Have you been injured in a gas leak or house explosion in Dundalk, Maryland? WGK Personal Injury Lawyers can help when you call 410-970-3080. We offer a free consultation with a Dundalk gas leaks and house explosion lawyer who can explain your rights and help you understand what compensation may be available.
A house explosion can cause severe injuries, property damage, and long-term disruptions to your life. You may have the right to pursue financial compensation for medical expenses, lost income, and other losses. Legal guidance can help you take the next steps toward accountability and financial recovery after a devastating incident.
Why Should I Hire WGK Personal Injury Lawyers After a Gas Leak and House Explosion in Dundalk, MD?
When families in Dundalk, MD, need experienced legal guidance after a catastrophic accident, WGK Personal Injury Lawyers brings a proven record of advocacy and results. We support injured victims throughout the region by combining deep legal experience with a relentless commitment to protecting our clients’ interests.
Here’s why you should choose us:
- Backed by 80+ years of combined experience litigating high-stakes, high-value personal injury cases, we’ve helped deserving clients win tens of millions of dollars from powerful corporations and at-fault parties.
- Our law firm has over 800 five-star reviews from former clients on Google,
- Members of our team have been recognized as Super Lawyers Rising Stars, by The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, as Members of the Maryland Association of Justice, and as Members of the Maryland State Bar Association.
We’re trusted by catastrophically injured victims and their families because we’re born and bred Maryland attorneys who don’t give up until the at-fault party makes things right. It’s how we’ve successfully leveraged tens of millions of dollars in settlements and jury awards for our clients.
Discover the difference our Dundalk personal injury attorneys can have on your legal fight by calling us for help today.
What Causes Gas Leaks and House Explosions in Dundalk?
Natural gas is commonly used to power household appliances in Dundalk, but it can be extremely dangerous if it leaks. As gas accumulates inside a home, exposure may cause serious health risks such as respiratory distress, carbon monoxide poisoning, suffocation, or worse. A buildup of gas can also create a high risk of fire or explosion if ignited by a spark.
Several things can potentially cause a gas leak, physical injuries, and/or a subsequent gas explosion:
- Old and/or broken pipes
- Poorly maintained appliances or household pipes
- Defective appliances
- Defective pipes or parts
- Negligent gas line installation or maintenance by utility companies, including Columbia Gas and the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE)
- Improper installation of natural gas appliances
- Damaged natural gas lines
Often, these things result from negligence, including inadequate training, negligent hiring and supervision, failing to comply with state and federal safety regulations, and distraction.
Who Could Be Liable for the Injuries I’ve Suffered Because of a Dundalk Gas Leak?
Knowing who to blame for your gas leak and/or house explosion will depend on why it happened in the first place. When the cause is clear, it can allow us to understand who’s at fault and, by extension, financially responsible (or liable) for your injuries and suffering.
Depending on the specific facts of your case, potentially liable parties might include a:
- Maryland utility company
- City, county, or state government agency
- Utility worker
- Gas appliance manufacturer
- Repair technician
In Maryland, liability can be shared by more than one party. If it’s clear that multiple parties bear responsibility for a gas leak and house explosion, each can be held accountable for damages. Liability is proportionate to fault.
The more a party is to blame for your injuries, the more they’ll be on the hook for your medical bills, loss of income, disfigurement, and emotional distress.
Common Injuries Caused by Gas Leaks and House Explosions
Gas leaks and house explosions can cause wide-ranging physical injuries, including:
- Brain injuries
- Nerve damage
- Eye injuries and vision loss
- Hearing loss
- Internal organ damage
- Burn injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Amputation injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Paralysis injuries
- Leg injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
According to the CDC, an average of 430 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in the United States every year, many related to avoidable gas leaks.
What Could My Dundalk Gas Leak Injury Case Be Worth?
It depends. No two situations are the same. At the end of the day, the ways in which the gas leak and/or house explosion affect your day-to-day life will influence how much money you’ll likely be able to recover through an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit.
Important considerations will include:
- The specific physical injuries you’ve sustained
- Whether you required hospitalization or long-term medical treatment
- The amount of time you’re forced to miss at work while you recover
- Long-term implications on your ability to work and/or your earning capacity
- Your age and life expectancy
- Shared responsibility for the gas leak and/or house explosion
- Changes in your overall quality of life
- The costs of replacing or repairing damaged property
The more severely you’re injured and the greater the extent of the damage to your home in the fire, the more money you can reasonably expect the at-fault party to pay to make things right.
The best thing you can do in these difficult situations is to hire an experienced Dundalk gas leak and fire explosion attorney to take charge of your fight for compensation. Call WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case review today.
What Damages Can Be Awarded to Dundalk House Explosion Victims?
Whether you’re going to submit a claim with your homeowners’ insurance company or file a personal injury lawsuit against the natural gas utility company, you can request two different types of compensatory damages.
Economic damages are awarded to alleviate the financial burdens of your accident and injuries, such as:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Nursing assistance
- Funeral expenses if a gas leak is fatal
Non-economic damages are intended to acknowledge the more subjective trauma and changes you experience because of the gas leak or house explosion, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
- Reduced quality of life
- Embarrassment
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Chronic physical pain
- Loss of consortium
- Emotional distress
Punitive damages can also be awarded in limited situations when a gas leak lawsuit goes to trial in Baltimore County, MD. When a lawsuit reaches a jury, these damages can be awarded to punish and deter conduct deemed malicious.
Can Shared Fault Affect My Maryland Gas Leak Injury Lawsuit Settlement?
If the gas company or appliance manufacturer tries to blame you for your injuries, it’s essential to fight back aggressively. Under Maryland’s harsh pure contributory negligence rule, shared fault can be a total bar to recovery – even if that shared responsibility is just one percent.
Expect the at-fault party to point fingers. Protect yourself by putting experienced, skilled Maryland trial attorneys in your corner who can anticipate these tactics and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
What Does It Cost To Hire a Gas Leak Attorney in Dundalk?
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers represents injury victims on a contingency fee basis. It costs nothing to hire our house explosion attorneys until we recover compensation for you. When we win, our attorney fees are deducted from the monetary award we obtain on your behalf.
If we don’t win your gas leak and house explosion lawsuit, you pay us nothing. This provides a risk-free way to get the legal help you need to achieve the best-case results.
How Long Do I Have To File a Lawsuit After a Gas Leak or House Explosion in Maryland?
Maryland imposes a three-year statute of limitations on most personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits, including those related to gas leaks and house explosions. This gives you three years from the date you were injured, discovered your injury, or experienced the death of a family member to take legal action.
If you miss the applicable filing deadline, you lose the opportunity to hold the at-fault party accountable for your damages.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Dundalk Gas Leaks and House Explosion Lawyer
Focus on recovering from your injuries and forging a path forward. Count on WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to take care of your fight for compensation after a gas leak and house explosion in Dundalk, MD. We’re backed by over 90 years of combined legal experience and a proven track record of success.
Standing up to powerful utility companies, insurance carriers, government agencies, and other at-fault parties on behalf of our clients, we’ve won tens of millions in damages. Now, our Dundalk gas leaks and house explosion lawyers are ready to advocate for your best interests, too.
There’s no charge for your first consultation, so contact our law office for help today.
