Louisiana’s oil refining industry employs thousands of workers across the state, but working in these facilities comes with significant risks. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workers in the oil and gas industry face higher rates of severe, work-related injuries than other industries.
At Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers, we understand the complex challenges oil refinery workers face when pursuing workers’ compensation claims after being injured on the job. Our experienced work injury lawyers have helped countless injured refinery workers secure the benefits they deserve while navigating the often complicated claims process.
Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Basics
Louisiana’s workers’ compensation system provides essential protections for oil refinery employees who suffer workplace injuries or develop occupational diseases. This no-fault system is supposed to ensure that injured workers can receive benefits without first needing to prove that their employer’s negligence caused the accident.
Oil refinery workers are entitled to be compensated for medical care for work-related injuries, including emergency treatment, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical monitoring—which is particularly important for workers exposed to hazardous substances like those found in refineries.
The Louisiana workers’ compensation system also provides wage replacement benefits, covering a portion of lost earnings while workers recover from their injuries.
However, navigating the workers’ compensation system to ensure you receive the full benefits you are entitled to can be complicated and time-consuming, especially for oil refinery cases involving complex medical evidence and occupational diseases. That’s where Dudley DeBosier can help—we understand oil refinery injuries and will fight for the benefits you deserve. Contact us today.
Common Oil Refinery Workplace Injuries
Working in an oil refinery exposes employees to numerous hazards that can result in serious injuries and long-term health complications.
Chemical Exposure and Burns
Oil refineries handle many toxic substances, including benzene, hydrogen sulfide, hydrofluoric and sulfuric acids, heavy metals, and various petroleum products. Workers can suffer chemical burns from direct contact with these substances, while inhalation of toxic vapors can cause severe respiratory damage. Absorption of toxic chemicals through the skin can lead to systemic poisoning, and repeated exposure may result in chronic health conditions that develop over time.
Fire and Explosion Injuries
The volatile nature of petroleum products creates constant fire and explosion risks in refinery environments. These incidents can cause devastating burn injuries ranging from first-degree burns to life-threatening third-degree burns covering large portions of the body.
Explosion injuries also often include blast trauma, which can damage internal organs, cause traumatic brain injuries, and result in severe lacerations from flying debris.
Heavy Machinery Accidents
Oil refineries rely on massive, complex machinery including pumps, compressors, distillation towers, and conveyor systems. Accidents involving this equipment frequently result in crush injuries, broken bones, and traumatic amputations. Workers can become caught in machinery, struck by moving parts, or injured when equipment malfunctions or fails catastrophically.
Falls and Structural Accidents
Refinery workers often work at significant heights on platforms, towers, and scaffolding systems. Falls from these elevated work areas can cause severe injuries including spinal cord damage, traumatic brain injuries, and multiple fractures or broken bones.
Structural failures, such as platform collapses or equipment failures, can also injure multiple workers simultaneously.
Occupational Diseases
Long-term exposure to refinery chemicals and unsafe processes can lead to serious occupational diseases that may not manifest symptoms for years or decades. These conditions include various forms of cancer linked to benzene and other carcinogenic substances, chronic respiratory diseases from inhaling petroleum vapors and particulates, and neurological disorders from prolonged chemical exposure.
Common Challenges and How We Can Help
Oil refinery workers’ compensation cases often face unique challenges that require experienced legal representation to overcome. For instance, company safety records, incident reports, and OSHA compliance documents can play crucial roles in supporting a claim. At Dudley DeBosier, we conduct thorough investigations into refinery accidents, examining safety protocols, equipment maintenance records, and OSHA compliance history.
Employers may also dispute causation, especially in cases involving occupational diseases where symptoms appear years after initial exposure. They may argue that these health problems result from non-work-related factors or pre-existing conditions rather than workplace chemical exposure. Proving the connection often requires complex medical evidence and testimony from occupational health specialists. Our team works with leading medical experts who understand the health effects of chemical exposure and can provide compelling testimony.
In addition, when refinery accidents involve equipment failures or third-party negligence, we explore all available legal options. This may include pursuing third-party injury claims against equipment manufacturers, maintenance contractors, or other parties whose negligence contributed to the injury, potentially providing additional compensation beyond your workers’ compensation benefits.
In short, we understand the unique hazards of refinery work and know how to build strong cases that address the specific challenges of these claims.
Serving Louisiana’s Oil Refinery Communities
Louisiana’s extensive oil refining infrastructure spans numerous parishes, and Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers proudly serves workers throughout these communities. Our firm represents injured refinery workers across St. Bernard Parish, where major petrochemical facilities operate along the Mississippi River, and Plaquemines Parish, home to significant refining operations in the industrial corridor.
We also serve workers in St. John the Baptist Parish and Jefferson Parish, both critical areas for Louisiana’s petroleum industry, as well as St. James Parish, which hosts major chemical and refining facilities. Additionally, our firm represents workers in Calcasieu Parish, home to the multiple refining and petrochemical complexes on Lake Charles, including:
- Calcasieu Refining Co.
- CITGO Petroleum Corporation on Lake Charles
- Phillips 66 – Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex
Understanding the local industrial landscape and the specific hazards present at different facilities throughout Louisiana allows us to provide more effective representation for injured refinery workers. We know the major employers, common safety issues, and regulatory challenges that characterize Louisiana’s oil refining industry.
Contact Dudley DeBosier for Your Oil Refinery Workers’ Compensation Case
If you’ve been injured while working at an oil refinery or have developed health problems from chemical exposure, don’t wait to seek legal representation. The workers’ compensation system can be complex, and oil refinery cases often involve unique challenges that require experienced legal guidance.
At Dudley DeBosier Injury Lawyers, we offer free consultations to evaluate your case and explain your legal options. Our team of work injury lawyers is ready to fight for the benefits you deserve—contact us today.
