West Virginia Explosion Accident Attorneys
For over four decades, the skilled personal injury attorneys at Bailey, Javins & Carter, L.C. have successfully represented clients injured in explosion accidents in West Virginia. We know that those who suffer severe burns and other types of serious injuries from these accidents go through enormous physical, emotional, and financial pain. Our goal is to make the legal process smooth and seamless, so you can focus on your recovery.
We work closely with our clients, putting our extensive experience to work to provide the strong personalized representation they need and deserve. We have a successful track record with even the most complex cases against well-funded adversaries, and we routinely go up against large corporations and their insurance companies. Our firm has the knowledge, skills, resources, and dedication to help ensure that our clients recover full and fair compensation, and that those responsible for their injuries are held fully accountable.
The Impact of An Explosion
Explosions are always shocking and very often cause serious injury or death. They happen because of built-up air pressure, flammable liquids, volatile gases, and other circumstances in which incendiary materials are involved.
Explosions occur in a wide range of locations, situations, and settings, including:
- Power plant explosions
- Mining explosions
- Burst fuel tanks in motor vehicle accidents
- Natural gas explosions
- Fertilizer plant explosions
- Building explosions
- Electrical explosions
- Oil drilling explosions
- Acts of violence
Proximity to the explosion and environmental factors help determine the fate of people nearby. Individuals at a location of an explosion are often killed. Others suffer catastrophic or serious injuries. Others suffer psychological damage by witnessing the maiming of the injured.
Individuals near an explosion can suffer physical trauma from either direct or indirect exposure to the blast. Explosions in confined areas, such as coal mines like the ones we have here in West Virginia tend to cause more severe injuries. This is also true of explosions that cause a structure to collapse with individuals inside of it.
Types of Explosion Injuries
There are four general types of injuries that result from blasts and explosions:
- Primary Blast Injuries: These are injuries due to the direct effects of the pressure of the blast. When the blast wave hits the body, it can cause instant damage to the lungs (from the rapid or excessive pressure changes). Primary blast injuries can also cause other types of internal damage, such as perforation of the intestines or gall bladder. Other direct injuries from the blast may include burst eardrums, eye ruptures, and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
- Secondary Blast Injuries: These are injuries caused by materials, fragments, and debris that is dispersed after the explosion that strikes nearby individuals. When someone is struck by a rapidly moving object, they could sustain any number of injuries due to blunt force trauma or penetration into the skin.
- Tertiary Blast Injuries: These are injuries that occur because an individual is thrown by the blast of wind after the explosion. If an individual is thrown a significant distance, these types of injuries can be very serious and catastrophic. Examples may include severe fractures, amputations/loss of limbs, and traumatic brain injuries.
- Quaternary Blast Injuries: These are all explosion-related injuries that are not caused by primary, secondary, or tertiary mechanisms. Burn injuries are among the most common types of quaternary injuries, ranging in severity from minor (first-degree) to moderate (second-degree) to severe (third-degree) burns. Severe burns can be very painful and debilitating, and there is typically a long and difficult recovery process for victims. Other quaternary blast injuries may include crush injuries and asthma, COPD, and similar breathing issues caused by dust, smoke, or other toxic fumes.
Compensation for Explosion Accident Injury Victims
Recovering from blast and explosion injuries is typically very expensive and life-altering. Many explosion victims are left to live with long-lasting disabilities and losses such as major scarring and disfigurement.
Whether your injury was caused by an explosion on the job or in other types of circumstances in West Virginia, you will find valuable information and guidance at Bailey, Javins & Carter, L.C. Since 1970, our law firm has helped people injured in serious accidents such as explosions to recover compensation and move toward recovery.
If the explosion accident and subsequent injury occurred at work, the first step is to file a workers’ compensation claim. Unfortunately, this process can be confusing, and employers often put up unnecessary roadblocks to discourage employees from obtaining the compensation they are entitled to. Our lawyers can help you with this complicated process and help ensure you are able to successfully lodge your claim. In some rare cases, you may also be able to file a personal injury lawsuit against your employer under West Virginia’s “deliberate intent” law. There is a high burden of proof with deliberate intent cases, however, so be sure to speak with one of our experienced attorneys before considering this course of action.
If your injury resulted from the negligent acts or omissions of a party other than your employer, you may be able to file a personal injury claim to recover damages. Compensatory damages are divided into two general categories:
- Economic Damages: Damages that are quantifiable, such as medical expenses, lost wage, loss of earning capacity, and funeral and burial costs.
- Noneconomic Damages: Damages that are intangible and more difficult to assign a dollar figure to. Examples include physical pain and suffering, psychological distress, and diminished quality of life.
Free Consultation with a Charleston Burn Injury Lawyer
Do not assume that you know where compensation may come from after an explosion injury. We often identify sources of compensation that clients were not aware of. We are also skilled at dealing with insurance companies that deny and delay legitimate injury claims or try to pay out less than what is appropriate. Contact our firm to schedule a free initial consultation with a West Virginia explosion accident attorney to learn how we can help. We can help initiate an investigation and injury claim after any type of explosion, electrocution accident or serious fire resulting in burn injury losses.
We work on a contingency basis. We don’t get paid unless you do.
