Explosion Brings Liability Issues to Light
The explosion at the West Fertilizer plant last month that killed 15 and injured 200 has Texas residents revisiting liability issues and insurance questions, according to the Dallas Morning News. Karl Magenheimer runs a family business that rents out bounce houses for events, and Texas law requires him “to carry at least $1 million in…
The explosion at the West Fertilizer plant last month that killed 15 and injured 200 has Texas residents revisiting liability issues and insurance questions, according to the Dallas Morning News. Karl Magenheimer runs a family business that rents out bounce houses for events, and Texas law requires him “to carry at least $1 million in liability insurance.” There aren’t many accidents in his field, Magenheimer says, but he knows that whenever there is, it’ll receive a lot of press. He understands that any child that does get injured will “need to be able to have his current and future medical needs cared for.” Because of this, Magenheimer doesn’t mind the cost of the insurance-but it doesn’t seem right, according to the Dallas Morning News that companies like Magenheimer’s would be forced to follow such strict rules regarding liability insurance while companies like West Fertilizer are not.
The Dallas Morning News reports that, “three state agencies couldn’t explain why there were no liability insurance mandates for companies like West Fertilizer.” The Texas Department of Insurance told the Morning News that, “we don’t make law. We implement law.” The fact that the West Fertilizer company wasn’t required to have liability insurance came to light during a mid-May hearing of the House homeland security and public safety committee. Representative Joe Pickett said “it was probably too late in the legislative session for a quick fix,” and that lawmakers are likely to be able to be more informed on the matter by mid-June.
According to the Dallas Morning News, “no one in state government appears to maintain a list of which businesses must have liability coverage.” This means that there could be several scenarios in which a person is injured and unable to receive payouts.
If you or someone you know has been injured, whether or not the entity responsible has liability coverage, the most important first step is to seek the counsel of a qualified lawyer. Don’t go through it alone. Contact a dedicated Texas personal injury attorney today.
