The oil and gas extraction industry in Texas employs thousands of people, but it also puts these employees at risk of being injured or even killed by hazards in the work environment. If you or a loved one was injured in an oil rig accident in or near Arlington, Texas, you may qualify to pursue compensation from the oil rig company or another liable party.
Domingo Garcia serves the greater Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. From construction accidents in Dallas to work injuries in Fort Worth, our team wants to reach out to various labor workers who have been set back by their injuries and need financial recovery to move forward. You can hire an Arlington oil rig accident lawyer to build your case by first speaking with our team in a free consultation.
What Common Injuries on Oil Rigs May Qualify for Compensation?
Oil rig accidents can range from vehicle accidents to chemical explosions and fires. However, due to workers constantly working with heavy machinery and equipment, the risk of sustaining a severe or catastrophic injury in an oil rig accident is high. In worst-case scenarios, workers may not survive their injuries.
You may qualify for compensation if you suffered any of the following injuries:
- Spinal cord injury (SCI)
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI), including concussion
- Burn injury caused by chemicals, gases, or electricity
- Amputation
- Back injury, including herniated disc
- Bone fracture
- Crush-related injury
- Organ damage
- Lung injuries, including mesothelioma and other lung cancers
If you suffered a different type of injury not listed above, you may still qualify to file a claim or lawsuit about your oil rig accident. Your Arlington oil rig accident attorney will investigate your accident to determine which factors may have led to your injuries and gather evidence to present to the insurance company or court on your behalf.
Oil Rig Accident Victims in Arlington Can Demand Compensation for Their Injuries
Personal injury law allows accident victims to demand compensation for various damages, since injuries can affect people’s lives in multiple ways. Because oil rig accidents can cause catastrophic injuries, some victims may have to undergo long-term recoveries or may even become permanently disabled. Severe injuries can affect a person’s living wages, physical and mental abilities, and other lifestyle factors.
The following are types of damages you may demand compensation for, depending on the severity of your injuries and how the oil rig accident affected you.
Medical Expenses
Your Arlington oil rig accident attorney can calculate past and future costs for your medical treatment. This may involve collecting invoices from the medical facilities where you received treatment and consulting a medical expert to determine how much more treatment you might need to reach maximum medical improvement (MMI).
Medical expenses can include costs for:
- Ambulance rides
- Emergency room care
- Hospitalization and inpatient services
- Outpatient services
- Rehabilitation, including physiotherapy
- Doctor’s appointments
- Surgeries
- Prescription medicines
- Medical aid equipment, such as wheelchairs, crutches, or neck braces
If you had to travel a significant distance to receive medical care or pay for transportation to take you to appointments, we may also factor in mileage/travel costs as part of your medical-related expenses.
Lost Wages and Reduced Earning Potential
If your oil rig accident injuries disrupted your career, whether you have to take an extended leave to physically recover or switch careers entirely because you can no longer perform the tasks of your job, you may qualify to demand compensation for your lost wages. Damages related to income loss include:
- Paid time off (PTO) that you had to use to receive treatment or recover from your injuries
- Wages you lost when you had to take time off work because of your injuries
- Job loss because of your injuries (i.e., taking too much time off or being unable to perform certain tasks required of the job)
- Having to take a lower-paying position temporarily or permanently
- Having to switch careers because your injuries now prevent you from working in your pre-accident industry
Our team will calculate both the wages you have already lost and the wages you will continue to lose if you are still seeking treatment or your injuries caused a permanent disability, affecting your work life.
Pain and Suffering
“Pain and suffering” falls under non-economic damages and often encompasses several forms of physical, emotional, and mental pain. For example, you may claim:
- Chronic pain or inflammation
- Emotional distress, such as depression, anxiety, and insomnia
- Psychological trauma, including diagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Pain and suffering damages are subjective and may manifest in various ways depending on a person’s pre-accident life and abilities. Our team is here to listen to your story, so we can fight for the compensation that fairly covers the pain and suffering you’ve felt.
Permanent Disability or Physical Disfigurement
If your injuries caused a permanent disability or change in your physical appearance, you may demand compensation for damages related to your life adjustment. For example, you may seek payment for:
- Home modifications to accommodate your disability
- Costs for prosthetics or other medical equipment necessary to perform daily tasks
- Costs for caregiving services
- Counseling you might receive to process your accident and your new life with a disability
- Loss of consortium if your disability played a role in your marriage ending or other negative effects on your marital relationship
Permanent disabilities may include injuries that result in a loss of bodily function, such as vision or hearing. Physical disfigurement involves a permanent change in your appearance, such as losing a limb or being severely scarred by burns or chemicals.
Did a Loved One Pass Away in an Oil Rig Accident? You May File a Wrongful Death Action
As mentioned, some oil rig accidents can cause fatal injuries to workers, which can disrupt the lives of their surviving families and loved ones. If your loved one passed away in an oil rig accident in or near Arlington, Texas, you may have grounds to file a wrongful death action on their behalf to pursue compensation.
