Environmental Harm Oil & Gas Refinery Accident
Millions of Americans live and work near oil and gas refineries, but they are unaware of the dangers these facilities may pose. According to a report by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, 15 million people across the United States are at risk of injury in the event of an accident at an oil or gas refinery. Refinery fires, spills, accidental chemical releases, air emissions and equipment malfunctions present numerous environmental and health issues.
The personal injury lawyers at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault have spent the past 25 years representing injury victims across the state of Louisiana, including Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Monroe, Lafayette & Alexandria. Our injury attorneys have handled many class action lawsuits. We know about the dangers posed by oil and gas refineries, and the ever-present risk from the accidental release of harmful chemicals into the environment.
If you or a loved one has been exposed to a hazardous substance released by a refinery operation, you may be entitled to compensation.
Contact Neblett, Beard & Arsenault today by calling 1-800-256-1050 or submit an online request.
Oil & Gas Refineries Pose Significant Risks
Refineries process crude oil into flammable gases and liquids at high temperatures, through distillation and other chemical reaction and physical separation processes. Petroleum products include gasoline, diesel fuel, home heating oil, petrochemicals, asphalt and jet fuel. The growing global demand for refined petroleum products has prompted American refineries to operate near capacity, particularly during peak summer months. The U.S. oil and gas refining industry is heavily concentrated around the Gulf Coast. Almost half the nation’s refining capacity in located in the Gulf Coast region of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.
Refineries often store large amounts of hazardous chemicals known as catalysts on site. Catalysts are used in petroleum refineries to cause chemical reactions to create the final product. A catalyst may contain several chemicals such as titanium oxide, kaolin, and hydrofluoric acid. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, catalysts are a hazardous waste that should be disposed of with extreme care.
However, when an accident or power failure occurs, these chemicals or spent catalysts that are the remnant of the production process may be released into the environment as a fine powder or dust. Exposure to a catalyst dust or power may be hazardous to an individual’s health. A catalyst may cause skin irritation, tissue burns, bone damage, or lung damage. Catalyst exposure is especially dangerous to those who suffer from respiratory illnesses or chronic conditions.
Refineries handle a variety of toxic and flammable chemicals that are additives or chemical components of the refining process including ketones, styrene, benzene, toluene and xylene. Refinery emissions of benzene, a known cause of cancer in humans, increased more than 8 percent from 2007 to 2008, according to EPA’s Toxic Release Inventory. Some of that increase includes releases such as an accident that leaked 92,578 pounds of benzene in December 2008 from Citgo’s Lake Charles Refinery in Westlake, Louisiana. Nearly all of the benzene volatilized into the air. The Environmental Integrity Project, a group of former EPA environmental lawyers, has suggested the refinery industry may be significantly underreporting benzene emissions.
Refineries also produce emissions of nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds that contribute to the formation of ground level ozone which is harmful to human health.
Oil and gas refineries also pose a significant risk to the livelihood of those who work near the facilities. Oil spillage from refineries averaged 12,136 barrels from 1998 through 2007, according to the American Petroleum Institute. The spills can cause contamination of groundwater, foul wetlands and fish breeding grounds and pollute rivers and streams.
When an accident occurs at an offshore drilling site, thousands of gallons of oil may wash onto the beaches, shores, rivers, and wetlands nearby. Businesses are harmed by the spill, and incomes are severely affected.
Contact Us Today
If you have been exposed to a hazardous substance from an oil or gas refinery, take the first step to protect your legal rights – contact the environmental injury attorneys at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault today at 1-800-256-1050 or by using our online form. We have helped thousands of individuals across the state of Louisiana including Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Monroe, Lafayette and Alexandria.
