At work
Dallas chemical plant accident lawyer.
Explosions, flash fires, chemical burns and toxic gas releases at plants and refineries cause severe injuries, and the companies involved start their own investigation the same day. Many people hurt at plants work for a contractor, not the plant owner, which can open claims against the owner and other contractors as well as a non-subscriber employer. Neighbors who breathe a release can have claims too. We move to preserve the plant's records and air monitoring data, and we explain your options in English or Spanish.
Right now
After an explosion, fire or exposure.
- 01
Get medical care and name the chemical
Burns and inhalation injuries can get worse over hours. Tell the doctor the chemical if you know it, or the unit and product you were near. Ask for copies of your records.
- 02
Write down what you saw, heard and smelled
Alarms, the time, the wind direction, the color of the smoke, the smell, who was working and what job was being done. Your notes from the first day carry weight.
- 03
Report it in writing
Send your supervisor a text or email. If your employer has workers' comp, the notice deadline is 30 days.
- 04
Do not give a recorded statement to the plant
Plant owners and their insurers interview workers and neighbors quickly. You do not have to give them a statement or sign a release.
- 05
Keep your clothes and call us
Bag the clothing and gear you were wearing, if it is safe to keep. The consultation is free, in English or Spanish.
Key deadlines and numbers
- Deadline to sue
- Generally 2 years from the injurySource: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 16.003
- Plants using highly hazardous chemicals
- Must follow federal process safety management rulesSource: 29 C.F.R. 1910.119
- Chemical hazard information for workers
- Labels, safety data sheets and training are requiredSource: 29 C.F.R. 1910.1200
- Employer must report to OSHA
- A death within 8 hours; a hospital admission, amputation or eye loss within 24 hoursSource: 29 C.F.R. 1904.39
- Notice to an employer with comp
- Within 30 days of the injurySource: Tex. Labor Code 409.001
Texas law
Who can be responsible at a chemical plant.
Plants run on layers of companies: the owner, the operator, maintenance and turnaround contractors, staffing agencies and equipment makers. Responsibility follows who controlled the process and the work that failed.
| Who | When they may be responsible |
|---|---|
| Plant owner or operator | Process safety failures, ignored alarms, deferred maintenance. Against a contractor's worker, only with control and actual knowledge of the danger |
| Your employer | No training on the chemicals, wrong protective gear, unsafe orders. Suable directly if it has no workers' comp |
| Other contractors | A crew that opened the wrong line, did hot work near flammables, or skipped a permit |
| Equipment makers | Defective valves, gauges, relief devices, hoses or gas monitors |
| For neighbors | The plant that released the chemical, when the release was caused by carelessness |
Process safety rules set the standard
Plants that handle large amounts of highly hazardous chemicals must analyze hazards, keep written procedures, train workers, inspect equipment and investigate near misses. Gaps in those records often explain why an incident happened.
Source: 29 C.F.R. 1910.119Contractors' workers and the plant owner
Under Chapter 95, a plant owner is liable to a contractor's worker only if it controlled the work and actually knew of the danger. Plant permits, work orders and the owner's safety staff on site often show that control.
Source: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 95.003Exposure illness can appear later
Lung damage, nerve damage and some cancers can show up months or years after exposure. In some cases the deadline runs from when you knew or should have known the illness was tied to the exposure. Talk to a lawyer as soon as a doctor makes the connection.
Gross negligence can mean punitive damages
When a company knew of an extreme risk and went ahead anyway, Texas allows exemplary damages, subject to a cap. If a worker dies and the employer had comp, the spouse and children can still seek them for gross negligence.
Source: Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 41.008How we work
How we build a plant injury case.
Mr. Estrada reads your file and sets the strategy. Our team works the details with him, and you get updates in English or Spanish.
01
Preserve the plant's data
Preservation letters for control room data, alarm logs, gas monitor readings, video, work permits, and the failed equipment, before the unit is rebuilt.
02
Get the investigations
OSHA inspection files, reports the plant filed with environmental regulators, and, in major incidents, the work of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board.
03
Identify every company in the chain
Contracts between the owner, operator and contractors show who controlled the work and who must defend or pay whom.
04
Bring in technical and medical help
When needed, a process safety engineer or industrial hygienist, plus medical experts, life care planners and economists for burns and long-term illness.
05
Hold each company accountable
We present the claim to every responsible party and file suit when the offers are not fair, preparing the case for trial.
Who handles it
The lawyer on the sign is the lawyer on your case.
Mr. Estrada has practiced in Texas since 2003, in state court and in the Northern, Eastern and Western federal districts of Texas. He reads the file and sets the strategy, with associates and staff who work the case alongside him. Everything is explained to you in English or Spanish.
What clients say
“Olegario firm made me feel like I was at home. As soon as I walked in the receptionist was very kind and professional.”Questions people ask us.
- I live near the plant and got sick after a release.
- Neighbors can bring claims for injuries and, in some cases, for damage to property or the use of their home. Keep records of symptoms, doctor visits, any shelter-in-place or evacuation order, and the dates.
- Who pays my bills now?
- Workers' comp if your employer has it, otherwise health insurance, a company injury plan, or doctors who agree to wait. Burn care is expensive, and we help you line it up.
- I do not have papers. Can I still make a claim?
- Yes, injury claims do not depend on immigration status, and Texas courts have limited the use of status in injury trials. Talk to us privately. What you tell us stays between you and the firm.
Dallas and Odessa
Plants in North Texas and the Permian Basin.
From our Oak Cliff office on Jefferson Boulevard we represent workers hurt at manufacturing plants, chemical distributors and industrial facilities across Dallas County and DFW. Our Odessa office represents workers hurt at gas processing plants, compressor stations and petrochemical facilities in Ector and Midland counties, where many workers are employed by contractors rather than the plant owner.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
Can I sue the plant if I work for a contractor?
Often you can bring a claim, but Texas makes it harder. You must show the plant owner controlled the work and actually knew of the danger. Other contractors and equipment makers may also be responsible.
I was exposed to chemicals at work years ago and am sick now. Is it too late?
Not necessarily. For some illnesses the deadline may run from when you learned, or should have learned, of the link to the exposure. Call soon, because those rules are narrow.
What should I do after a shelter-in-place order near my home?
If you or your children had symptoms, see a doctor and say you were near the release. Keep the date, the order and any news or notices. Then call us to talk about whether you have a claim.
My family member died in a plant explosion. What can we do?
The spouse, children and parents may have a wrongful death claim against the companies responsible. If the employer had comp and was grossly negligent, the spouse and children may also seek exemplary damages. We are sorry for your loss and can explain this privately.
How much does it cost to hire you?
The first consultation is free. Injury cases are handled on a contingency fee, which means the fee comes out of the recovery, not out of your pocket. We explain the exact terms, including case costs, before you sign.
Related situations
- Workplace injuries
- Burn injuries
- Oilfield injuries
- Wrongful death
- Defective products
- Catastrophic injuries
- All: Personal Injury
Updated October 2026
This page is general information about Texas law, not legal advice for your situation. Reading it does not create an attorney client relationship. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a future outcome.
Two offices
Oak Cliff and Odessa.
Mon to Fri 9 to 5, Sat 9 to 12. Emergencies 24/7 by phone.
Law Office of Olegario Estrada, P.C.
We explain everything.We answer 24/7.Se habla español.
Free consultation by phone, video, or in person. Offices in Dallas and Odessa.