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Oil field workers face a risk of injury no matter their role. Roughnecks, derrick hands, drillers, and even transportation workers could be hurt due to negligence on an oil field. If you are harmed, you could be left with injuries that make it hard to pay for your medical bills and support your family while you are physically and emotionally recovering.
Many oil workers can sue their employers and other negligent parties for their injuries. Our lawyers can help you by gathering evidence, putting together complaints, filing important court documents, negotiating for compensation, and arguing your case before a judge and jury. We can also carefully monitor your damages, like growing hospital expenses and detrimental lost wages, so that we know your deserved recovery and the value of your claim.
The Queenan Law Firm can review your case for free today when you call our oil field injury lawyers at (817) 476-1797.
Examples of Oil Injury Accidents You Can Sue for in Arlington, TX
Many accidents on oil fields leave victims with serious injuries and damages that they need compensation for. In many of these cases, the injury victim can sue the parties responsible for their injuries. These include injuries from drilling accidents, blowouts, fires, explosions, transportation accidents, falls, and even toxic exposure.
Drilling Injuries
Workers who operate the drill, clear mud, and ensure the drill is in working order are all at risk of injury at an oil field. The massive torque, power, and strength of the machinery used to drill can easily cause serious injuries to people near the drill. This is especially true if the drill malfunctions or hits material it cannot break through, leading to catastrophic equipment failure. Failure to heed all safety protocols while drilling could also lead to accidents and devastating injuries for victims, such as crushing injuries or amputation.
Pumping Injuries and Blowouts
Oil pumps are under high pressure, and the equipment needs to be in working order to prevent injuries. Broken seals, misaligned joints, and operator mistakes can lead to serious injuries, especially in the presence of sparks. Blowouts could cause traumatic brain injuries, burn injuries, permanent disfigurement, lung damage from smoke inhalation, and fractures. After an accident, our oil field injury lawyers can determine whether these injuries can be blamed on an employer or an equipment manufacturer.
Fires and Explosions
Oil fires and explosions are incredibly dangerous. Not only are fires hard to stop if they start near the well itself, but workers are also covered in oil and could be seriously injured if anything near them sets fire. Tool sparks are usually caused by mistakes and safety training deficiencies, meaning that someone is likely responsible for these accidents.
Extreme burn injuries could cover large portions of victims’ bodies, causing permanent scarring and disfigurement. Oil field workers who suffer burn injuries may require skin grafts and other intense treatments that are not only expensive but emotionally draining, entitling them to non-economic damages from lawsuits.
Transportation Accidents
A surprising number of injuries happen because of transportation accidents at a drilling site. If workers park their cars and are driven across the field to the drill site, the drivers that ferry them around the site need to be ready to react to uneven terrain. They must also be alert and ready to drive even after long shifts or during late work hours. Vehicles must also be in proper working order to keep workers safe.
Arlington is also a residential area, meaning oil trucks and other vehicles used in gas production may share the road with passenger cars. Collisions between large oil trucks and smaller passenger cars may be catastrophic and possibly fatal for victims.
Falls
Accidents also happen on oil fields that might not directly result from the oil drilling process. Dangerous areas without railings or safe places to walk can easily lead to trip and fall accidents. Workers could also fall from machinery, vehicles, or other high places. Falling accidents could cause traumatic brain injuries or paralyzing spinal cord injuries. Workers who suffer such harm on oil fields may need to see specialists to aid their physical recoveries, and we can monitor these costs on their behalves and seek compensation for them in their claims.
Toxic Exposure Injuries
Oil extraction often leads to exposure to benzene and other dangerous chemicals. Inhaling many of these chemicals can be dangerous in high concentrations, and inhaling materials like silica can cause acute or long-term injury. If you are not given proper respirators and other safety gear, inhaling these chemicals could be seriously dangerous for your health. Exposure to silica, the oil itself, and other materials can also irritate your eyes or skin, potentially causing injuries. Toxic exposure could cause cancer, brain disorders, blood disorders, and many other issues for victims, entitling them to compensation for their various damages.