Neblett, Beard & Arsenault serves the legal needs of Louisiana, including:
- Alexandria 318.561.2500
- Baton Rouge 225.343.3475
- Lafayette 337.289.9800
- Lake Charles 337.855.4400
- Monroe 318.323.4455
- Shreveport 318.635.5800
- Injuries
- Accidents
- Offshore / Maritime
- Dangerous Drugs & Products
- Food Poisoning
- Nursing Home Neglect
Personal injury is a legal term that describes a serious injury suffered by one person that is caused by the negligence or wrongful actions of another. Negligence or wrongful conduct can happen in the form of a car accident, medical malpractice, maritime accidents, or dangerous products.
Whether you were hurt in a car wreck, on an oil rig or suffered harm from a prescription drug, your first priority is medical treatment – but you may be confused about your next steps. If you or a loved one has been seriously hurt, an experienced personal injury attorney can be a vital resource for providing knowledgeable, no-nonsense advice about your legal options. The personal injury attorneys at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault have been helping injury victims for more than two decades – and we’re ready to work for you. Contact us today at 1-800-256-1050 or submit an online request.
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Vehicle accidents are among the most common causes of personal injury in Louisiana. In 2008, there were thousands of car accidents, including 827 fatal traffic collisions – causing the death of 920 people. Considering that most of us must use a vehicle to travel to our jobs, our schools, stores and home, we are all at risk for becoming involved in a vehicle accident at some point in our lives.
The vehicle accident attorneys at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault have devoted the past 25 years to representing injury victims in Alexandria, Baton Rouge and across the state of Louisiana. We know that even the slightest mistake can quickly turn into a tragic accident – and if you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s negligence on the roads, you have the right to file for financial compensation. Contact us at 1-800-256-1050 or submit an online request for a free evaluation of your claim.
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Maritime law is the area of our legal system that covers incidents that occur on the water. Maritime law encompasses individuals who are injured on a boat as a member of the crew or a passenger. It also covers longshoremen, offshore oil field workers and many other individuals injured on a boat, rig or dock.
The Maritime Law attorneys at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault have been providing knowledge and experience to law firms across the country in the area of maritime law for more than a quarter of a century. If you or a loved one has been hurt while working in a maritime profession, contact our firm by calling 1-800-256-1050 today or submit an online request.
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Dangerous drugs and dangerous medical products can often do more harm than the disease or condition they are treating. Despite FDA regulations, many products slip by with unknown and harmful side effects that could be caused by a flaw in design or production. Sometimes these side effects are known by the company, but the product is pushed through in order to avoid delays and make profit.
If you have been hurt by a prescription drug or other pharmaceutical product, the best thing that you can do for yourself and other patients is to come forward. The pharmaceutical litigation lawyers at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault of Louisiana know how to deal with the big drug companies and we work hard to help ensure that the injured receive justice. Contact us today at 1-800-256-1050 or submit an online request. We handle pharmaceutical litigation claims across the state of Louisiana including Alexandria and Baton Rouge.
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Foodborne illnesses are highly preventable, yet they are very common in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 325,000 people are hospitalized due to food poisoning and more than 5,000 die. Poor preparation and improper handling of food can expose thousands of people to dangerous diseases such as botulism, campylobacterioses, e.coli, listeria and salmonella.
If you or someone you love has become seriously ill due to contaminated food, contact the Louisiana food poisoning attorneys at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault today. We have represented thousands of personal injury victims including victims of food poisoning. Call 1-800-256-1050 today or submit an online request. We represent victims across the state of Louisiana including Alexandria and Baton Rouge.
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It is a difficult and emotional decision to place a mother, father or grandparent in a nursing home. When you do, you expect that your loved ones will experience the highest level of care possible. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. No matter how carefully you choose and investigate a nursing home facility, nursing home neglect, abuse and mistreatment do occur.
The nursing home negligence attorneys at Neblett, Beard & Arsenault have spent the past 25 years representing injury victims across the state. Our lawyers have represented thousands of people suffering from nursing home negligence, and we understand the serious complications that can result. If your loved one has experienced nursing home negligence, contact our firm by calling 1-800-256-1050 today or submit an online request. We handle nursing home neglect cases from Alexandria, Baton Rouge and across Louisiana.
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