Plattenville sits on Bayou Lafourche in Assumption Parish, in the shadow of the Napoleonville Salt Dome — the underground formation used to store natural gas and run brine operations, and the site of the 2012 Bayou Corne sinkhole that forced an entire nearby community to evacuate. This is pipeline, gas-storage, and industrial country, and the people who work these facilities and live beside them face a real risk: flash fires, explosions, and severe burns. When a gas-plant explosion or pipeline fire injures a worker or a resident, the harm is often catastrophic and the responsible companies are quick to protect themselves. Kopfler & Hermann has stood up for injured South Louisiana families since 1977.
An explosion or serious burn injury is one of the most complex kinds of cases there is. Burns can require months of treatment, multiple surgeries, and lifelong care, and the causes are rarely simple. More than one company may share responsibility — the plant or pipeline operator, a maintenance or construction contractor, an equipment or valve manufacturer, or a company that failed to follow safety and process rules. Critical evidence — control-room data, maintenance and inspection records, alarm histories, and the failed equipment itself — is controlled by the companies involved and can disappear or be altered if it is not preserved quickly. A thorough, early investigation is often what separates a strong case from a lost one.
An injured worker, a resident, or a grieving family may be able to pursue:
When a worker is hurt on the job, a workers’ compensation claim and a separate third-party claim against a negligent contractor or manufacturer can sometimes both apply. And if the work happened aboard a vessel or in marine construction, different maritime rules may govern — another reason to have the facts reviewed early.
For most Louisiana personal-injury and wrongful-death claims from incidents on or after July 1, 2024, the prescriptive period is two years. That is the deadline to file suit — but physical evidence at an industrial site can be cleaned up, repaired, or replaced within days, so the practical need to preserve evidence comes much sooner. Getting a lawyer involved quickly can make a real difference.
Get emergency medical care immediately — burns and inhalation injuries can worsen fast. Make sure the incident is reported and documented. If you are able, get the names of witnesses and photograph the scene and your injuries. Keep all medical records and bills. Be very cautious about signing statements or releases from the company or its insurer before you understand your rights, and keep a copy of anything you sign.
We represent workers, residents, and families in cases including gas-plant and refinery explosions, pipeline fires and ruptures, flash fires and thermal burns, chemical and toxic exposure, valve and equipment failures, well-control and blowout incidents, storage-cavern and brine-operation failures, and catastrophic and fatal industrial injuries.
From our office at 306 Grinage Street in Houma, we serve Plattenville and the surrounding Assumption Parish communities along Bayou Lafourche. We have been helping South Louisiana families since 1977, and we handle injury cases on a contingency basis — no fee unless we win.
I was hurt at work — can I do more than a workers’ comp claim?
Possibly. Workers’ compensation may cover part of your losses, but if a negligent contractor, equipment manufacturer, or another company outside your employer contributed to the explosion, you may also have a separate third-party claim. A lawyer can review who may be responsible.
How long do I have to file?
For most Louisiana injury and wrongful-death claims from incidents on or after July 1, 2024, the prescriptive period is two years — but evidence should be preserved much sooner.
Who can be held responsible for an explosion?
Often more than one party — the facility or pipeline operator, a maintenance or construction contractor, or an equipment manufacturer, depending on what caused the failure.
What does it cost to hire you?
We work on a contingency-fee basis, which means no fee unless we win.
If you or someone you love was hurt in a gas-plant explosion, pipeline fire, or industrial accident, call Kopfler & Hermann at (985) 851-3311 or visit 306 Grinage St, Houma, LA 70360. The consultation is free, and there is no fee unless we win.
We also represent injured workers and families in Napoleonville, Belle Rose, Paincourtville, Labadieville, and Pierre Part, and throughout South Louisiana. Learn more on our Houma injury page.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Viewing this page or contacting Kopfler & Hermann does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
