EXPLOSION ACCIDENT LAWYER

Some steps that could help prevent explosions in homes, commercial properties and workplaces include:

• Perform regular inspections and maintenance: Check heating units and large appliances for proper functioning and keep them well-maintained.
• Know the emergency shut-off procedures: Be sure to know how items capable of exploding can be quickly shut down if they appear to be malfunctioning.
• Promote awareness: Make sure household members and coworkers know the signs of malfunctioning equipment or a heightened risk of an explosion.
• Stick with professional installations for new equipment or appliances: Don’t attempt to install heating equipment or large appliances when you can have a professional do it for you.
• Recognize the signs of an impending explosion: Know how to detect the first signs of a gas leak or an electrical arc flash explosion and don’t delay calling in a qualified professional for an emergency repair.

Preventing industrial workplace explosions can involve complex issues. Factors such as workplace chemicals, combustible dust and fuels, temperatures, electrical voltages and human error could all come into play. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration can, however, provide guidance on what preventive measures could help prevent workplace explosions.

In homes, natural gas leaks are a common cause of explosions. When a leak creates a concentrated build-up of flammable gas in an unventilated area, a spark from an electrical device can set off an explosion.

Some signs there could be a natural gas leak in a home

One or more of the following signs could indicate the presence of natural gas:

• An odor like rotten eggs
• Whistling or hissing sounds near gas line connections or appliances
• Outdoor vegetation dying near gas connections
• Normally active pets that act lethargic or have trouble breathing
• An unexplainable and sudden increase in a gas bill

What to do if you suspect there is a natural gas leak

If you believe there are signs of a gas leak, the following steps could help prevent an explosion or avoid injuries:

• Leave the area or home where you believe gas is leaking.
• Do not do anything that might create a flame or spark.
• Call the gas utility company’s emergency number when you are safely away from the suspected gas leak.
• Stay in a safe area and wait for professionals to arrive.
• Don’t re-enter the building or go near the suspected gas leak until professional responders say it’s safe to do so.

If you’re caught in an explosion, there are some things that could help lessen the physical harm suffered:

• Get under a sturdy desk or table and remain there until you’re sure nothing is falling around you.
• Evacuate the building as soon as possible but check to see if doors are warm to the touch before opening them — there may be a fire on the other side.
• Avoid elevators and remain cautious of weakened floors or damaged stairways.
• If you smell smoke, crawl low and wrap a wet cloth around your mouth and nose if you can.

What to do immediately after you escape the blast area

Once you’ve gotten to a safe area, contact or wait for emergency responders and seek medical attention. Let the response team know if there are others that may still remain trapped within the building. Communicate as much as you can about the blast to the first responders. Anything you can tell the response team about the explosion and injured parties could help save lives. If you can, take pictures of the area — they could prove helpful in the follow-up investigation.

Even if you think you weren’t seriously injured, you should get a full physical check-up as soon as possible. Some of the effects of the explosion may not show themselves immediately. Medical documentation provided by your doctor will also help when filing for health insurance benefits or initiating a personal injury claim against a liable party.

If the explosion affected your home, vehicle or business property, take pictures and obtain estimates of the damage. Provide the respective insurance carriers with the information gathered and be sure to keep copies of all documents you submit.

Get in touch with one of our experienced personal injury attorneys. Complicated issues may arise after suffering harm in an explosion accident. Insurance companies may not always respond in your best interests, but your accident attorney will use all available resources to pursue your claim.

Contact members of the teams investigating the explosion if you remember any further details. This may help prevent similar explosions and could also help your legal team determine liability.

Maintain a daily pain and recovery journal. Include details about how you’re feeling mentally and emotionally. Your attorney may obtain compensation for your pain and suffering, which could include emotional duress such as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Long-term recoveries, emotional trauma and disabilities can dominate the aftermath of an explosion accident. You do not need to be near the blast source to suffer harm. The primary blast shockwave alone can create a degree of pressure forceful enough to cause harm to internal organs such as abdominal hemorrhaging, ruptured lungs and middle ear damage.

Secondary injuries can result from debris and fragments propelled by the force of the primary blast. The blunt force penetration harm can include open brain injuries, facial disfigurement, or eye damage. The heart, lungs, liver and kidneys could also suffer penetration damage, which typically results in critical and life-threatening harm.

The powerful blast winds from an explosion can toss around a human body in the same manner as a severe vehicle accident victim gets thrown about in a car hit by a train. The resulting harm could include broken bones, amputated limbs and spinal cord injuries severe enough to cause paralysis.

Two additional sources of physical harm from an explosion are the by products of heat and toxic fumes. The intense heat that certain types of explosions create can cause severe and debilitating burn injuries. Third-degree burns may require skin grafts, breathing assistance and plastic surgery. The other byproduct, toxic fumes, could result in permanent respiratory or brain damage when inhaled.