The steel and iron industries have proud histories. In many ways, steel and iron were the economic engines that drove the development of our cities and provided work and a better life for many Americans. To this day, foundries still produce a number of different metal products used in industries all across the country.

As the steel and iron industries have advanced with the years, though, safety regulations within them have struggled to keep up with the times. Working in a foundry is inherently dangerous due to the extremely high temperatures — often in excess of 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit — reached by the molten metal used to produce steel, iron, and metal alloys. When safety standards and protocols are not given the fullest attention, the present dangers will only worsen.

COMMON FOUNDRY HAZARDS

There are several different types of melting furnaces used in foundries, and they all present unique hazards.

Different types of furnaces and the potential dangers they cause:

• Arc furnaces utilize electric arcs (like bolts of lightning) that can reach temperatures hotter than the sun.
• Reverberatory furnaces use combustible gases that can explode if they are not properly contained.
• Induction furnaces use water-cooled coils to produce an electromagnetic field that turns solid metal into a molten state.

The use of water in a foundry can be particularly dangerous, too. Due to the high temperatures of molten metal, any water or liquid that comes into contact with the metal bath will immediately flash to steam and expand at a great rate, which can cause the metal to erupt out of the furnace. For this reason, the introduction of moisture into a furnace presents probably the greatest hazard to foundry workers.

FOUNDRY EXPLOSIONS CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE

Foundry explosions caused by moisture in a furnace should not happen if all safety rules are followed to the letter. When safety is forgotten or relaxed even a little bit, water-based foundry explosions can still occur in a number of ways. For instance, a supplier of raw materials for use in a furnace might negligently fail to make sure that its products are free of moisture or wet materials. Or, if a furnace with a water-cooled component is defective or not properly designed, the results can be catastrophic.

At Glenda Cochran Associates, we have extensive experience investigating explosions involving a number of different types of furnaces and have proudly represented individuals injured while working in foundries. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in a foundry explosion or fire, you should seek legal counsel immediately. Contact our law firm and see how we can help – we work with explosion injury clients nationwide.

In the last decade, there has been a rash of natural gas explosions in America caused by failures in cast iron pipelines. At Glenda Cochran Associates, we have represented a number of individuals injured in cast iron pipeline explosions, which are only likely to increase over time if cast iron pipelines are not replaced by upgraded, newer systems.

As America’s infrastructure grew during the last century, a large number of natural gas distribution pipelines were constructed using cast iron pipe. As this cast iron ages, however, a distinct and dangerous hazard presents a new risk to the public: the phenomenon of graphitization.

WHAT IS GRAPHITIZATION & WHY IS IT DANGEROUS?

Graphitization occurs when older cast iron pipelines corrode due to normal environmental exposure. It can and often does result in catastrophic leaks throughout a pipe system, which can lead to fires and explosions. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a sub-department within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), has explained the hazard associated with cast iron pipelines, stating:

“Cast iron pipe, when graphitized, is relatively brittle, which allows far more dramatic failure modes such as rapid crack propagation and circumferential breaks. Such failures are potentially more severe than more ductile failure modes commonly seen in today’s pipe materials.” [PHMSA’s “192 Corrosion Enforcement Guidance” at 134 (2014)]

NECESSARY STEPS TO REPAIR GRAPHITIZATION

Because of the hazards associated with cast iron pipe, natural gas pipeline operators are required by federal regulations to replace any portion of an iron or ductile iron pipe with enough graphitization to increase the chances of a crack or leak to form there. Where graphitization is localized within the pipework, repairs or replacement must also be conducted as soon as possible, according to the legal statute 49 C.F.R. § 192.489 (1971). Additionally, pipeline operators are required to visually inspect its cast iron pipelines for corrosion and graphitization any time that they are exposed.

