Overview
Anhydrous Ammonia Injuries
Anhydrous ammonia is a highly toxic chemical that can leave those exposed to it facing long-term, serious injuries. When mishandled, the chemical can quickly spread out of control, leaving entire communities to face the effects.
At Robins Kaplan, we have seen first-hand the injuries that anhydrous ammonia can inflict. Our personal injury attorneys have decades of experience helping injured people seek justice for their injuries. If you have been exposed to anhydrous ammonia, contact our attorneys. We will help you hold the negligent party accountable for their actions.
The Effects of Anhydrous Ammonia
A commonly used commercial fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia has a number of unique properties that make it extremely dangerous when mishandled. The chemical quickly turns to gas upon exposure to air, creating a heavier-than-air gas that expands rapidly beyond the point of release. This noxious cloud tends to hug the ground, greatly increasing the chances for human exposure.
Exposure to anhydrous ammonia can result in serious injury, including:
- Eye, nose, and throat irritation and burns
- Bronchial and alveolar edema
- Airway destruction
- Skin burns and related skin conditions
Long-term consequences can include chronic lung disease from inhalation, cough, asthma, and lung fibrosis. Blindness is a risk as well, as ulceration and perforation of the cornea can occur months and weeks after exposure to the anhydrous ammonia. Cataracts and glaucoma are also potential effects.
Representing the Victims of the Minot, ND Anhydrous Ammonia Spill
Unfortunately, anhydrous ammonia spills are all too common. Anhydrous ammonia is used across the United States; those producing, transporting, storing, and distributing it must always do so with the utmost care and caution. When this standard of care isn’t upheld, innocent bystanders often pay the price.
Our chemical spill lawyers have witnessed the effect of this negligence firsthand. In 2002, a Canadian Pacific Railway freight train derailed and five tanker cars ruptured, spreading over 200,000 gallons of anhydrous ammonia over the town of Minot, North Dakota. One person was killed and more than 300 were injured, including 11 who suffered serious injuries. The derailment was attributed to poor railroad maintenance and inspection practices.
In the wake of the tragedy, our trial attorneys stepped in to represent four of the victims, filing a personal injury lawsuit against the railroad company. We took the matter to trial, where a jury awarded our clients a total of $2.64 million.*
Get an Experienced Chemical Spill Attorney on your Side
At Robins Kaplan, our personal injury lawyers have extensive experience taking cases to trial, holding negligent parties accountable for their actions, and seeking the maximum possible compensation for our clients.
Year after year, our trial attorneys have been recognized for achieving significant recoveries for our clients. Our lawyers have appeared on CBS News, Good Morning America (ABC), Dateline NBC, and other news programs and have been consistently named "Super Lawyers," and "Best Lawyers in America."**
If you have suffered from an anhydrous ammonia spill, it pays to have an experienced trial lawyer on your side. To contact a personal injury lawyer for a free case evaluation, please complete our free case evaluation form above.
Our attorneys handle matters primarily in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
*Past results are reported to provide the reader with an indication of the types of matters we handle and do not and should not be construed to create an expectation of result in any other situation as all legal matters are dependent upon their own unique fact situation and applicable law.
**Being named to the list or receiving the award is not intended and should not be viewed as comparative to other lawyers or to create an expectation about results that might be achieved in a future matter.
