Maximum Of $28K In Workers' Comp For BP Employees Killed In Explosion

[hatrack]

"It's possible the BP explosion victims or their families could be entitled to a maximum of about $28,000 a year from workers' compensation and Texas City State Rep. Craig Eiland thinks that's a second tragedy. "There's just no doubt about it. The law is more restrictive, their rights are more limited and the victims' recovery will be more limited," said the Democrat, a plaintiffs attorney himself.

Eiland's concern reflects the significantly less friendly legal landscape that confronts the victims of last month's BP explosion, compared with those injured by the 1989 explosion at the Pasadena Phillips Petroleum plant or the blast in 1990 at the Channelview Arco Chemical Co. plant.

Millions were paid out in confidential settlements in those explosions 15 years ago. But tort reform passed by the legislature since then — and like-minded decisions by Texas appellate courts — have nipped and tucked so much over the years that the suing worker in 2005 faces lower expected settlements and awards and a tougher time getting to them.

For legislators, lawyers and political activists who worked hard to get the laws changed, the current rules seem much healthier. They see the system as one that will fairly compensate the injured and finally screen out the invalid lawsuits. But plaintiffs lawyers think there are now too many barriers between an injured victim and a reasonable award."

EDIT

Texas - like a whole 'nother country! Malawi, perhaps, or China . . .

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/3120169

[havocmom]

1. More evidence that tort reform is NOT for anyone but corporations.

"Millions were paid out in confidential settlements in those explosions 15 years ago. But tort reform passed by the legislature since then — and like-minded decisions by Texas appellate courts — have nipped and tucked so much over the years that the suing worker in 2005 faces lower expected settlements and awards and a tougher time getting to them."

Less regulation. Corporations doing their own policing. Corporations writing legislation governing their industries. Corporations not about to take ANY responsibility when workers get hurt/killed as a result of lax rules/enforcement.

The feudal system all over again, coming to a workplace near YOU!

[ret5hd]

2. or bhopal, india. (nt)

[WearyOne]

3. that is absolutely criminal

[elehhhhna]

4. Wonder if BP can collect "dead peasant"nsurance on these folks...

Sheridan said: “I find it obscene that employers can profit from the death of their employees. It also has the potential to undermine safety at the workplace. Any insurance policy that mitigates the damage to the employer of not following best practice should be viewed as highly suspect.”

In the UK, the value of such policies runs into hundreds of millions of pounds and companies are legally entitled to spend the money on perks for chief executives and senior managers rather than giving it to the families of dead staff.


The top fifty firms include companies like HSBC, ******************BP************************************, Vodafone, GlaxoSmithKline, Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Tesco, Unilever, BSkyB, Prudential, Abbey National and Scottish Power.

http://ww1.sundayherald.com/38061