.
Factory and Manufacturing Plant Accidents
Industrial factory and manufacturing workers are constantly exposed to mechanical equipment, moving parts, conveyor systems, forklifts, and hazardous chemicals. When safety procedures are ignored or equipment is improperly maintained, workers can suffer catastrophic injuries, including amputations, chemical burns, respiratory illness, or fatal trauma.
Factory accident lawsuits frequently involve:
- machine guarding failures
- malfunctioning equipment
- OSHA violations
- lack of proper safety training
- exposure to industrial chemicals
- industrial machine defects
Many factory accidents are preventable through proper lock-out procedures, repair protocols, and adequate employee training. When companies cut corners on safety, workers and their families often suffer the consequences.
Refinery and Petrochemical Industry Accidents
Refineries and petrochemical plants pose unique hazards due to combustible materials, industrial chemicals, high-pressure systems, and explosive environments. Industrial fires, refinery explosions, and toxic chemical releases are among the most severe workplace incidents, often resulting in wrongful death or long-term disabilities.
Refinery accidents may involve:
- gas explosions
- chemical burns
- toxic inhalation
- industrial fires
- process unit accidents
Refinery workers in Texas, Louisiana, and the Gulf Coast face some of the highest risks in the nation because of the concentration of petrochemical facilities along the Gulf. These accidents frequently become large-scale legal claims involving multiple companies, contractors, and safety violations.
Power Plant and Energy Industry Injuries
Workers at power plants and energy facilities—including fossil-fuel plants, electrical utilities, wind farms, and industrial turbine sites—face hazards including electrical systems, high-voltage equipment, heavy machinery, and thermal exposure. Serious electric shock injuries, industrial burns, and fatal accidents can occur when safety systems fail.
Power plant accident lawsuits may be filed when:
- electrical hazards are ignored
- equipment is improperly grounded
- turbines malfunction
- safety systems are disabled
- contractors violate safety regulations
Because these facilities often involve multiple subcontractors and outside vendors, determining legal responsibility after a power plant injury can be complex and may require a detailed investigation.
Industrial Machinery and Equipment Failures
Across all industrial workplaces, machinery and equipment play a central role in serious injury cases. Heavy equipment may crush, trap, or amputate limbs; industrial vehicles may strike workers; chemical storage systems may leak; industrial machines may malfunction due to design or manufacturing defects.
Industrial machinery accidents are often linked to:
- defective design
- lack of maintenance
- unauthorized safety bypasses
- missing guards
- equipment misuse by contractors
When equipment or machinery is improperly designed or fails to meet safety standards, manufacturers and industrial equipment companies may be liable for damages beyond workers’ compensation benefits.
Toxic Chemical Exposure at Industrial Worksites
Exposure to hazardous chemicals, industrial fumes, and toxic substances can cause respiratory illness, permanent lung damage, chemical burns, cancers, and chronic organ injury. Chemical exposure lawsuits may involve exposure to:
- benzene and other solvents
- industrial gases
- asbestos
- hydrocarbons
- refinery emissions
- toxic dust or particulates
Workers in oil refineries, chemical plants, construction sites, and industrial manufacturing facilities are at particular risk of inhaling or absorbing harmful chemicals while working. In many cases, employers or contractors may have failed to provide adequate protective equipment or ventilation systems.
Wrongful Death After Industrial Workplace Accidents
Many catastrophic industrial accidents result in fatal injuries. Families who lose a parent, spouse, or primary wage earner may be entitled to pursue wrongful death claims against responsible third parties. These cases often involve complex disputes over negligence, contractor responsibility, equipment defects, and federal safety violations.
Wrongful death lawsuits may provide compensation for:
- lost income
- medical costs
- loss of companionship
- funeral expenses
In Texas and other industrial states, wrongful death claims may involve energy companies, construction contractors, industrial manufacturers, or multiple responsible parties.
When Industrial Injuries May Lead to a Lawsuit
Even if workers’ compensation applies, injured workers may still have the right to pursue a separate lawsuit when:
- a third-party contractor caused the accident
- an equipment manufacturer is responsible
- OSHA safety violations contributed to the accident
- safety procedures were ignored
- chemical exposure occurred due to negligence
The key issue in many industrial injury cases is identifying whether negligence by an outside party contributed to the accident. These cases often involve in-depth investigations, expert evaluations, and documentation of safety violations.
Contact An Attorney to Start the Process of Filing a Claim
Construction sites, factories, refineries, and power plants are some of the most hazardous workplaces in the nation. When industrial employers, subcontractors, or equipment companies fail to follow basic safety standards, workers and their families may suffer life-altering consequences.
Serious injuries, permanent disabilities, and wrongful deaths caused by industrial negligence may provide legal grounds to seek compensation through a workplace injury lawsuit or third-party claim.
Workers and there families who have been affected by construction, factory, plant or other industrial injuries may be eligible to file a lawsuit and receive compensation.
The first step in taking legal action and receiving the compensation to which you are entitled under the law is to contact a personal injury attorney with experience handling workplace injury lawsuits to receive a free legal consultation and start the process of filing your claim.
When one of your cases is in need of a construction expert, estimates, insurance appraisal or umpire services in defect or insurance disputes – please call Advise & Consult, Inc. at 888.684.8305, or email experts@adviseandconsult.net.