In November 2006, BP settled with a woman whose two parents were killed in the BP oil refinery explosion in Texas City. According to the details of the settlement, the company agreed to pay $38 million to area hospitals and schools, and an undisclosed amount to the plaintiff. The settlement was announced just before the trial was scheduled to start.

“I didn't want my parents to be forgotten,'' the woman told Bloomberg. Both her parents worked for a construction contractor, located onsite at the BP Texas City oil refinery. An unknown source ignited vapors pouring out of the blowdown stack, killing 15 and injuring many more. “They lost their lives, but now a lot more people will be helped.''

The March 23, 2005 explosion has triggered over 1,300 suits against the company. An investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the Texas City oil refinery found over 300 safety violations including ignoring safety problems, improper situation of “temporary” work offices, and improper management. In all, BP agreed to pay $21.4 million in fines, the largest single amount ever imposed by OSHA or any other government regulator.

“We regret that our mistakes have caused so much harm,'' Bloomberg quoted BP spokesman Ronnie Chappell as saying. “We're committed to ensuring this never happens again.”

That is a tall order. Safety violations such as those directly and indirectly leading to this explosion are rampant throughout the industry. There are many aspects to the problem that essentially boil down to two main reasons for these “accidents”: the oil companies do not want to spend the money on maintenance and repairs (including the time and money it costs to shut down the plants), and government agencies like OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) do not have the resources or in some cases even the mandate to ensure that oil refineries are abiding by all the regulations.

The horrific thing about oil refinery explosions is that the companies that own them are making billions of dollars in profit each year. In the third quarter (Q3) alone, BP made just under $7 billion in profits alone. It expects that expenditures associated with the Texas City oil refinery explosion, including pending lawsuits, payouts, fines, and repair costs, should total about $2 billion – a hit in the pocketbook for the world’s second-largest oil company but certainly far from crippling.

If you have been injured on the job in an oil refinery explosion or other so-called “accident,” contact Jim S. Adler & Associates to make sure your rights are protected. Safety violations, improperly maintained and/or repaired equipment, and improper working procedures are rampant throughout the industry, and it is almost certain that your injuries could have been prevented. Jim S. Adler & Associates will give you a free case review and will fight for your right to compensation to cover medical bills, lost work, and pain and suffering. Our personal injury lawyers are ready to help.

Call Jim S. Adler & Associates directly or fill in the form on this page to submit your oil refinery injuries for a free case review.

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