When a power plant explosion left our client with catastrophic burn injuries, the victim's family turned to Presley & Presley. Our client fought for his life, but sadly and unfortunately did not survive. What the family needed was more than sympathy — they needed answers, accountability, and a legal team capable of taking on a case that other firms found too complex accept.
A jury delivered that accountability: a $16.5 million verdict, a record-setting result at the time.
What Happened
The explosion was not a freak accident. Our investigation traced the blast to a faulty pipe component — a defect that never should have made it into service, and one that cost a man his life. Cases like this — the core of our explosion and burn injury litigation practice — demand more than legal skill. They require the resources to retain engineering and metallurgical experts, reconstruct the failure, and prove exactly how and why a component fails under pressure — and who bears responsibility for it.
Why This Case Came to Us
Presley & Presley was hired because of the case's complexity. Explosion and burn injury litigation sits at the intersection of engineering, industrial safety regulation, and hard-fought liability disputes. This case also presented challenging insurance coverage issues — the kind that can quietly limit a family's recovery if their lawyers don't know how to confront them.
Because our firm handles both catastrophic injury litigation and insurance bad faith, we were built for exactly this fight. We pursued the case through trial rather than settling short, and the jury's verdict reflected the full measure of what this family lost.
Honoring Our Client: Supporting Burn Care Nurses at KU
Some cases stay with you. In the course of this litigation, we saw firsthand the extraordinary care that burn unit nurses provide to patients and families living through the worst and most overwhelming days of their lives.
That's why Presley & Presley now participates in a scholarship supporting nurses in the burn unit at The University of Kansas Health System. It is one way we honor our client's memory — and the people who cared for him.
If Your Family Is Facing the Aftermath of an Explosion or Burn Injury
Explosion and wrongful death cases are among the most complex in personal injury law. Evidence disappears quickly, corporate defendants mobilize immediately, and insurance carriers look for every avenue to limit what they pay. Families deserve a firm with the trial experience and resources to see these cases through to verdict. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an industrial explosion, contact Presley & Presley Trial Lawyers for a free, confidential consultation.
Burn and Catastrophic Injury FAQs
Who can be held liable for a power plant explosion?
Liability may extend to component manufacturers, contractors, maintenance companies, and other third parties — often beyond the employer, whose liability is typically limited by workers' compensation law.
How long do I have to file an explosion injury or wrongful death claim?
Statutes of limitation vary by state and by the type of claim. Because physical evidence in explosion cases disappears quickly, families should consult an attorney as soon as possible.
What makes explosion cases so complex?
They combine engineering failure analysis, industrial safety regulations, multiple potentially liable parties, and contested insurance coverage — each of which can limit recovery if not handled correctly.
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future case. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts.
