Every year, thousands of oil rigs in the state of Texas produce millions of barrels of oil. At the heart of the industry are workers who perform physically-demanding jobs under extreme conditions. When oil rig accidents occur, they are often very serious or deadly. We believe victims deserve compensation. There is no excuse for companies who put corporate profits above the safety of their employees.
Need a Texas Oil Rig Accident Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you or a loved one was injured, you should contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit in Texas, and we can help.
Examples of Oil Rig Accidents
- January 2023 — An oil worker from Texas died after falling through an open hatch into a pit filled with drilling fluids while he was working as a contractor for a Devon Energy drilling rig in the North Dakota oil patch. Click here to read more.
- April 2018 — Two workers were injured when an oil rig caught on fire and exploded in Wewoka, Oklahoma near Highway 56. Click here to read more.
$1.3 Million Awarded in Texas Oil Rig Brain Injury Lawsuit
Valley Central reports that four oil rig workers have been awarded $1,375,000 in compensation for work-related brain injuries that occurred in 2012. The four men were electricians who were working in the engine room of the Sam Noble oil rig. Another crew working on the rig’s fire-safety system flooded the engine room with carbon dioxide without making sure the room was clear. The electricians suffered brain damage due to lack of oxygen. Click here to read more.
Texas Oil Rig Accidents
If you or a loved one works on an oil rig, you know how dangerous it can be. The work involves long hours in extreme conditions with massive machinery. Even minor accidents can cause severe burns, broken bones, head or spine trauma, or long-term disability. Serious accidents can also jeopardize the livelihood of you and your family.
What Accidents May Occur?
- Fires
- Blowouts
- Explosions
- Severed electrical lines
- Cable or block breaks
- Faulty grating or pipe
- Chemical spills
- Gas leaks
- Exposure to toxic chemicals
- Equipment malfunction
- Offshore injuries
- Falling objects
- Negligence of equipment operators
- Hazardous weather
- And more
What is the problem?
As part of a yearlong investigation, the Houston Chronicle found that OSHA investigated only about 150 of the 18,000 oil rig-related injuries and illnesses in the last six years in Texas. It found safety violations in 78% of accidents, finding that many could have been prevented with safer procedures or equipment.
What is the Jones Act?
If you were injured on an offshore oil rig, you may qualify to file a claim for compensation under the Jones Act. This act provides special protection for seamen who work on boats, offshore drilling rigs, and other vessels in the ocean or inter-coastal waterways for more than 30% of their employment. Benefits provided by the Jones Act may be significantly higher than workers on land. You may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, lost income, disability, and more.
Under the Jones Act, you have a legal right to seek compensation for “maintenance and cure,” including your medical treatment, plus room and board. You can also seek compensation for injuries that occurred as a result of negligence. Employers have a responsibility to take reasonable measures to protect their employees’ safety. If they fail to meet these standards, they can potentially be held liable for injuries that resulted in unsafe conditions.
For most dock workers and most other maritime workers who are not covered by the Jones Act, the Longshore and Harbor Worker Compensation Act applies.
What is the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA)?
If you are injured on a fixed oil platform, this act determines that your injury is covered under the compensation laws of the nearest state — essentially treating the platform as an island. It does not prevent you from filing a lawsuit against third parties who may have been negligent. If the OCSLA applies to your claim, you are also bound by the statute of limitations in the adjacent state.
Need a Oil Rig Accident Lawyer in Texas?
Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged.
Collen’s amazing success in the courtroom and well known dedication to his clients has earned him the recognition of his peers as one of The Top Trial Lawyers in Texas.”
The Clark Firm has assembled a team of trial lawyers with more than 100 years experience, participation in over 600 jury trials and $260 million in verdicts and/or settlements. Please use the form below to contact our Texas oil rig accident lawyers for a free lawsuit review.
To contact us for a free review of your potential case, please fill out the form below or call us toll free 24 hrs/day by dialing: