The first lawsuit has been filed against LyondellBasell following a chemical leak at the La Porte, Texas facility that left two dead and dozens injured.
According to a news release distributed by Arnold & Itkin, the lawsuit was filed by Houston personal injury attorney Kurt Arnold for a worker who was injured in the incident. The lawsuit names several defendants in addition to LyondellBasell, and it alleges that negligence and gross negligence on behalf of the defendants contributed to the mass casualty incident, the release stated.
"Plant explosions cause some of the most horrific industrial injuries we encounter, and they are often exacerbated by injuries workers sustain while trying to flee to safety," said Arnold. "By filing a lawsuit, we’ll be able to begin conducting our own investigation into what led to the deadly mass casualty event to prevent similar events from happening in the future, with a priority placed on the interests of the injured workers.”
Arnold’s law firm has represented workers injured in mass casualty events at LyondellBassell facilities in the past, including the 2019 Houston Refinery Explosion.
LyondellBasell gave a statement on the incident July 28 in which it said the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Chemical Safety Board were all notified of the incident. A thorough investigation into the cause of the incident is underway, and we are cooperating fully with authorities.
"We deeply regret this incident occurred," the statement continued. "Two contractors were fatally injured and 30 workers, who were potentially impacted, were transported to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment. Twenty-four of the individuals were treated and released. We continue to monitor their conditions. We are keeping the families of the injured in our thoughts, and our prayers go out to their families."
