Injured in an oilfield?
Oilfield accidents, oil rig drilling accidents, oilfield injuries, offshore injury accidents, offshore rig accidents, gas well drilling accidents can all result in catastrophic injuries and even death.
By their very nature, employees in this industry work in very dangerous conditions. These employees use heavy and complicated machinery.
One of the first questions to be answered is whether or not the employer had workers compensation coverage. Please see our pages on “workers compensation” and “non subscriber cases” for more detailed information regarding the consequences of the employer being a subscriber to the Act.
Does the employer have worker's compensation?
If the employer does not have workers comp. coverage, then it is very limited in its defenses.
The employer would for all practical purposes be limited to sole proximate cause as its primary defense.
If the employer does have workers compensation coverage then the injured employee cannot sue his or her employer.
There is a narrow exception in the event that the employee is killed, has financial dependents, and the employer is grossly negligent.
Even if the employer has workers comp. coverage, other defendants may be responsible such as a maintenance company, contractor or subcontractor, equipment manufacturer, owner or other party. If that entity controlled the details of the work, it may have a duty to provide a reasonably safe work site.
Some oil field equipment injuries that have occurred in and around Houston, Texas
Heavy oilfield and oil rig equipment often result in injuries including brain trauma, burns, paralysis, traumatic brain injury, crush injuries, amputations, and even death. Oilfield safety guidelines and procedures often times would have prevented accidents such as valve failure, equipment malfunction, rig collapse, explosions and others. Drillers, roustabouts, and roughnecks are especially susceptible to dangerous conditions.
There are numerous reasons that oilfield workers are injured, but most common would be the long hours that they work, working with inexperienced co-workers, co-workers that are under the influence of drugs or alcohol and others. The Houston oilfield injury attorneys believe that those who have injured due to an oilfield related accident should be compehnsated the maximum possible.