Gas accidents can be hazardous. Many gas explosions end in the deaths or serious injuries of those involved. When gas pipelines explode due to the negligence of another person or business, the injured victim may have a right to compensation. At Hunt Law, our legal team knows how to fight for our clients to receive compensation. If you have suffered severe injuries or lost a loved one due to a gas accident, our legal team can help. Contact our personal injury lawyers today to schedule your initial consultation.
Causes of Gas Pipeline Explosions in Northern New Mexico
Gas pipeline leaks are one of the most common causes of New Mexico gas explosions. When a gas leak goes undetected, the leaking gas can mix with a flame or spark, causing an explosion. Gas companies are often at fault for gas explosions. When New Mexico gas companies do not properly install and maintain their gas pipelines, the risk of a gas explosion increases.
Gas companies have a legal duty to pressurize gas lines properly. When the gas line becomes suddenly inundated with high-pressure gas, a gas leak or burst pipe can result, increasing the chance of an explosion. In New Mexico, gas companies must properly install gas pipes and monitor their pipes for potential problems. Proper safety practices are critical to preventing gas leaks, fires, and gas explosions.
Who Is Liable for Damages After a Gas Accident?
Gas companies have a legal duty to install, maintain, and repair their gas pipelines safely. When a failure to properly maintain gas lines causes a gas explosion, the gas company will likely be liable for any resulting injuries, damage, and deaths. If you are the victim of a gas explosion, you will need to prove that the gas company or another party caused the gas explosion.
The plaintiffs can prove liability through evidence that the defendant’s negligent actions or inaction caused the gas explosion. What happens if an employee of the gas company makes an error or acts negligently and causes the explosion? As long as the employee made the error while acting as an employee of the gas company, the injured individual will likely have a legal right to pursue damages against the gas company employer.
Propane Gas Accidents at Home Can Cause Serious Injuries
Gas is one of the leading causes of explosion injuries. Every year, approximately 100 million people in America use natural gas for cooking and home heating. Propane gas is far more dangerous because it is heavier than air and will sink into the lowest parts of the home. Consumers who use propane gas are much more likely to become injured in a gas explosion than those who use natural gas.
Home gas explosions are hazardous because gas has no smell. Sometimes, gas companies add a chemical to gas to give it a smell. However, sometimes propane providers fail to add the chemical smell or do not add enough of it for homeowners to recognize the smell and the danger of a gas leak. When gas accumulates in someone’s home, it becomes extremely dangerous. One spark, even just turning on a light switch, can ignite the gas and cause a severe explosion.
Determining Liability After a Home Gas Explosion
If you experienced a home gas explosion, you might have a right to compensation for your injuries. The first step in the process is determining who is at fault and liable for your injuries. Sometimes, several defendants are liable for the gas fire or gas explosion. For example, the utility company, gas supplier, and contractor or electrician who installed the gas system could all be liable for the explosion. In other cases, the manufacturer of the gas tank could be liable for a product defect.
At Hunt Law, our legal team can investigate the gas explosion that caused your injuries. We will gather evidence to determine who was at fault for your injuries. Our legal team will rely on our network of fire investigators, engineers, and other experts who can help us determine what caused the gas explosion. In many gas explosions, important evidence gets destroyed in the heat of the fire. It is essential that you hire a gas explosion lawyer as soon as possible to begin investigating the case while the evidence is still as new as possible.
Damages Available from a New Mexico Gas Accident
Successful plaintiffs can recover economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include any financial loss from the fire that is quantifiable, such as compensation for medical bills, and lost past and future wages. Plaintiffs can also recover compensation for the lost capacity to earn wages and restitution for a permanent or temporary disability.
Those plaintiffs who’ve suffered traumatic amputations, disfiguring burns, or any other permanent injuries may be entitled to greater damages. Under Ohio law, plaintiffs can also seek non-economic damages for pain, suffering, and emotional distress related to the gas explosions. When seeking compensation, it is essential to include all of your economic and non-economic losses when fighting for your right to compensation.
Contact Our New Mexico Gas Accident Lawyers Today
At Hunt Law, founding attorney Lee Hunt cares about each of his clients. His clients are not just another case to him. Instead, he gets to know each client while he fights hard for their right to compensation. Our legal team has a proven track record. We’ve recovered significant settlements in the millions of dollars from his clients. If you or a loved one have suffered an injury in a New Mexico gas accident, contact our legal team as soon as possible to schedule your free consultation.