An accident on an oil rig can leave injured workers with injuries that change their long- and short-term physical abilities and appearances. It can also lead to fatalities that permanently change the lives of surviving families.
A lawyer in your area can help you recover compensation after suffering from common injuries and accidents on oil rigs in Texas. Many will review your case at no cost, evaluate and pursue your best legal options, and negotiate a settlement with the appropriate insurance company.
Commonly Seen Oil Rig Accidents and Injuries
Accidents on oil rigs can permanently change the lives of injured workers. While workers must wear safety gear, it can be faulty and fail to provide the needed protection. In addition, safety gear can only provide so much protection.
If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an accident, a Texas oil rig accident lawyer can help you pursue the financial compensation you need and deserve.
Because your right to compensation is subject to statutes of limitations, the sooner you get a lawyer involved in your case, the better.
Dangerous Falls
Falls can happen on oil rigs for a variety of reasons including same-level falls and falls from heights. Injuries can include:
- Paralysis
- Broken bones
- Crushing injuries
Falls can also lead to life-changing head, neck, and brain injuries that leave injured workers temporarily or permanently disabled.
Explosions and Fires
Oil rigs often use flares to burn off excess gas. These can lead to severe chemical burns ranging from:
- Limb loss
- Chemical burns
- Third-degree burns
In addition, this position puts workers in proximity to well blowouts and explosions.
Well Blowouts
A well blowout releases bursts of crude oil and gas when the pressure control systems fail. They can lead to injuries including:
- Head injuries
- Brain injuries
- Toxic exposure
The oil industry in Texas mandates that its workers wear hard hats and other protective equipment. When a well blowout occurs, though, safety gear may not provide sufficient protection.
Toxic Chemical Exposure
Exposure to toxic chemicals in fires, well blowouts, and other exposures, can lead to the following:
- Lung damage
- Brain damage
- Nerve damage
Chemical exposure can lead to long-term health consequences and fatalities. They often require prompt and long-term treatment and support.
Facts and Statistics on Texas Oil Rig Accidents and Injuries
According to the Journal of Petroleum Technology, safety reports published by the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) attribute 20 deaths to US oil rig incidents in 2021. Other published statistics include:
- Texas Department of Insurance (TDI): 24 fatal accidents attributed to oil and gas extraction in the state
- National Safety Council: Fall protection was improperly supported in approximately 63% of falls with total equipment failure occurring in 29% of falls
- Bureau of Labor Statistics: 58 oil rig fatalities in the oil and gas extraction industry in 2021
- Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement: 164 injuries on offshore oil fields in 2021
Statistics like these go to show how important it is for at-risk workers to have advocates looking to improve safety on oil fields and rigs. Those who suffer injuries due to lack of protection, training, or negligence also deserve advocates. An attorney can help someone in this situation to pursue a financial award that may mitigate their suffering.
Known Oil Extraction Safety Hazards
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) research acknowledges many of the safety hazards found on oil fields and rigs. Known oil rig and oil field safety hazards include:
- On-site vehicle collisions
- Explosions and fires
- Same-level falls and falls from heights
- Being stuck in confined spaces
- Ergonomic hazards
- High-pressure lines and equipment
- Electrical chemical exposure
- Machinery dangers
- Faulty planning and prevention
Oil rig equipment is huge and cumbersome and can result in additional accidents from being struck by, stuck in, or caught in between pieces of equipment and machinery.
Domingo Garcia’s History of Oil Rig Cases
In Texas, thousands of people work on oil fields and oil rigs. When negligence-based accidents lead to injuries and fatalities, an attorney can hold the negligent parties accountable.
Recent financial awards to injured workers and families include:
- $3,250,000 settlement after a well-head collapsed onto the hand of a well-service employee
- $4,500,00 settlement in the death of an oil-field worker in addition to workers’ compensation benefits
- $1,075,000 settlement after oilfield blowout accident
- $1,550,000 settlement after an offshore accident
Financial compensation cannot change what happened, but it can help injured workers or grieving families move forward with life after a catastrophic accident.
Our Personal Injury Law Firm Will Fight for Financial Compensation
If you or someone you love suffered from one or more of the common injuries caused by an accident on an oil rig in Texas, you could recover monetary compensation. At Domingo Garcia, we will investigate your accident, determine its financial impact on your life, and fight hard to negotiate a fair and appropriate settlement.
We have a 35-year history of representing injured workers across the State of Texas. We will make sure you receive maximum compensation after an oilfield injury or the loss of a loved one due to neglect in the oil field.
Contact one of our team members for a free review of your case today.