We understand that trying to organize a case while grieving may seem too overwhelming for you to handle, so we want to emphasize that once you hire an Arlington wrongful death lawyer from our team to represent you, we will take the reigns on your case.
We will build your case and update you as new developments occur. This will allow you to grieve in peace without jeopardizing your legal right to financial recovery.
Who Qualifies to File a Wrongful Death Action in Texas?
Per Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 71.004, the following individuals may file a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of a decedent (deceased individual):
- The decedent’s surviving spouse
- The decedent’s surviving child(ren)
- The decedent’s surviving parent(s)
- The decedent’s executor or administrator, if no qualifying surviving family members file a case within three months of their passing
Your oil rig attorney serving Arlington can determine whether your relationship with the decedent qualifies you to file and help you take appropriate steps to begin your legal journey.
What Kind of Damages Can You Pursue in a Wrongful Death Action?
Surviving loved ones can pursue the following compensatory damages in wrongful death cases:
- Costs for funeral arrangements, including burial or cremation services
- Loss of financial support from the decedent
- Loss of companionship for the decedent’s surviving spouse
- Loss of parental guidance for the decedent’s surviving child(ren)
- Loss of inheritance
- Loss of society
- Medical debts
- Pain and suffering felt by both the decedent and their surviving family
Additionally, any damages your loved one would have pursued in a personal injury case had they survived may be included in your wrongful death action.
Arlington Oil Rig Accidents Are Complex and May Involve Multiple Liable Parties
Extracting oil is a complex process that often requires several efforts from different departments. Multiple workers and companies may participate in an event to drill land, explore the well, prepare the well for oil or gas extraction, fulfill the extraction, and transfer the oil and gas to a separate facility.
At first glance, an accident might directly involve the victim and surrounding witnesses, but upon investigation, larger parties may have contributed to its cause due to negligence. Our mission as your legal team is to investigate your accident thoroughly so that all potentially liable parties may be held accountable for your injuries and damages.
Which Parties May Be Held Liable in an Oil Rig Accident in Texas?
The following parties may be held liable for your Texan oil rig accident:
- The oil company
- The owner or operator of the oil company
- Regulatory agencies
- Equipment rental companies
- Oilfield equipment companies and manufacturers
- Maintenance companies for oilfield equipment or vehicles
- Well exploration companies
- Oil pumpers
- Contractors
- Subcontractors
- Machine operators
- Drilling operators
- Refinery workers
- Truck drivers
If multiple parties played a role in your accident, your Arlington oil rig accident lawyer may suggest filing more than one claim or lawsuit to pursue compensation. Doing so may also depend on how much evidence is available for your case.
Your Oil Rig Accident Lawyer Serving Arlington Can Advise You Whom to File a Case Against
Even if your case involves multiple liable parties, that does not mean you will file a case against each one. Our team will advise you on case strategy, meaning we will weigh how much evidence you might have against a liable party and whether you have a strong enough case to demand compensation from them.
Each personal injury case is unique, so there is no one-size-fits-all strategy to follow. If we conclude that other parties contributed significantly to your accident besides the oil rig company, we can help you build multiple claims or lawsuits as necessary.
Our Team at Domingo Garcia Can Manage Your Case in Arlington, Texas
Our legal team at Domingo Garcia has built a portfolio of successful verdicts and settlement deals for our clients. Some of our notable verdicts include:
- $12.5 million for a case involving an explosion caused by deteriorating natural gas lines
- $3 million for the surviving family of Juan Rolan, who was killed in a crane accident
- $1 million for an oilfield blow-out accident case
- $1 million for a gas tank explosion case that resulted in a wrongful death
If you decide to work with an Arlington personal injury lawyer from our team, we’ll start building your case immediately. We provide several services, as the work that goes into preparing your claim or lawsuit will generally require further investigation, legal paperwork, and communication with all involved parties. Our Arlington oil rig accident lawyers hope to lift these legal burdens from you, so you can focus on your wellbeing.
Our Team Works on a Contingency-Fee Basis
We understand that many people are hesitant about working with a lawyer because they think it is too expensive or they’re unsure whether it’s worth the hassle of proceeding with a legal case.
However, when you work with an Arlington oil rig accident lawyer from our team, we’ll withhold our attorney’s fees until your case concludes and only charge them if we win your case. We’ll take a percentage of your compensation award, so you never pay us out of your own pocket.
This contingency-fee agreement gives us the drive to secure compensation for you. Rather than worrying about hourly fees, you can focus on your recovery while we do the work.
Our Lawyers Can Investigate Your Oil Rig Accident in Arlington
As mentioned earlier, multiple parties may play a role in your oil rig accident. In cases involving explosions or chemical leaks, the accident scene may require extensive investigation to determine what happened, as it may not be immediately obvious. Our team may conduct a separate investigation from law enforcement to retrieve information for your case.
