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Offshore oil drilling is one of America’s most dangerous professions. With a history of catastrophic accidents, American oil drilling, particularly in Texas, can put its employees at serious risks for injuries. Just because you agreed to work this job does not mean that you accept the risks that come with it. If you were seriously injured working on an oil rig, talk to an attorney about filing a lawsuit for your injuries.
The Odessa, Texas oil rig accident lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm represent injured workers across the oil industry, and other industries. If you or a loved one was seriously injured at work, or you lost a loved one to an offshore drilling accident, contact our law offices today. We offer free consultations to help you understand your case and the potential compensation you might be entitled to. Our number is (817) 476-1797.
Attorney for Offshore Drilling Injuries
Working on an offshore drilling platform comes with certain risks. However, it is your employer’s responsibility to ensure that safety procedures are met, and to help keep you safe on the job. Still, many oil rig workers suffer serious injuries in the workplace.
Simple trips, slips, and falls are quite common on oil rigs. Not only might the surfaces you walk on be slick with oil, they could be quite wet from rain or ocean spray. This creates a serious risk of slipping and falling. Especially on narrow or high catwalks, the risk of falling could mean serious injury. Even falling into a sitting position can cause serious injuries to your tail bone and back. Falling forward can mean broken bones if the fall is severe. In any fall, you may also hit your head or injure your back, which can cause brain injury or spinal cord injury that has lasting, life-altering effects.
The heavy machinery used on oil rigs also creates an enormous risk of injury. Most jobs that use machinery with hydraulics or moving parts always carry a risk that the operator will get their hand, fingers, foot, or even more of their body stuck in the machinery. This can cause serious crushing injuries, broken bones, or even amputation injuries.
The high pressure of oil wells, pumps, and pipelines are also incredibly dangerous. If the pumps or other machines suffer poor upkeep or damage, they can fail catastrophically. Fighting against the pressure of a leaking oil line can put enormous pressure on your body, possibly throwing you to your feet or into other people and objects. Especially if you hit your head during this accident or are thrown into other machinery, you could suffer catastrophic injuries.
Suing Your Employer for Oil Rig Injuries
If you are injured on an oil rig, you may be required to use Texas’ workers’ compensation system. However, workers’ compensation is not always the right choice for your case. Workers’ comp. plans often pay for medical expenses related to workplace injury, but may require you to use the doctor your employer chooses, and may need preapproval for procedures. They may also continue to pay your wages while you are out of work, but may only pay some fraction of your typical wages. In many cases, this medical care and compensation may fall below your needs and exclude certain damages you may otherwise be entitled to. Talk to an attorney about your options for filing a lawsuit, instead.
When you file a lawsuit for your injuries, you may be able to recover the full value of any expenses you made or costs you incurred because of the injury. That means that medical expenses, including emergency treatment, surgeries, rehabilitation, and other costs could be covered in a lawsuit. You may also be entitled to recover your full wages, if you had to miss work. If you are unable to return to work because of your injuries, you may also be able to recover future lost wages.
Workers’ compensation usually limits itself to reimbursing your medical costs and a fraction of your lost wages, meaning you may miss the opportunity to claim other damages. In a lawsuit, you may be entitled to more damages for things like pain and suffering. Texas law has no caps or limitations on these damages, and they could be one of the largest pieces of your damages in an injury case.
Lastly, you may be entitled to “punitive” or “exemplary” damages in a lawsuit. Though these damages are rare, the court uses them to punish or make an example of wrongdoers. If your employer grossly failed to follow protocols, your injury was part of a pattern of extreme negligence, or they intentionally allowed your injuries, the court may award you additional damages to punish your employer.
Offshore Oil Drilling Injury Attorneys
If you or a loved one was injured while working on an oil rig in or near Odessa, Texas, talk to an attorney today. The oil rig injury lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm, P.C., represent injury victims in Texas, and fight their court battles to help them recover compensation for injuries. For your free consultation, contact our law offices today at (817) 476-1797.