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Gas explosions can result in serious injuries or even death. Unfortunately, these incidents are a common occurrence in and around the Houston area. Gas explosions are often caused by the careless or negligent actions of another person or a company, and any person injured in these incidents may be able to recover compensation for their losses.
At the Doan Law Firm, our team is here to help if you need a Houston gas explosion lawyer. We have the resources required to investigate every aspect of these cases and help clients secure the compensation they are entitled to.
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After a gas explosion injury or fatality in the Houston area, victims typically will not have the resources necessary to fully investigate what happened to them. A gas explosion attorney will be responsible for handling every aspect of the claim, including the following:
Determining liability after a gas explosion can be incredibly challenging, often because there are multiple parties involved and the entire process of having a gas line installed, monitored, and maintained. The type and cause of the explosion can vary differently from claim to claim, so a thorough investigation will have to be conducted.
Many explosions are the result of human error, and these errors can occur in a wide variety of ways. For example, human error can occur when manufacturing the gas line parts, leading to a leak and subsequent explosion. Human error could occur when installing the gas line, leading to a leak and an explosion.
Skilled gas explosion lawyers in Houston will work with trusted experts in the field to examine every aspect of the explosion incident. In some cases, more than one party may be held responsible for the incident, complicating the process of determining exact liability.
Determining liability is arguably the most challenging aspect of any personal injury claim, which is why we strongly encourage you to allow your explosion injury attorney to handle this aspect of the claim. Individuals going after possible liable parties on their own without an attorney could get overwhelmed by the insurance carriers and legal teams on the other side.
Gas explosion victims may be able to recover various types of compensation either through an insurance settlement or as a result of a lawsuit against an alleged negligent party. Injury victims will typically work with an attorney to file a personal injury claim to recover this compensation, and an attorney will work to recover economic and noneconomic damages.
Economic damages after a gas explosion revolve around calculable expenses victims will typically incur. These expenses are verifiable through various receipts, invoices, estimates, and bills received after the incident. Some of the most common economic damages associated with gas explosion claims in Houston include:
Non-economic damages associated with gas explosion claims are a bit harder to calculate because they are not usually as “visible” as the types of economic damages previously mentioned. Non-economic damages focus on the victim’s physical, emotional, and psychological pain and suffering, as well as loss of quality of life caused by the incident and any disability.
There is no set amount of compensation paid to gas explosion accident victims if their claim is successful. However, several factors that can influence the settlement amount include the severity of the injuries, how long it takes the gas explosion victim to recover, total insurance policy limitations, the assets of the alleged negligent parties, and whether or not there was any shared fault for the incident.
Gas explosions can occur in a variety of locations in and around the Houston area, including in the home, on the job site, and other areas.
Most homes do use gas in some way, including gas used to power a stove, heat the home, or heat the water. Unfortunately, a leading cause of gas explosions in homes is natural gas leaks. These leaks often occur due to defective control valves or gas connectors or a leaking tank.
Gas explosions also frequently occur at worksites. These explosions are usually caused by the proximity of the gas tanks to combustible materials or chemicals. Additionally, any type of gas leak can be detrimental around certain worksites, particularly those where sparks are liable to ignite the gas in the air. Anytime employers fail to follow proper safety protocols or fail to upgrade equipment, explosions are more likely to occur.
Aside from gas explosions in the home or workplace, there are other areas where natural gas can lead to explosions. This can include incidents that occur:
Unfortunately, gas explosions can lead to a range of types of traumatic injuries. Some of the most common injuries we assist explosion victims with include:
Explosion accident victims are also likely to suffer from significant emotional and psychological trauma as a result of the incident and the recovery process. This can include prolonged feelings of stress, anxiety, and fear, and symptoms of PTSD often manifest.
The state of Texas has specific limitations related to filing injury claims. Explosion injury victims in Houston must file their claim against an alleged negligent party within two years from the day the injury occurs, or they risk losing their right to recover compensation for their losses. In addition to this statutory time limit, insurance carriers involved in the claim may also have internal reporting deadlines. We strongly encourage you to contact an attorney so you can get your claim(s) filed as soon as possible to avoid any delays or denials.
There is no amount of time for how long it will take for your gas explosion claim to resolve. In many situations, these claims are resolved through settlements with insurance carriers. However, even in a best-case scenario, a gas explosion claim is likely to take months. In the event there is any dispute over liability or how much compensation to pay out, this will likely take much longer.
We encourage you to ask your attorney how long to expect your claim to take. Unfortunately, if the other party refuses to pay fair compensation, it may be necessary to file a civil personal injury lawsuit against the alleged negligent party. Filing a lawsuit is the beginning of the process toward a jury trial, but the discovery phase comes first. During discovery, attorneys for both sides of the claim exchange evidence with one another and are able to take depositions from all potential witnesses.
For the explosion accident claims that do go all the way to trial, it could take multiple years to reach a resolution. We can say that most claims do not make it to trial, but our team will not hesitate to take your case to a jury if necessary to ensure you are treated fairly throughout the process.
At the Doan Law Firm, we handle gas explosion accident claims on a contingency fee basis. This means that victims will not have to handle any of the upfront or ongoing costs related to their case. Our team will only collect legal fees after successfully recovering compensation on behalf of the client. In the event we are not successful with a claim, the client will pay no legal fees at all.
If you or somebody you love has been injured in a gas explosion in or around the Houston area, reach out to the team at the Doan Law Firm as soon as possible. Our attorneys have extensive experience handling complex explosion cases, and we conduct thorough investigations on behalf of our clients. Our goal is to ensure that clients recover the compensation they need, including coverage of their medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering damages, and more. When you need a Houston gas explosion lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or calling 800-349-0000.