Chemical and Toxic Exposure

The Texas Chemical and Toxic Exposure Attorneys at Nick Maram & Associates are dedicated to fighting for the rights of victims injured by exposure to toxic and hazardous substances.

Toxic materials are often used in the workplace to build, strip, or clean products. Common workplace chemicals like methylene chloride have a wide range of side effects, from simple eye and skin irritation to depression of the central nervous system. Isopropyl alcohol is very useful to clean wounds, but if ingested or inhaled, it can cause headache, nausea, unconsciousness, and even death. Acetone is used to dissolve glue and strip paint, but in high concentrations, it can cause serious injuries, including aspiration into the lungs after swallowing or vomiting. Acetaldehyde can also cause lung injury and irritation to the respiratory tract, although the symptoms may be delayed. Another useful chemical, hydrogen peroxide (commonly known as bleach), can be fatal if swallowed.

Toxic materials can enter the body in different ways. The most common routes of exposure include inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, accidental injection, and absorption through mucous membranes of the eye. Most materials easily pass through unprotected skin and enter the body. Ingestion can occur accidentally through poor hygiene practices, such as when people eat or smoke when their hands are contaminated.

The health effects resulting from exposure to toxic chemicals can be acute or chronic, depending on the type, concentration, and dose of the chemical. Individual susceptibility of the user also plays a role. Acute effects are usually caused by high-level, short-term exposure, while low-level long-term exposure may result in chronic illness and disease. Chronic health effects can occur days, months, or even years after exposure and can ultimately be fatal.

Common health effects of exposure to hazardous chemicals can include:

• Cancer (including but not limited to Mesothelioma)
• Fetal abnormalities
• Chemical burns, corrosion
• Skin and respiratory sensitization
• Systemic chemical poisoning
• Asthma and other chronic respiratory diseases
• Chronic toxicity

In Texas, state and federal laws protects individuals exposed to dangerous toxins. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) standards are codified in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). 29 CFR §1910.1450 covers workers exposed to hazardous chemicals in laboratories. It requires employers to keep exposure to hazardous chemicals at or below permissible limits. Employers must periodically measure employee exposures to harmful substances and comply with certain activities, such as air monitoring and medical examinations. They must also implement a written “chemical hygiene plan” that includes having employees use protective equipment and criteria for reducing exposure to hazardous chemicals.

Texas employers are subject to standards set forth by OSHA and the Texas Health and Safety Code. Pursuant to Section 502.002, the purpose of this Code is to “improve the health and safety of persons working in the state” by providing access to information regarding hazardous chemicals to which people may be exposed during normal employment activities. State law requires employers to prepare a material safety data sheet (MSDS) containing chemical hazard and safe handling information to comply with OSHA requirements. Chemical manufacturers, importers, and distributors who fail to provide the required MSDS may be subject to serious civil penalties and other legal liability.

If you have been diagnosed with a disease, experienced an adverse health effect, been injured, or lost a loved one due to a toxic or chemical substance, you may be entitled to compensation. The experienced Texas Chemical and Toxic Exposure Attorneys of Nick Maram & Associates, PC, would like to help you potentially obtain compensation for your injures. For over 20 years, we have provided the high quality legal representation to injured victims and the families of wrongful death victims from all areas of Texas, obtaining financial compensation for our clients in complex personal injury cases. We do not charge anything to start working on your case and only get paid if compensation has been received in your case. This means that we take all the risk in spending our resources (money, time, and efforts) and you are guaranteed that in case of no recovery you owe us nothing as expenses or attorneys fees. For a free consultation with an experienced Texas personal injury attorney, call (800) 979-7222 or Contact Us online. We look forward to hearing from you.