Have you been injured in an oil field?
As one of the most dangerous industry in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, oil and gas exploration and production workers encounter dangers on the job every hour of every day. According to the Bureau’s data, oilfield fatality rates are six times higher than the fatality rates of all other types of combined work activities in the US.
Oilfield accidents can be traumatic experiences and seeking compensation for your injuries only adds to the stress of your physical recovery.
Our experienced Texas attorneys focus on oilfield worker injury claims and can help you try and collect the maximum possible financial compensation you and your loved ones deserve.
What financial compensation is available to injured workers on oilfields?
Worker’s compensation for oil workers may cover some medical expenses and lost wages, but it will not cover all their expenses. Recovery amounts are generally based on a percentage of the worker’s income and do not cover pain and suffering or emotional distress.
Worker’s compensation for oilfield workers also does not cover punitive damages, which can add up to much more than the amount of their actual loss and, equally important, try and deter oil and gas companies from continuing their negligence and dangerous behavior.
For those reasons, many injured excavators, oil and gas operators, miners, oil rig workers, pipeline workers, truck drivers, well engineers, and other crew members choose to file a personal injury lawsuit. Successful oil field injury claims could reach the maximum possible compensation for injuries, including:
-Current and expected future medical expenses
-Lost wages and late payments
-Loss of future earnings
-Pain and suffering
-Emotional stress
-Permanent disability and / or disfigurement
-Punitive / exemplary damages
Additionally, if you have lost a loved one in an oilfield accident, you may be entitled to compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit or a survivor claim. Relatives of deceased oilfield workers may collect financial compensation for:
-Loss of quality of life
-Pain and suffering of the deceased
-Loss of financial support
-Loss of companionship
To try and obtain maximum compensation for an oilfield injury, employees of oil and gas companies should retain an experienced attorney whose meticulous preparation, careful investigation, and aggressive legal strategy can help you try and succeed even against the most powerful oil and gas company.
What types of oil field injuries qualify for compensation?
Unfortunately, many oil and gas companies continue to prioritize profits over safety, often resulting in bad supervision, faulty equipment, a lack of safety training, and worker fatigue. When accidents do occur, they are almost always the results of negligence or shortcuts intentionally taken by companies trying to save money.
Even when oil companies implement proper safety and procedural training, contractors, equipment manufacturers, and other third-party entities can still negligently or intentionally take shortcuts, endangering the lives of drilling rig workers, pipeline operators, oil and gas truck drivers, and other crew members.
Some of the most common accidents include:
-Blowout prevention failures
-Drilling rig collapses
-Defective drilling equipment, valves, machinery
-Electrocutions in oil fields
-Ergonomic hazards
-Chemical fires on land and offshore
-Pipeline explosions and refinery fires
-Exposure to toxic sulfur hydroxide, carbon monoxide or radiation poisoning
-Mast/Drilling Rig falls
-Injuries in the high-pressure line, pipeline, or rotary well
-Vehicle accidents in oil fields (trucks, planes, ships)
-Mine or trench collapses
Oilfield accidents can cause many possible serious injuries, including amputations, bone fractures, severe burns, blindness, neck, and spinal injuries, hearing loss, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), permanent disfigurement, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). In most cases, maximum financial compensation is critical to full recovery.
Am I eligible to file a lawsuit for injuries sustained in an oil field?
Oilfield workers are eligible to file lawsuits against oil companies, contractors, or third-party entities when the employer:
-Does not carry proper worker’s compensation insurance: Texas law does not require companies in Texas to carry this insurance. An experienced oil field attorney can determine what the best route will be to try and receive fair compensation.
-Hire a third party who did not follow safety regulations: Anytime you are injured due to the actions (or inaction) of a contractor, subcontractor, or third-party entity, you may be able to sue that party for damages to cover your losses.
-Use defective equipment or machinery: If equipment or machinery is not working as it should and you are injured, you could sue the manufacturer or designer of that equipment.
-Contributes to your exposure to toxic substances: If your protective equipment (PPE) is ineffective against silica, radiation, sulfur hydroxide, or carbon monoxide, you could sue the manufacturer of the PPE. You could sue your employer if your employer knowingly exposes you to a toxic substance without providing you with the proper PPE.
-Act with extreme negligence or try to harm: Perhaps a company refuses to give you personal protective equipment. Many states, including Texas, allow crew members to sue their employers for more than the worker’s compensation pays when an employer intends to hurt them or acts with gross negligence.
How to collect compensation for an oilfield accident
Oil and gas companies are very powerful and wealthy and will use the best legal defense teams in the country to avoid paying the full compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Without an experienced and aggressive attorney, to support your claim, it may be almost impossible to succeed against companies using popular defense tactics such as:
-Claiming that you assumed the risk of injury when you were hired
-Saying that you were at fault for your injuries
-Arguing that you made your injuries worse yourself
-Claiming that your injury was not the direct result of any negligence or attempt to harm
-Stating that you waited too long to file and violated the statute of limitations
-Hiding or “cleaning up” the evidence you need to prove your case
In addition to the complexity of oilfield injury cases, statutes of limitations can be short, and potential defendants can quickly begin cleaning up the evidence against you.
Therefore, you should consider contacting an experienced oilfield injury attorney as soon as possible. Your attorney will ensure that you meet all deadlines and will immediately start working with OSHA and industry professionals to preserve the evidence for your case.
Always talk to your attorney before signing any documents from your employer or giving any statements about your injuries. Never accept any amount of premature settlement. Never speak to claims adjusters, coworkers, or others who may be hired to collect evidence against you.
Make sure your attorney has:
-Extensive experience in oil field drilling trials and litigation
-Access to America’s Top Expert Witnesses (Accident Reconstruction Professionals, OSHA Inspectors, Confined Space Experts, Engineers, Chemists, Safety Management Experts)
-A track record of success in the courtroom
-Deep knowledge of the oil and gas industry.
-Oilfield attorneys at PMR Law have successfully represented those injured in accidents. Our investigations are thorough, including a concise review of reports to identify the cause of an accident at its source, regardless of what the company’s claims are.
How will PMR Law’s oilfield attorneys help?
-A unique insight into the defense strategies of oil and gas companies.
-A proven track record in litigation.
-Expert resources and legal knowledge to that could help victims obtain maximum compensation.
-Our experience provides help to injured workers seeking compensation for their injuries – leveling the playing field against powerful companies and their defensive teams.
Houston Maritime Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured or tragically died in an oilfield accident, you deserve the highest financial compensation available. Our team of attorneys, medical experts, and professionals from the oil industry will help prove your case through investigation, deposition, OSHA records, and aggressive cross-examination.
It is difficult for a layperson to understand the complexities of maritime law. Retaining the services of a skilled and experienced Houston maritime accident lawyer can save you time and money, while also placing you in a position to recover damages. Call PMR Law at 832-667-7700 today to schedule a free and confidential consultation with a personal injury lawyer who will tirelessly fight for your legal rights.
Get in touch with us immediately so we can evaluate your case for free. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fill out a form by clicking here.
PMR Law is considered one of the Best Law Firms of America, by Rue Ratings. Several of our attorneys have been given the honor of being named Super Lawyers by Thomson Reuters. The American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys has named our attorneys 10 Best in Client Satisfaction. Speaking of personal injury, Attorney and Practice Magazine awarded our attorneys with Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney distinctions. The National Trial Lawyers, as well as the American Academy of Attorneys, have named two of our attorneys as Top 40 Under 40. Our attorneys have been recognized as Best Attorneys of America, by Rue Ratings. PMR Law is a proud member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocate Forum.