Explosion Lawsuits

Motley Rice attorneys have previous casework experience with a variety of exploding devices, including batteries, e-cigarettes, gas cans and pressure cookers.

• Lithium-ion batteries: Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are commonly used to power high-tech devices. While they’re recognized for their ability to store more energy than most other batteries, lithium-ion batteries can be unstable. If damaged or defective, they may unexpectedly explode or ignite, potentially causing consumers to suffer severe burns, facial fractures, broken teeth, and other injuries.
• E-cigarettes: Our catastrophic injury attorneys are reviewing claims of harm involving lithium-ion batteries and exploding e-cigarettes.
• Gas cans: Motley Rice attorneys continue to review potential cases involving gas cans that do not have “flame arrestor” shields at the mouth of the container. The lack of these shields may cause gasoline vapors to ignite outside the container and travel inward, causing injurious flashback explosions. Serious, permanent injuries, including burns or even fatalities, have occurred in some cases.
• Pressure cookers: People have reported being severely injured by malfunctioning pressure cookers, which may explode unexpectedly. The exploding pressure cooker causes boiling contents to be ejected up to 20 feet, leading to severe burns, scarring and other physical injuries.

How  lawyers with product defect explosion experience can help

Product liability is a very specific area of law. Attorneys that have experience navigating the intersection of product defects, personal injury and explosions are valuable assets for plaintiffs. These cases can be legally complex because many potential factors are involved, including who is at fault for the explosion, and where to file the case.

Lawyers can help by gathering evidence, building the case, filing the claim and providing legal representation and guidance as the case progresses.

There are laws and regulations which may govern how and when you may file a claim for damages. These laws and regulations vary state by state. If you believe you may have a claim, we recommend that you retain competent legal counsel as soon as possible.

Explosions are sudden, dangerous and often deadly, leading anyone near them to be severely injured. While explosions are more common in high-risk environments, they can also happen in smaller offices and commercial buildings. There are several industries and places where explosions may commonly occur, including:

• Chemical facilities
• Construction sites
• Factories
• Manufacturing plants
• Oil and gas industrial buildings

Common causes of workplace explosions

A workplace explosion may occur for many reasons. Some common causes include:

• Defective products
• Electrical malfunctions
• Equipment failure
• Faulty equipment
• Flammable materials
• Gas leaks
• Hazardous materials
• Human error
• Poor ventilation

Understanding what qualifies as a workplace explosion can help injured people or their families figure out their legal options in claims against the responsible parties.

Because of the intense force of explosions, they may lead to catastrophic injuries to anyone nearby. Some of the potential injuries that may occur include:

• Burn injuries
• Brain injuries
• Broken bones
• Eye injuries
• Hearing loss
• Internal organ damage
• Lacerations
• Spinal cord injuries

These serious injuries may lead to long-term impacts such as:

• Chronic pain
• Expensive long-term medical treatments/expenses
• Loss of work/income
• Permanent disabilities
• PTSD

In some tragic cases, workplace explosions may lead to fatalities, leaving family members to cope with an unexpected loss and a potential lawsuit. Understanding the types of injuries caused by workplace explosions helps the injured and their families figure out their legal options.

Depending on how the explosion occurred, one or more parties may be held liable for the resulting injuries and damage. Identifying responsible parties is crucial as it can affect the potential compensation available to the injured workers or their families.

Parties that may be held liable include:

• Manufacturers or distributors of equipment/products that led to the explosion
• The owner of the equipment/products that led to the explosion
• Employees and/or managers who contributed to the explosion
• Contractors who contributed to the explosion

Consulting with a personal injury lawyer can help you figure out who to hold responsible for the injuries you sustained from the explosion.

How a workplace explosions lawyer can help

Workplace explosions can oftentimes be legally complex because many potential factors are involved (other employees, machines, insurance, or employers). Meeting with a lawyer can help injured individuals or their families navigate the legal process from start to finish, especially with state laws related to filing certain claims.

Lawyers can help by gathering evidence, building the case, filing the claim and providing legal representation and guidance as the case progresses.

If you or a loved one's injury was a result of someone else’s negligence or other wrongful actions, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against them. This includes design defects and unsafe working conditions. Depending on the specific situation and facts of the case, the lawsuit could either be considered a personal injury or wrongful death case.

• Personal injury: This type of lawsuit seeks to hold parties accountable for harm they caused a person or persons.
• Wrongful death: This type of lawsuit is a civil action that surviving family members or dependents bring on behalf of a fatally injured loved one.

What compensation may be available in workplace explosion lawsuits?

Compensation awarded in these lawsuits will depend on the claim and the specific situation. Types of compensation in workplace explosion lawsuits may go towards medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, etc. An explosion accident attorney can help you figure out what compensation you may be able to acquire.

What do I do after an explosion occurs?

After an explosion occurs, the first step should be to find a safe place to go until it’s no longer dangerous. Then, seek medical attention immediately. If able, injured individuals should then focus on gathering and saving any relevant evidence (medical records, videos/photos, digital communications, witness accounts, etc.). If you were injured by an exploding product, do not dispose of the product. It may be used as evidence in a personal injury claim.

Can I sue my employer after getting injured from a workplace explosion?

If the employer has workers compensation insurance in place, injured employees may not be able to sue the employer. However, if the employer doesn’t have insurance, employees injured from a workplace explosion may be eligible to sue depending on the specific facts of the claim. Injured workers will need to go through workers compensation first unless a third party caused the injury (contractor or outside party).

How long do I have to file an explosion lawsuit?

Each state has its own statute of limitations for filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit in civil court. A catastrophic injury lawyer can help injured you determine the specific deadline for your claim.

Motley Rice attorneys actively litigate complex cases involving personal injury and wrongful death. Along with fighting for your rights and compensation for catastrophic injuries sustained, we also work hard to encourage changes in safety standards that may prevent tragedies like workplace explosions from happening again in the future.

Read more on our personal injury litigation experience.