California Injury Lawyers Blog

In Orange County, California, investigators are trying to determine what caused an electric heater at a Rancho Santa Margarita factory to explode. The March 19 work blast killed two workers and injured two other night shift employees. 

The blast was so powerful that it cracked the building's concrete walls and seemed to have caused the water heater to soar through the roof of Solus Industrial Innovations, located on Aventura Avenue. The two workers that died are 51-year-old Garden Grover resident Jose Jimenez and 34-year-old Oceanside resident Isidro Echeverria. 

According to the California Department of Industrial Relations, water heater blasts in industrial settings are not that common. The standard residential-type water heater that exploded was being used for industrial purposes. While the building's yearly fire inspection was current, the water heater may not have been part of the safety check.

In 2005, there were 253 fatalities involving California industrial accidents. 14 workers were killed in fires and explosions at manufacturing facilities or other work places that year.

If someone you love died in a California work accident, you may be entitled to workers' compensation death benefits. These are provided to certain family members regardless of who was at fault in causing the work injury. 

While workers' compensation law prevents injured parties and decedents from suing the employer for California personal injury, there may be other parties that can be held liable for the injury accident. An experienced Orange County, California personal injury law firm can help you explore all avenues of recovery, as well as make sure you receive all of your workers' compensation benefits in a timely manner.

• Radiation

• Fires

• Toxic gas

• Chemical spills

• Defective machinery or equipment

• Human error

• Structural collapse

• Overexertion

• Electrical accidents

• Exposure to harsh temperatures

• Exposure to toxic or other harmful substances