Compressed gas is used in a wide range of industrial settings and in many different types of projects. Stored in tanks and cylinders, compressed gas is both pressurized and flammable — and if proper safety protocol isn’t followed, devastating accidents can occur that lead to injury or fatality. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 10 fatalities and nearly 4,000 injuries related to pressurized gas containers in 2016 alone. If you were injured in a workplace accident involving compressed gas, you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover your damages.
Injuries Caused by Compressed Gas Accidents
Compressed gases on construction sites are often used in welding and various other operations. Proper handling of the cylinders in which compressed gases are stored is essential to avoid explosions, fires, and high-pressure accidents that can occur and lead to life-changing injuries. However, no matter how many precautions are taken, accidents can still arise due to the negligence, recklessness, or carelessness of others.
Some common injuries caused by compressed gas accidents include:
- Chemical burns
- Poisoning
- Disfigurement
- Asphyxiation
- Third-degree burns
- Fatality
Compressed gas hazards can be avoided by exercising due care, ensuring workers have adequate training, and providing appropriate protective gear. In addition, cylinders should be stored upright in a fire-resistant area and regularly inspected for signs of burn marks, corrosion, dents, odors, or hissing sounds.
While a construction worker cannot sue their employer for injuries arising as a result of a compressed gas accident due to Workers’ Compensation laws, a personal injury lawsuit may be brought against a negligent third party. Responsible parties may include a manufacturer, subcontractor, engineer, property owner, or other individual.
Compensation for Compressed Gas Accident Injuries
Although Workers’ Compensation provides injured workers with a certain amount of monetary relief to cover their medical expenses and lost wages, it is often not enough to cover the full extent of a worker’s losses. It also doesn’t compensate for the pain and suffering a worker experienced in connection with their injuries. In cases involving compressed gas accidents, it may be necessary for an injured worker to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover the full extent of their economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages that may be recovered in a personal injury action for a compressed gas accident can include hospital and emergency room bills, surgery expenses, out-of-pocket medical costs, lost wages, and other pecuniary losses. Non-economic damages are meant to cover losses that are more difficult to quantify, such as pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
Additionally, a family who lost a loved one in a compressed gas accident in the workplace might be entitled to pursue a wrongful death action. In doing so, they may be able to recover the economic losses they suffered in connection with the loss of their loved one. In some cases, monetary damages may also be awarded for the conscious pain and suffering experienced by the victim due to their fatal injuries.
Contact an Experienced Construction Accident Attorney
If you suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a compressed gas accident on a construction site, it’s crucial to have a knowledgeable construction accident attorney by your side. The attorneys at The Dearie Law Firm, P.C. have been advocating for the rights of injured workers and their families for more than three decades. They have an established history of obtaining positive results and securing favorable outcomes in their cases.
The Dearie Law Firm, P.C. has convenient office locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, as well as mobile locations serving Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, the Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester County, Rockland County, Nassau County, and Suffolk County. Contact us today for a consultation.