Our objective will be to collect as much evidence as possible to support your claims, which may involve:
- Interviewing witnesses and recording their testimonies
- Consulting expert witnesses who can provide insight on what might have caused the accident, such as professionals in the oil and gas extraction industry
- Requesting copies of surveillance footage that captured the accident
- Taking photos of the accident scene and your injuries
- Requesting copies of workers’ logs to determine if actions performed before the accident contributed to its cause
If you believe other evidence exists for your oil rig accident case, your Arlington lawyer can look into your lead and confirm additional details.
We Can Prepare and Submit Paperwork on Your Behalf
Part of the reason many people hire an attorney to represent them is because their attorney will understand the legal jargon found in legal paperwork. Our firm also has a team of legal professionals who can do the research necessary for your case and draft:
- Your notice of intention to sue the defendant
- A demand letter that details your damages and how much compensation you intend to pursue
- Your lawsuit submission, which describes the accident, the injuries you suffered, and your reasons for suing the defendant
- Legal motion requests
- Evidence submission forms
Our team will notify you whenever legal paperwork requires your signature. Otherwise, we will handle all legal paperwork on your behalf to move your case forward.
We Can Respond to Any Messages or Settlement Offers You Receive in Your Case
You may receive immediate responses about your accident injuries from the oil rig company’s insurer, as is common protocol. An insurance adjuster may offer a settlement deal to avoid going to court. However, we advise not accepting any agreement until you understand how much compensation you might be entitled to collect based on your damages.
Damages can take time to calculate, so do not rush into a deal. Once you accept a settlement deal, you will not be able to pursue additional compensation even if new damages arise. Our team can review any offers you receive and advise you accordingly. We will also protect your case by making catered responses that do not give room for the defendant to turn facts against you.
Your Arlington Oil Rig Accident Lawyer Can Represent You in All Appearances
Whether your case goes to court or remains outside is largely up to you. In many situations, plaintiffs’ lawyers can negotiate settlement deals before personal injury cases go to trial. At any point in the litigation process, you can accept a settlement offer outside of court instead of waiting for a verdict from a jury.
That being said, our Arlington oil rig attorneys are prepared to go to trial with each client they take on. Our firm is proud of our work and legal strategies in the courtroom, so we are confident in our ability to advocate for your right to financial recovery.
Our Team Is Available to Answer Any Questions You Have About Your Case
If you have any questions about your case, from when you should file a lawsuit to whether you should accept a settlement offer, our team is here to assist you. We’ll give you our direct contact information so you can receive legal counsel when necessary.
Additionally, you do not have to feel insecure about any legal decision. Your Arlington oil rig lawyer can explain any part of the litigation process you want guidance on. Our service is to you, as we do not make any legal decisions on our clients’ behalf. We provide insight, but ultimately we’ll follow your decisions.
Texas Gives a Short Filing Period for Oil Rig Accident Plaintiffs to Submit Their Lawsuits
According to Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 16.0003, you generally have two years from the date of the oil rig accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. If your loved one passed away from their injuries and you want to file a wrongful death action, you have two years from the date of their death to file your case.
When an accident occurs, things can be hectic, so it’s okay if you can’t remember the specific date off the top of your head. Our team will likely refer to the incident report about your accident, which the property manager should have filed on the day it occurred. We may also use medical records, timestamps on surveillance footage, and other legal documents to confirm the accident date if necessary.
Filing Late Can Weaken Your Case if You Want to Negotiate a Settlement Deal
You must submit your case within the statutory deadline, as doing so determines whether your case will be accepted in the state’s civil court system. A judge will review your case to approve it for trial. So, if the reviewer notices that you filed late, they may dismiss your case. Alternatively, if the defendant discovers that you filed late, they can send a dismissal request to the judge to avoid trial.
If your case gets dismissed, the defendant may be absolved of liability, since, legally, you would no longer have any leverage to pursue compensation. This can weaken your efforts to negotiate a settlement deal outside of court, as the threat of a lawsuit would disappear.
So, we encourage you to come forward as soon as possible to avoid jeopardizing your case. Our Arlington oil rig accident attorneys can take the appropriate steps to submit your case and prepare for trial if necessary.
Call Domingo Garcia Today to Get a Free Oil Rig Accident Case Evaluation
If you or a loved one was severely injured in an oil rig accident in Arlington, Texas, you may be entitled to collect compensation from a liable party. Our legal team at Domingo Garcia offers a free consultation when you call our firm. You can speak with one of our team members about your case and learn what legal options you might have to take action against the oil rig company or another liable party involved with your case.
Our Arlington oil rig accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so we don’t charge any attorney’s fees unless we win your personal injury case. Contact us now to start your legal journey. You can reach us by phone or by filling out our secure contact form.
