Oil Field Injury Lawyers : Gas and oil labor can be harmful. Every day, workers put themselves and their families in danger when handling lethal chemicals and operating large machinery. This is a dangerous industry with a high rate of workplace accidents, some of which are fatal. Injuries can occur to any field worker, including roughnecks, derrick hands, floor hands, and roustabouts.
Transporting truckloads of sand, water, or other resources to isolated drilling sites or well sites via small, poorly constructed roads can also be exceedingly hazardous. It would help if you had an attorney who is aware of these risks if you are injured.
Let Nix Patterson fight for you.
If you or a loved one was hurt on an offshore rig, in an oil or gas field, you need skilled legal counsel to fight for the maximum settlement while you take care of your wounds and healing. To build the best case for you, the knowledgeable Nix Patterson legal team will work for you, carefully weighing all available legal options. Our goal is to hold individuals accountable for the incident for the largest amount of money.
What Are Common Oil Field Accidents?
Compared to most other occupations, workers in the oil business have a higher risk of suffering catastrophic injuries. There are risks in a lot of these industries. Because they operate with heavy machinery, hazardous chemicals, and heights, oil field workers run the risk of suffering injuries at work.
The following are a few concerning injury sources that Nix Patterson manages:
- accidents involving oil trucks
- blowouts in oil wells
- Accidents involving poisoning
- Fires in an oil field or well
- Explosions of batteries
- Exposure to hazardous materials
- Falls
- crush injuries
- malfunctions with machinery
- Accidents at oil refineries or gas plants
- Drilling mishaps
- Workover rigs come down.
According to data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), car accidents account for about four out of every ten worker fatalities in the oil and gas sector.
How Should an Oil Field Accident Be Handled?
If you or someone you care about has been hurt in an oil field, follow these important actions.
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Seek Medical Care
Your health should come first following an injury. Make sure to follow your doctor’s instructions and get medical help right away. Your physician will determine the extent of your injuries and suggest the most appropriate course of action.
Getting medical attention creates a paper trail of bills and medical documents that you can later use to submit a workers’ compensation or personal injury claim.
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Report the Accident
Make sure your employer is informed of the oil field mishap. There is a deadline in place in each state for workers to notify their superiors or employers about injuries. For instance, Texas law mandates that employees notify their employers of any injuries they sustain within 30 days of the date of the incident.
Your ability to file a workers’ compensation claim may be in jeopardy if you fail to report it within this time frame.
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Record the Accident
- The following pieces of proof will greatly strengthen your oil field claim:
- Images of the collision site, the dangers, and any visible injuries
- Information from any witnesses
- Records of the medical costs and other costs associated with the oil field mishap
- Records or correspondence regarding safety issues that were not resolved
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Contact an Oil Field Injury Lawyer
Consult a knowledgeable lawyer to see if you have a strong case. Nix Patterson is ready to evaluate your case and provide you with legal advice. You are under no need to proceed if you so choose, and a case evaluation is completely free.
In the case of an oil field accident, what damages are available?
You might be able to make a strong claim if you are hurt in an oil field accident. You may bring a personal injury lawsuit or a workers’ compensation claim, depending on the specifics of your case and the state in which the event occurred. You can be eligible for damages in addition to other forms of compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Diminished earnings
- Distress on an emotional level
- Diminished ability to make money Decreased standard of living
- Infirmity
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Anguish and suffering
If you have an oil field accident, your attorney might also suggest that you seek punitive damages. These are not compensatory damages. Known by another name, exemplary damages are intended to hold the defendant accountable for egregiously careless acts or omissions.
What Would Happen if an Oil Field Accident Takes the Life of a Loved One?
Should a family member perish in an oil field mishap, you might be eligible to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit. Almost any cause (aside from natural causes) might result in an untimely death, such as falls, crush injuries, exposure to hazardous chemicals, burns, explosions, or electrocution. Statutes against wrongful death enable surviving relatives and executors of estates to bring lawsuits on behalf of their departed loved ones.
When I Have an Accident, Who Can I Sue?
After an oil field accident, who you can sue will depend on the specifics of your case and the applicable state law. You can learn who might be responsible for your injuries by working with an experienced oil field accident attorney, including:
- Your company. In certain situations, you might be able to claim against your employer. There are restrictions on when and how you can file a worker’s compensation lawsuit against your employer if you are hurt at work. An accomplished lawyer is necessary in this complex legal arena.
- The insurance is provided by your company. To get workers’ compensation payments, you might claim the insurance provider for your company.
- makers of products or equipment. Should a piece of machinery break down or cause a defective product to cause you harm, you may be eligible to pursue a product liability claim. It is crucial that the faulty goods not be thrown away or destroyed. If you believe a defective product may have caused you harm, notify your employer right away in writing. Keep the defective product safe for future inspection by your lawyers.
- other third parties. You may be able to sue someone for personal injury if you were injured in an oil field due to their carelessness. For example, you may be able to sue the other firm and its driver if you were hurt in an accident involving the vehicle of that other company.
Remember that each oil field situation is unique. To learn more about your legal situation and determine whether you can pursue a claim, you should speak with an attorney.
Consult with Us About Your Potential Oil Field Accident Case
Trials are inherently dangerous, and results are never certain. To support those who legitimately seek vengeance to the fullest extent of the law, you need a legal team that has successfully taken on the oil and gas business and handled complicated legal matters worth billions of dollars. You are working with oil field accident specialists with over 40 years of expertise when you hire Nix Patterson.
Our oil field injury lawyers will give your case their whole focus and employ every resource at their disposal to strengthen your claim.
Get in touch with us online or by phone at 512-328-5333 to get started before it’s too late to submit your claim.
