Chicago Explosion Injuries and Fatalities
The likelihood of suffering substantial or fatal injuries is high in a Chicago explosion accident. Explosions combine heat, force, and flying debris, which puts people in harm’s way. The most common cause of explosions is gas leaks. Typical injuries are head injuries, emotional trauma, scars, burns, or hearing loss from a loud blast. Fatalities can also result from an explosion. An experienced, trustworthy attorney can guide you and help you obtain compensation for explosion injuries.
The explosion injury attorneys at the Blumenshine Law Group can help you hold those responsible for your injuries accountable while handling all aspects of the legal process, so healing and receiving treatment are your #1 priority. Contact us today for a free consultation: (312)766-1000.
Brain Injuries Due to Explosions
According to the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) website, brain injuries can occur without physical impact to the head. The primary blast wave is the most destructive energy released by an explosion. The blast wave can cause ear, lung, brain, and other body parts injuries.
A blow to the head or sudden acceleration of the head causes concussions due to blasts. They are more likely to happen if you are near an explosion or if you were thrown into something while being near an explosion. If a concussion is not treated correctly it will lead to long-term disabilities such as headaches and memory loss.
Explosions Are Unexpected
Explosions in confined spaces are associated with greater morbidity (injury) and death (mortality). Explosions, like any accident, occur when least expected. You thus have no way to prepare for this catastrophic situation. Gas explosions can happen in the workplace, stores, restaurants, hotels, schools, homes, or most places where fuel sources are supplied to buildings.
Causes of Explosions
Defective Products
Many products carry a high degree of safety risk, and companies must ensure that their products are safe. Products as big as entire sections of pipe may be defective, or a flawed product could be as small as a tiny connector or part. A faulty product could be as simple as a poorly designed component, a poor production process, or inadequate warnings or instructions. Determining whether a faulty item was responsible for an explosion often requires intensive investigation and even reconstruction of accidents.
Pipeline and Propane Tank Explosions
Using propane as a fuel source doesn’t just pose a fire danger; the tanks themselves can be susceptible to explosions if not used correctly.
Propane tanks provide gas for heating, cooking, and other uses but can be hazardous in certain situations. Tank corrosion, defective valves, gas leaks, improper handling, and proximity to ignition sources increase the risks of accidental explosions causing severe injuries. Victims of propane blast accidents often suffer serious harm like burns, trauma, or loss of limbs that require extensive medical treatment and leave permanent disabilities. If a propane tank explosion occurs due to negligence or product liability, injured victims have legal rights to pursue claims for medical expenses, lost income, rehabilitation costs, pain and suffering damages, and other losses.
The gas pipeline is a vital link in transporting gas throughout the country. These pipelines have been known to burst or leak and cause explosions. There have been instances when the ruptures have killed people who live near these pipelines, while other times, people have died because they were working on the pipelines and lacked adequate training.
Chemical Explosions
Chemical explosions happen when the chemical exhibits physical, thermal, or chemical changes.
Chemical explosions are classified according to the type of substances that ignite. Many different types of chemicals in factories and plants can become explosive. Still, some chemicals explode more violently and easily than others, resulting in a toxic chemical cloud and leading to secondary effects such as building demolition. Because of these hazards, explosions are very dangerous occurrences.
Negligence
Improper training and gross disregard for safety procedures can result in devastating explosions. The risk of explosion may be intentionally caused by willful negligence, such as adjusting valves improperly or using faulty equipment. An accumulation of gas, static electricity, or sparks can cause these explosions.
The product risk of explosion may be intentionally caused by willful negligence, such as adjusting valves improperly or using faulty equipment.
If someone’s negligence causes another injury, they may be liable for the damage caused to the victim.
The first step in evaluating gross negligence abuse is to determine what qualifies as gross negligence. Gross negligence can be defined as a demonstration of willful disregard for the life or property of others or “acts so dangerously close to illegal that it is obvious that he or she intends to break the law.”
If someone’s behavior qualifies as gross negligence, and a person suffers damages because of their actions, they are liable for those damages.
Types of Blast Injuries
- Auditory – hearing disruption, hearing loss
- Visual – eye damage
- Skin – cuts, burns, bleeding, lacerations
- Respiratory – breathing, lungs failure or collapse, nose collapse, pneumonia
- Brain – concussion, bleeding, spinal discs
- Internal – organ failure, digestive system damage
- Extremities – arm, hand, fingers, or leg amputation, fractures, ligament tears,
- Aggravation of preexisting conditions
Sample Settlements for Illinois Explosion Cases
- $4,000,000: Gas leak – burns
- $3,000,000: Electric panel explosion – burns to abdomen, chest, and hand
- $1,500,000: Equipment explosion – brain injury, fractured arm, PTSD
- $1,300,000: Explosion construction site – burns
Financial Compensation for Explosion Injuries and Death
Successful recovery for injuries due to an explosion involves proving two main elements of an explosion negligence case in Illinois: liability and damages.
- Liability requires investigating the property and utilities’ ownership, management, and maintenance. Of course, in building explosions, where gas or electric supply is often involved, any mistakes or failures by the utility companies of services need to be investigated.
- Damages include physical and emotional injuries and economic losses such as medical expenses and income loss. At Blumenshine Law Group, we undertake a systematic process to investigate and evaluate these factors on your behalf.
Explosion Injury Attorneys
We have the experience, resources, and knowledge to obtain Maximum Recovery – Minimum Time™ when seeking compensation for you. You will have an attentive legal team if you work with Blumenshine Law Group. If you or a loved one has fallen victim to an explosion, and you need answers about how to help secure compensation for your injuries, contact Blumenshine Law Group today for a free consultation by:
Phone/Text: (312)766-1000 available 24/7
Email: [email protected]