In 1991, PHMSA’s predecessor, the DOT’s Research and Special Programs Administration (“RSPA”), issued a Pipeline Safety Alert Notice (the “1991 Alert Notice”) to the owners and operators of natural gas pipelines regarding an explosion caused by a crack in a 4-inch cast iron gas main. This notice required gas and oil companies to create new safety programs that would repair or replace the iron pipes throughout their systems based on a reasonably paced timeline.

Each company’s timeline would be determined by various conditions of their pipelines, such as:

• Age
• Diameter
• Depth
• Average system pressure
• Surrounding soil acidity
• History of leaks and defects

In 2012, PHMSA published an Advisory Bulletin reiterating the importance of cast iron monitoring and replacement. According to the bulletin pipeline operators were instructed to increase their efforts to repair or replace “high-risk” cast iron pipes, as well as to revisit their replacement programs to ensure the aforementioned factors were accurately considered. [Pipeline Safety: Cast Iron Pipe (Supplementary Advisory Bulletin), 77 Fed. Reg. 17119-01 (Dep’t of Transp. March 23, 2012) (emphasis added).]

The 2012 Advisory Bulletin also specifically refers to operators’ obligation to develop and implement a Distribution Integrity Management Plan that must include procedures for identifying risks to each distribution pipeline, rank the associated risks, and implement measures to address them. [49 C.F.R. § 192.1007(b-d) (2009).]

While some operators have worked hard to replace their cast iron pipelines as quickly as possible, others have lagged behind, and there are still thousands of miles of cast iron pipelines throughout the United States. If you or someone you know has been injured or killed in an explosion or fire caused by a natural gas leak from a cast iron pipeline, you may be entitled to compensation and need to seek legal counsel. Call Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys at Law at 888.906.3955 to discuss your claim. We assist clients across the nation.

Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys at Law is pleased to announce that Attorney Glenda Cochran has been awarded Top 10 Alabama Personal Injury Attorney and Top 100 National Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyer for 2017! These awards highlight her expertise and trackrecord as an Alabama Personal Injury lawyer. To schedule a free consultation, call (888)906-3955.

A massive leak from Colonial Pipeline’s Line 1 recently prompted both Alabama and Georgia to declare a state of emergency over concerns of fuel shortages after an estimated 346,000 gallons of gasoline spewed from an underground section of the pipeline. The leak, which was discovered on September 9, 2016 south of Birmingham, Alabama after a worker smelled gasoline fumes, led to a 12-day shutdown of the 1.3 million-barrel-a-day pipeline, sparking a massive fuel shortage throughout a majority of the Southeast United States.

While the pipeline has now been restarted, considerable work still remains to clean up the leaked fuel, much of which flowed overland to a mining retention pond roughly 500 feet away. High levels of unsafe gasoline vapors have thus far prevented efforts to dig out the leaking section of the pipeline. The extent of the environmental impact of the spill has yet to be determined, though reports from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) indicate that seven dead mammals have been recovered at the site, along with four turtles and two birds. The United States Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is currently investigating the cause of the leak, as well as any indicators of a potential failure of operators to adhere to pipeline safety standards.

This incident serves as a prime example of why petroleum companies must regularly inspect pipelines for corrosion and closely monitor their structural integrity to ensure the safety of people throughout the United States. As a result of the spill, nearby residents as well as sensitive wildlife and endangered species native to the Cahaba River may be at risk of exposure to dangerous levels of volatile petroleum fumes. While much of the spill was contained to a relatively small area, its proximity to a nearby major water intake has prompted concern from many over the safety of local drinking water. As it stands, the EPA has yet to issue any sort of formal safety warnings related to the incident.

BIRMINGHAM PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS

If you or a loved one have become ill from gasoline exposure in connection with the Colonial Pipeline spill or suffered property damage, contact Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys at Law. Our AV Preeminent® Rated attorneys have fought to protect the rights of injured clients for more than 25 years and have secured millions in verdicts and settlements along the way. To find out if you are eligible to receive compensation, we invite you to contact our office online or call us today at (888) 906-3955.

