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When a refinery explosion occurs, there are a lot of steps that must happen before you will receive a settlement from those at fault. This timeline of a Galveston refinery explosion lawsuit can range from 12 months to 18 months, but it could be longer. Your experienced Galveston refinery explosion lawyer from The Doan Law Firm may be able to settle the case sooner, depending on the circumstances. Consider the following elements of this timeline.
The first step is to gather as much information as possible about the cause of the incident. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, OSHA, and sometimes local fire marshals will investigate these accidents to fully understand what occurred. This is a critical step. It enables your Galveston refinery explosion attorney to learn who is responsible for the losses you incurred.
You can expect an investigation to take several months. Larger and more complex explosions may require additional investigations.
Another factor that plays a role in how long it takes to receive a settlement in a Galveston refinery explosion accident is the severity of the event. The more people hurt, the more extensive the damage, and the more elaborate the overall experience, the more challenging the lawsuit can be.
This often results in more than one agency’s involvement, multiple parties filing a claim, and a lot of finger-pointing. Your attorney will work to minimize those risks while also assuring you do not settle for too little.
In some cases, your attorney may be able to settle your claim with the insurance company representing the at-fault party out of court. In the ideal situation, this will prove to be the fastest way to receive compensation. Your attorney will present a claim that incorporates all of the losses you have. They will negotiate a fair level of compensation with the insurance company.
Most of the time, a settlement can occur. That allows you to close your case and move forward, often within a few months of reaching your maximum recovery level. Your attorney will do their best to pursue fair compensation at the highest level through a settlement. If that does not happen, expect your attorney to go to trial. The Texas statute of limitations provides you with up to two years in most cases to take legal action.
In situations where the insurance company will not settle, or there is the risk of dozens of people filing a claim, the case will likely end up as a lawsuit. This process can mean months of additional time for discovery and a full review. If the court is backed up, that adds to the timeline as well.
If your case has to go to court through a lawsuit, you can expect that it will take 1 year to 18 months to navigate from start to finish. Again, this is a rough figure. The more complex the case is, the more likely it will be for the incident to take time.
The experience and insight your lawyer has make a difference in the timeline of a Galveston refinery explosion lawsuit. Schedule a free consultation with The Doan Law Firm to learn how we can help you.