On a 100-degree Texas afternoon, oilfield workers prepare a derrick for normal drilling operation. Few average people consider that they are digging up matter that could someday become neon nail polish, refined jet fuel, or a plastic storage bin. Even fewer average people consider what oilfield workers face when an oilfield accident happens on the rig, resulting in catastrophic injury or even wrongful death.
High demand + Big business = Hasty operation + Oilfield accidents
Products of the oil and gas industry are ubiquitous, and the industry’s prosperity saturates the economy. Demand for petroleum is high, and with hundreds of active oilfields in the state of Texas, competition is also high.
The industry supercharges the Texas economy: the Permian Basin, Midland, Odessa, and Eagle Ford Shale regions have some of the most productive oilfields in the world. However, an increase in oilfield accidents has shadowed the increased production.
Haste drives much of the oil and gas industry. Oil and gas companies eager to cut costs or squelch competition may ignore industry safety standards or encourage unsafe practices. Between 2013 and 2017, 489 U.S. oil and gas employees went to work and didn’t come back (OSHA). Traffic fatalities – particularly from oilfield trucking – have shot up in the Permian Basin in recent years.
The Wyatt Law Firm has litigated several tragic cases of oilfield accidents that could have been prevented. Later investigations often attribute missing safety equipment, skipped procedure, or even previously covered-up problems as causes of oilfield accidents. However, the consequences of a moment’s absentminded haste can last a lifetime. Safety should always stay the prime focus, not a peripheral afterthought.
What recourse do oil and gas workers have after an accident?
Oil and gas workers don’t have much recourse through OSHA or their employers. OSHA regulates the oil and gas industry by penalizing regulation violations, but the industry dwarfs the safety authorities in size, making inspections rare and reg enforcement difficult. OSHA also does not provide for those affected by accidents. Worker’s compensation from oil and gas companies seldom covers the long-term living and medical expenses incurred after a catastrophic injury or a wrongful death.
Oil and gas workers can seek compensation by suing for damages through civil court, which secure sums proportional to the damage caused by an accident. Gathering evidence and preparing a case requires tremendous investment in time, resources, and energy, however. That’s where we come in.
If you have been injured or your loved one has been killed in an oilfield accident, you may be entitled to legal compensation. Occupational accidents change lives, and you shouldn’t have to walk away empty-handed.
You never pay us out of pocket-we work on a contingency fee basis, so you only pay if we win, and our payment is worked into your settlement. You have nothing to lose.
Call us today at 210-340-5550 for a free case review. You can also submit a confidential contact form via our website.
Squaring up against big industry might feel like squaring up against a giant – bring an army with you.
We’re ready. Let us fight for you.
For more information on oilfield accidents, explore our legal blog.