Residents of Pascagoula, Mississippi were given quite a scare during the late night hours of Monday, June 27^th, 2016 when an explosion at a local gas plant shook the area, causing a massive plume of fire to shoot up and light the night sky. The plant, located near Highways 90 and 63 in Jackson County, Mississippi, exploded at approximately 11:40 at night and continued to burn throughout the night into the following morning, completely blackening one of the facility’s natural gas towers. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the blast, as the two on-duty plant employees were sealed inside an explosion-proof room at the time of the explosion. The exact cause of the explosion has yet to be determined.

The fact that no injuries resulted from this catastrophe can be described as nothing short of a miracle, since most gas explosions like this result in extreme devastation. The force alone of a gas explosion can cause deafness, concussions, and internal bleeding, while the resulting extreme heat can cause horrific 3^rd degree burn injuries and lasting disfigurement. In many cases, explosion injury victims are left with enduring debilitation and a permanently reduced quality of life, requiring expensive round-the-clock medical care.

EXPLOSION ATTORNEYS IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA

Most explosion injuries are caused by another party’s negligence, such as a gas company’s failure to perform routine inspections or properly maintain gas mains. If you or a loved one has been injured in a gas explosion, you may have a claim to recover monetary compensation for a wide range of damages, including medical bills, pain and suffering, reduced quality of life, lost income, and emotional distress.

At Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys a Law, our Birmingham explosion injury lawyers have represented countless severe burn injury cases from blasts such as these and have recovered millions on our clients’ behalf along the way. With more than 25 years of proven legal experience and an AV Preeminent® Rating by Martindale-Hubbell® for our unparalleled skills and client satisfaction, we have what it takes to ensure your rights are protected during this difficult time.

Call (888) 906-3955 or schedule a no-cost case review today to find out if you have a claim.

When emergency responders and medical professionals treat a burn injury victim, they will categorize the burn injury by one degree or another. Most often, you will hear second-degree or third-degree burns, as these are the degrees that require medical attention the most often. But what does this degree system actually mean? Understanding the differences yourself could help you bolster your chances of success if you ever need to file a lawsuit after suffering a burn injury due to someone else’s negligence.

THE SIX DEGREES OF BURN INJURIES

Although you rarely hear of them all, there are actually six degrees of burn injuries, starting with:

• First: A first degree burn will range from mild to nearly-nonexistent. Skin around the burn will redden, gain increased sensitivity to heat, sunlight, and hot water, and may peel slightly. Beyond cool water, ice, and aloe applied to the wound, no medical attention is necessary and it will heal readily, assuming there is no infection.
• Second: A second degree burn can cause agonizing pain, depending on where it occurs. Skin will whiten, dry up, and crack if moved too much. The wound should be bandaged up after receiving medical treatment to avoid exposure to sunlight, heat, and anything else that may worsen it. People who suffer second degree burns should seek medical attention as soon as possible to prevent permanent damage from occurring, especially if the burn affects a joint, limb, or a broad area of the body. While second degree burns often do not require skin grafting, they can still be excruciatingly painful due to damaged nerve endings.
• Third: A third degree burn causes excruciating pain and deep tissue damage, often destroying muscles, nerves, and tendons. Skin affected by a third degree burn may blacken and will blister extensively. Immediately medical attention is required as third degree burns are often categorized by affecting 50% or more of the body. Skin grafts may be necessary to treat the injury, as well as surgery. In rare cases, amputation could be necessary to prevent spread of infection or necrosis caused by the burn injury.
• Fourth: A fourth degree burn is extremely dangerous and life-threatening, even if it only affects a small area of the body. The burn will be so intense that it destroys all flesh and bone in the area, possibly causing widespread harm to internal organs. Amputation is often required. If emergency medical attention is not immediately applied, the burn victim may not survive.
• Fifth and sixth: There is little mention of fifth and sixth degree burns due to the fact that burn injuries of this severity are not considered survivable. Extensive areas of the body are completely destroyed by burns, likely caused by prolonged direct exposure to open flames.

