Common Injuries from Pipeline Explosions

Common injuries from pipeline explosions include burn injuries, blast injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and amputations. These injuries can cause symptoms that affect explosion survivors for years. 

Talk with a pipeline explosion attorney if you’ve suffered injuries from a pipeline blast. If someone else is responsible for the explosion, your lawyer can help you pursue compensation from them through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. 

Burns Are Common in Pipeline Explosions

Thermal radiation, toxic chemicals, and gases can be released in a pipeline explosion. As such, pipeline workers can be exposed to thermal radiation, fire, and harmful chemicals and gases. This can result in various types of burns, including:

• Thermal and flash burns: These can occur when an initial fireball from an explosion comes into contact with skin and tissue.
• Chemical burns: Acids, toxic residues, or industrial agents can splash onto the skin and destroy deep tissue unless they are washed away immediately. 
• Inhalation burns: Breathing in gases, smoke, or toxic chemicals can damage the airway and lungs and contribute to respiratory failure. 

Treat burns from a pipeline explosion right away. After you receive medical attention, meet with an explosion injury attorney, and they may help you take the first step to seek compensatory damages for your medical bills and other burn injury-related losses. 

Blast Injuries from Pipeline Explosions Can Have Far-Reaching Effects

If pressurized gas escapes from a pipeline and ignites, this can create a powerful supersonic pressure wave, flying shrapnel, and intense heat. At this time, those near the explosion are susceptible to blast injuries, such as:

• Ruptured eardrums
• Abdominal and gastrointestinal (GI) injuries
• Eye damage
• Concussions
• Blast lung
• Blunt force trauma

Medical care is essential for those dealing with these or other blast injuries. In addition, it can be beneficial to ask for help from explosion injury lawyers, as they can build your case against anyone at fault for your injuries. 

TBIs Can Occur in Conjunction with Other Pipeline Explosion Injuries

In a pipeline blast, the combination of supersonic blast waves, flying debris, physical displacement, and oxygen deprivation can cause a traumatic brain injury. TBI symptoms that someone can experience after a pipeline explosion can include:

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Confusion
• Memory loss
• Anxiety
• Sudden mood shifts

These and other TBI symptoms can occur in combination with those of other pipeline injuries. Without proper medical attention, brain injury symptoms from a pipeline blast can go undiagnosed and untreated and cause permanent harm. 

Err on the side of caution if you are involved in a pipeline blast. Receive a medical evaluation after the incident, and a doctor can determine whether you are coping with a TBI or other injuries. 

Outside of this, speak with explosion injury attorneys who genuinely care about you and your case. Your lawyer wants you to continue to receive medical care for your injuries as they request compensation from any liable parties on your behalf. 

Limb Trauma Can Happen Instantly in a Pipeline Explosion

A pipeline explosion can create extreme pressure waves, flying debris, and intense mechanical forces that lead to traumatic amputation and limb trauma to those in the vicinity of the blast. 

Have a caring and compassionate lawyer with explosion injury case experience offer legal guidance to you and your family in the aftermath of an amputation or limb trauma. Depending on the situation, your lawyer can help you file a claim or lawsuit in which you request compensation for your injury-related losses.