The southern portion of Texas is home to many businesses within the oil and gas industry. The Eagle Ford Shale area spans about 26 counties in southern and southeastern Texas, and as the industry expands, accidents and injuries are becoming more common. If you were injured by an oil truck on the highway or some other oil industry-related accident, call a lawyer immediately.
As the industry has expanded in the region, highway accidents involving oil tanker trucks are becoming increasingly frequent. You might be hurt working in one of the various oil fields throughout the region or exposed to hazardous or toxic materials. Oil fields, wells, and other areas where workers might be injured are scattered throughout the region, and we need to know where your specific accident occurred to help us determine who should be held responsible. Once we know who is to blame, we can assess your damages, including the economic costs of the accident and non-economic injuries like pain and suffering.
Call The Queenan Law Firm at (817) 476-1797 and ask our attorneys for injured Eagle Ford Shale workers for a free case review.
How Eagle Ford Shale Workers Might Get Hurt in South Texas
The Eagle Ford Shale area of Texas spans about 26 counties in south Texas. There are numerous oil fields, oil wells, and other facilities where workers are involved with extracting and processing oil and gas. Considering how the oil and gas industry has proliferated in this area of Texas, it is no surprise that numerous accidents and injuries within the industry.
Truck Accidents
Oil fields and wells are scattered across south Texas, and large oil trucks are often on the road driving between these locations. The movement of oil is often necessary for the overall processing, and oil trucks are a common sight on the highways around Texas. Unfortunately, with so many oil trucks on the road, accidents have become more and more frequent.
While accidents involving large trucks are already dangerous due to the sheer size and weight of these vehicles, oil trucks pose an especially deadly threat. Oil is highly flammable, and the oil contained in oil trucks may combust in an accident. Many accident victims are badly hurt in the crash. Some are severely burned. Others do not survive.
Oil Field Injuries
You might instead be injured if you work in an oil field. Oil fields are often full of large, complex machinery needed to extract and process crude oil. This is dangerous work, and employers must make sure that equipment, tools, machinery, and safety gear are all in working order. If you are hurt in an accident, our lawyers for injured Eagle Ford Shale workers can help you get compensation from your employer and possibly others. Be sure to document the accident scene, if possible, as any evidence we can get might help your case.
Exposure to Hazardous Materials
As the number of oil wells and fields throughout the Eagle Ford Shale area continues to grow, more people are being injured by exposure to hazardous materials. Many victims are Eagle Ford Shale workers employed in oil fields or elsewhere within the oil and gas industry. You might be exposed to toxic material that makes you incredibly sick. Toxic gases might cause serious lung damage. Even touching certain kinds of hazardous material might cause severe injuries. If you were injured this way, contact a lawyer immediately.
The Eagle Ford Shale Area and Well Locations in South Texas
There are about 26 counties in the Eagle Ford Shale area. Most oil wells are located toward the southern region of the Eagle Ford Shale area, but locations extend all the way to east Texas. The area is very large, and accidents within the oil industry impact numerous towns and cities. While many accidents happen to workers, people who have nothing to do with oil wells or fields might get hurt on the road when oil is transported on large trucks.
Within the Eagle Ford Shale area are counties down by southern Texas near the Mexican border, including Maverick, Webb, and Dimmit counties. A bit further up near San Antonio are Atascosa and Wilson counties, where there are additional oil wells. Around Austin are Bastrop, Lee, and Milam counties, also with numerous oil wells. These are only a few counties within the Eagle Ford Shale area that represent numerous oil wells.
Various highways connect the counties, towns, and cities around these oil wells. As such, oil trucks often travel between oil well locations on these highways to transport oil. For example, route 35, a state highway, runs from Laredo, TX up towards San Antonio and sees many oil trucks going between wells and fields in the area. Similarly, interstate highway I-10 runs from San Antonio toward Houston, and also sees its fair share of traffic from oil trucks. These and other major highways are like the veins connecting oil wells, and accidents and injuries are not uncommon. If you are hurt in an accident with an oil truck, call for emergency help and talk to a lawyer about how to get fair compensation.
Damages Available to Injured Eagle Ford Shale Workers in South Texas
Damages that injured Eagle Ford Shale workers might claim include the economic costs of their accident and injuries in addition to non-economic damages. The extent of these damages will depend on your specific situation, but they are sometimes known to be quite significant. The more severe our injuries are, the higher your damages might be.
Economic damages include the monetary costs of the accident. First, you likely needed emergency medical attention, especially in cases involving severe injuries from truck accidents or heavy machinery. Many injured workers need extensive care. Some need long-term care that is ongoing long after their civil case for damages is completed. We can help you claim the cost of your current hospital bills in addition to reasonably expected future medical costs for your injuries.
If your injuries prevent you from returning to work, we can help you claim the value of your lost income. You might be so badly injured that a leave of absence from your job is necessary for your recovery. Some people are so badly hurt that they can never return to work. In these cases, economic damages may be very high.
Non-economic injuries often do not cost money but may still deserve fair financial compensation. Your deep emotional and psychological trauma from the accident and your injuries might be severe. Scarring and disfigurement might be extremely painful and difficult to cope with. You might be mourning the loss of your job and once-promising career. Speak to your lawyer about these painful experiences and they can help you assess your damages.
Speak to Our Attorneys for Injured Eagle Ford Shale Workers in South Texas
Call The Queenan Law Firm at (817) 476-1797 and ask our attorneys for injured Eagle Ford Shale workers for a free case review.