BUILDING YOUR CLAIM & SEEKING COMPENSATION

When you file a personal injury claim after suffering a burn injury, the liable party will likely challenge how much compensation you are seeking. In order to back up the amount you need, understanding the severity of burn injury degrees can help. It is also wise to strengthen your case with the help of a professional Birmingham burn injury lawyer from Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys at Law. With more than 25 years of legal experience under our belts, we can provide you with the comprehensive and compassionate support you need and deserve.

Call 888.906.3955 to schedule a free case evaluation and ask about our contingency fees!

Individuals who suffer severe burns are often required to undergo extensive skin graft surgeries in order to correct and treat their injuries. Even with costly skin graft procedures, lengthy hospital stays, and ongoing care, burn injuries can leave individuals with lifelong disfigurement and debilitation, limiting their ability to work and reducing their quality of life.

HOW MUCH DOES SKIN GRAFTING COST?

Skin substitution is a complex medical process, and can cost a great deal for those who do not have extensive medical insurance plans. The national average cost of skin grafting is between $1,900 and $3,000 per procedure.

In the event that a person should suffer a burn injury in an accident that leaves a permanent effect – known as a “residual injury” – such as scarring from skin grafts or amputation, the amount of their eligible damages can increase by a large margin. This is for obvious reasons, as residual injuries can cause a person to suffer over a long period of time. The more serious the effect of these injuries have on a burn victim’s life, the higher the compensation.

DOES SKIN GRAFTING CAUSE SCARRING?

Scars from a person’s burns or from the resulting skin grafts can be both cosmetically embarrassing and can make the affected area less flexible. If a person’s scars are on a joint or in any other area of the body that regularly flexes, such as the webbings of the fingers or toes, they can cause a permanent decrease in mobility and justify higher damages.

Unfortunately, certain social prejudices can skew insurance awards for the cosmetic damage of scars. For example, young, single women are often compensated more for their scars than older, married women on the belief that a scar will have a more serious impact on a young woman’s social life. Similarly, a woman will usually be considered to be more damaged by a scar than a man with the identical scar. To overcome some of these prejudices, injured parties can obtain a medical opinion about the cost of having the scar removed or repaired and include it in their demand letter to their insurance company.

BIRMINGHAM BURN INJURY ATTORNEY

If you have been forced to undergo skin grafts following an accident caused by another party’s negligence, the Birmingham personal injury lawyers at Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys at Law can fight to recover compensation for your long term injuries, including your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and emotional distress. We have more than 25 years of legal experience and are ready to go the distance on your behalf.

Call 888.906.3955 or schedule a free consultation today to review your legal options.

There are currently an estimated 10 million recreational vehicles (RVs) and travel trailers in use throughout the United States and Canada. While many people enjoy the use of these vehicles on camping trips and vacations, most are unaware that a majority of these vehicles are made unreasonably dangerous and defective due to a defect in the design of their stovetop burners.

ARE RV GAS STOVES DANGEROUS?

Yes, since a majority of RVs sold in the U.S. are sold with stoves and cooktops that lack flame failure devices (FFDs). FFDs work to prevent dangerous buildups of propane gas by shutting off its flow if a stove should fail to light, is left on, or the flame is extinguished.

Stoves that do not have FFDs run the risk of leaking huge amounts of propane into a small, mostly airtight RV in a short amount of time, causing life-altering explosions. Gas can begin to leak from playing children, defects in the propane tank, “senior moments,” brushing up against the burner knob, or the flame failure from wind or spilling liquid.

Leaked propane can explode if ignited from:

• Cigarette lighters
• Static electricity
• The stove’s sparker knob
• Electric appliances

Interestingly, FFDs are equipped on many other standard RV appliances such as ovens and water heaters, but are strangely absent from cooktops – despite only costing around $4.00 each. These safety devices have been around for decades and are mandatory on RV cooktops in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The Recreational Vehicle Industry Association has continued to turn a blind eye to this danger.

