Flood of Claims in Connecticut Power Plant Case Recalls the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Brouhaha over Last Year’s Slim Jim Plant Explosion

March 22, 2010, by Michael A. DeMayo

Last year, an explosion at a Garner, NC Slim Jim plant killed 3 and injured many more. The slew of North Carolina workers’ compensation suits that followed in the disaster’s wake created a bureaucratic maze that the legal system is still trying to untangle.

A similar situation may be unfolding in Connecticut, following a February 7th explosion in the town of Middletown. In that case, 6 people died, and 26 more were injured after a welder accidentally set fire to a gas line. The enormous explosion was felt 30 miles away.

Already, plaintiffs seem to coalescing around a major and complicated workers’ compensation action. Diverse injuries abound. Some workers allegedly suffered posttraumatic stress syndrome from the blast. Others endured physical injuries, such as burns and lacerations. Still others died (their spouses are gearing up to take legal action). On top of that, three separate defendants have (thusfar) been mentioned in the suits: Keystone Construction, Ducci Electrical and O&G Industries.

Sources close to the case believe that the Connecticut workers’ compensation system may try to consolidate the claims — perhaps by holding them in front of a single judge, so that a unifying logic can underpin the compensation arrangements worked out.

Filing a North Carolina workers’ compensation claim stemming from a catastrophic incident (like the Slim Jim plant or the Connecticut plant explosions) can be quite complicated and confusing. To that end, if you or a friend or family member has been injured at work — whether catastrophically injured or hurt in a more “mundane” fashion (for instance, by a repetitive stress injury brought about by too much typing), consider connecting today with a qualified and well credentialed North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney.

More Web Resources

Slim Jim plant explosion

Connecticut power plant explosion