With more than 5,500 accidents to date, pipelines are one of the most dangerous constructions in America. Whilst many accidents can occur through pipelines, one of the most common injuries, with almost 300 incidents in the US alone, is pipeline explosions, which are potentially fatal. Pipeline explosions can occur when the pipe is damaged and causes a gas leak that can be ignited by a spark or flame. They are often caused by human error. Whilst there are obvious physical consequences of a pipeline explosion, many people do not recognize the psychological damage that these traumatic events can also cause. Read on to find out how you may be affected both physically and psychologically by a pipeline explosion.
Burns
There are many physical injuries that can occur as a result of pipeline explosions, but the most common is severe burns. Burns can range in degrees of severity from first degree, which are often small surface burns, to sixth degree, which are so severe that they can char the bone. Burns from explosions rarely ever rate at first degree as the flames are extremely hot, but the severity of the burn often directly correlates with how close you are in the explosion’s vicinity. When treating burns, it is extremely important that you know what kind of burn you or the person you are treating is suffering from as different burns can require drastically different treatments, some of which can only be administered at a hospital.
Impact Injuries
One of the other most common injuries in pipeline explosions is impact injuries. These are caused by debris that has been thrust towards you through the impact of the blast. Injuries that fall under this category can vary widely in both category and severity, but some of the most common include fractures, broken bones and, in severe cases, brain injuries. A physical injury of any description caused by a pipeline explosion should be investigated immediately by a paramedic or in the emergency room as the condition of the injured body part can decrease rapidly if left untreated.
Psychological Injuries
One of the most common psychological injuries associated with an explosion is post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD for short. PTSD can surface in anyone when an extremely shocking and unprecedented event, such as an explosion, occurs. And this is true even if there was no physical injury. The symptoms of PTSD often include but are not limited to re-experiences, emotional numbness and other common mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The length of time that PTSD can last varies widely between each individual, but if left untreated, it can cause severe mental decline and an increase in the likelihood of attempted suicide.
Whilst physical injuries can be seen and instantly sympathized with, whether in court or with family and friends, psychological injuries can be less understood as they are essentially invisible. It is important that psychological injuries that occurred through pipeline explosions are addressed and properly represented in court, so make sure that you find a good pipeline explosion attorney to represent you and ensure that you get justice.