PROPANE DETECTORS ARE NOT ENOUGH

Leaks that occur overnight can be particularly dangerous, as even people with a normal, unimpaired sense of smell are oftentimes unable to notice the odor of ethanethiol if exposed to the gas for an extended period of time. The smell of propane odorant itself is oftentimes insufficient to wake a recreational vehicle’s sleeping occupants.

Certain RV manufacturers have chosen to include propane detectors in their vehicles that are capable of alerting passengers to dangerous levels of propane. While this seems useful on the surface, many of these detectors fail to detect the presence of explosive levels of propane, creating a false sense of security. In fact, many explosions occur even with the presence of a functioning detector.

BIRMINGHAM RV EXPLOSION ATTORNEY

If you or a loved one have been injured in an RV or camper explosion, the Birmingham explosion accident attorneys at Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys at Law can examine the details of your case and pursue fair financial recovery on your behalf. If we are not successful on your behalf, you will not pay us a dime for our services!

Call 888.906.3955 or schedule a free consultation today to get started towards filing a claim.

Burn injuries can occur at work, but also from numerous types of accidents. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employees who have suffered chemical burns missed at least three days of work due to chemical burns, with thermal burn victims staying out an average of five days.

Burn injuries may have life-altering consequences for victims, and the road to recovery is difficult and often overwhelming. The treatments for burn injuries often require extensive surgery to repair the damage, such as skin grafts. Some victims may need intense physical therapy and other forms of rehabilitation to assist them.

THE COSTS OF BURN INJURY TREATMENTS

Furthermore, accidents involving fires and explosions at work that destroy equipment and workstations. In fact, one study taken by the National Business Group on Health found that fires and explosions contribute to more than $6 billion in losses, including productivity loss.

Here are the top costs incurred due to treating burn injuries:

• Scarring and disfigurement: $28, 000 to $35, 000
• Psychological treatment: $16, 000 to $75, 000
• Fragile skin or skin breakdown: $38, 000 to $107, 000
• Skin grafts and delayed wound healing: $37, 000 to $110, 000
• Infections, organ failure, sepsis, pneumonia: $58, 000 to $120, 000

The treatments for burn victims tend to be higher due to the cost of medications, wound dressing, and surgical costs.

Other sources of additional expenses:

• Anesthesiology and critical care
• Physical therapy
• Nursing
• Occupational therapy
• Speech therapy
• Psychological therapy
• Wound care and dressings
• Plastic and reconstructive surgery

As these costs and treatments can continue for quite some time after the injury has occurred, this only adds to the stress and cost for victims and their families. If you have suffered due to a burn injury in your family, you can find some comfort knowing that justice and compensation may be available to help you overcome the inconveniences that this has placed on you.

We have helped injury victims for over 25 years and have obtained millions of dollars in compensation. Request your free consultation with Glenda Cochran Associates Attorneys At Law.

Attorney Glenda Cochran is representing a local university student who suffered serious electrical injuries after his school allegedly failed to adequately mark and secure power substations located on campus.

Glenda Cochran & Associates is a full-service personal injury firm led by award-winning Birmingham personal injury lawyer Glenda Cochran. With 25 years of established excellence in legal advocacy, Ms. Cochran brings superior expertise to the litigation of claims involving electrical injuries, burns, and premises liability.

THE IMPORTANCE OF HIRING AN ATTORNEY

In the complex litigation process, expertise makes the difference. Glenda Cochran has decades of success in representing victims in cases involving:

• Burn injuries
• Electrocution injuries
• Thermal burns
• Premises liability
• Product liability
• Catastrophic injuries

Attorney Glenda Cochran is an AV® Preeminent rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell®. Known for her aggressive advocacy, Ms. Cochran brings state-of-the art expertise to the litigation of every claim, and is committed to helping each client attain justice.

Our Birmingham personal injury attorney is prepared to address any and all concerns regarding electrical injuries. If you would like to learn more about our legal services or if you have been injured due to another’s negligence, please call the firm at (888) 906-36955 to request a free consultation.