Oil Field Accident and Injury Statistics for Arlington, TX
Arlington is located in the Barnett Shale oil region and formation, which is one of the most common areas for gas production activity in Texas. While accidents due to equipment failure and negligence at the site are common, so are injuries to non-workers since Arlington is a well-populated residential area.
For example, as the Texas Department of Transportation notes, with oil fields and gas production comes increased vehicle activity in the area. Large trucks may be more prevalent in these areas of Arlington, contributing to more accidents. In the Barnett Shale region alone, there were 20,674 traffic crashes in 2023, 271 of which were fatal, and 1,011 caused serious injuries.
According to the Texas Department of Insurance, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction saw a 0.7 injury rate among workers in 2023. All natural resources and mining operations in Texas resulted in 61 fatalities in 2022.
Though there are countless safety regulations that oil fields and gas producers in the Barnett Shale region must follow, largely due to their proximity to residential areas of Arlington and for the protection of their workers, incidents might still occur, causing substantial harm to victims. When this happens, enlisting attorneys experienced in handling oil field accidents and injuries is important. We can help victims navigate filing lawsuits against their employers or third parties for negligence and ensure their recoveries match their losses from an injury.
Suing for Compensation After an Oil Field Injury in Arlington, TX
Oil workers in Arlington and throughout Texas can often sue for compensation after suffering occupational injuries. Though Workers’ Compensation rules often prevent workers from suing their employers, Texas allows workers to opt out of the system and does not require coverage for any employer, even those operating in dangerous industries like oil drilling and gas production.
When you sue for injuries, you need to prove that the defendant in your case did something wrong that caused the accident. Employers can often be held liable for unsafe working conditions, especially when Occupational Safety and Health Administration violations and other safety oversights cause accidents. Employers must properly train employees in a language they can understand, provide them with the appropriate safety gear, and ensure proper steps are taken to keep machinery and work sites safe. Failing to do so could put an employer at fault for a worker’s injuries, opening them to liability in a lawsuit.
Injured oil field workers may also be able to sue third parties, such as a negligent equipment manufacturer. Many injuries are caused by defective safety gear, heavy machinery, and other equipment. This might not be your employer’s fault, but it is potentially the manufacturer’s fault for producing equipment that does not work properly. After reviewing the available evidence in your case, including witness statements, incident reports, and photos, our oil field injury lawyers can identify the right parties to sue and file your case for you.
Texas’ statute of limitations for injuries due to negligence on oil fields is two years. Not bringing your case before this deadline could block you from getting compensation. We can help avoid this by confirming your filing deadline and proceeding accordingly, most likely filing your lawsuit well before the statute of limitations ends for a faster recovery.
Recoverable Damages from Oil Field Injury Claims in Arlington, TX
Damages are often unique to the situation at hand, but most injury victims sue for medical bills, missed wages, and pain and suffering after an injury on an oil field. You may also be able to claim damages for any other economic harms you face, such as the cost of installing wheelchair ramps in your house or additional medical expenses for rehab and physical therapy, and we can provide proof of these damages in your lawsuit.
Medical Damages
Because oil field accidents and injuries are often catastrophic, victims’ medical bills are also typically very expensive. We can start itemizing and calculating your damages from treatment immediately and keep a running tally of your treatment costs as you continue to incur them. Many victims continue to need follow-up visits or care from specialists for months or years after accidents, and we can factor anticipated costs into damages calculations as well.
Missed Wages
Often, workers hurt on oil fields cannot return to the same position after incidents. We will use income statements and paystubs to calculate your lost wages since the accident and get medical experts to testify about your reduced earning ability if necessary.
Pain and Suffering
Oil field accidents are not only physically traumatic for victims but also extremely emotionally distressing. When quantifying pain and suffering, our lawyers may enlist mental health professionals to evaluate victims and offer statements regarding their emotional distress and possible diagnoses of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Furthermore, suppose our lawyers find evidence that gross negligence caused your injuries. In that case, we may seek punitive damages in your lawsuit, which the court may award in addition to compensable damages to punish the defendant.
Call Our Arlington Oil Field Injury Attorneys Today
Call The Queenan Law Firm’s oil field injury lawyers at (817) 476-1797 for help with your case today.