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If you work at an oil field, you face one of the highest potential risks of injury out of nearly any profession in the U.S. The Queenan Law Firm’s Dallas oil filed injury attorneys represent injured oil workers and their families and fight to get them compensation for injuries and workplace accidents. If you or a loved one works in oil drilling or oil extraction and was injured in a serious workplace accident, call our law offices today.
Our attorney can fight to take your case to court and get you the compensation you need. Damages for oil workers often include compensation for lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. To schedule a free, confidential consultation on your potential case, contact our law offices today at (817) 476-1797.
Common Accidents on Oil Fields
Many oil injuries occur as a result of your employer’s negligence. If your employer fails to keep equipment or tools in working order or fails to train employees, these errors can lead to serious injuries and accidents that your employer might ultimately be responsible for. Many of the most common oil rig accidents can lead to lawsuits in Texas, including the following:
Falling Injuries
If you fell from a ladder or equipment and fell a long distance, you may face serious injuries. Your employer should be responsible for training and supervising coworkers to spot you and may be required to provide you with safety equipment for climbing to high heights, such as ropes and safety harnesses. More mundane slip and fall or trip and fall cases might also be your employer’s fault if they failed to keep the premises you work on safe.
Oil Fires
If an oil fire breaks out, the entire field may need to be evacuated, and workers can suffer serious injuries. If poor training led to safety protocol violations or negligent maintenance and upkeep caused blowouts and other problems, your employer may be liable for the injuries the fire causes.
Amputations and Crushing Injuries
Many pieces of equipment used on an oil field put operators at risk for getting their arms or fingers caught and potentially amputated. If your employer failed to provide you with adequate safety gear or an overly tired or poorly trained coworker caused the injury, you may be entitled to sue for your injuries. Especially if the accident occurred because your employer failed to screen a coworker for drug use, and that employee caused your injuries, you could be entitled to substantial compensation.
Transportation Injuries
Transportation to and from the oil field, as well as transportation while on the field, is usually conducted by co-workers using equipment and vehicles owned by the oil company. Transportation accidents account for a surprising number of oil field injuries. If these vehicles are poorly maintained or the workers hired for transportation were poorly screened for a history of DUI, drug use, or dangerous driving, your employer’s negligent maintenance or negligent hiring may be the ultimate cause of your injuries.
Suing for Oil Worker Injuries in Dallas, Texas
If you were injured on an oil rig, your right to sue may be clouded by workers’ compensation rules. In Texas, employees are given the opportunity to accept or reject workers’ compensation coverage within 5 days of starting a job. If they accept workers’ comp., they typically give up their right to sue in many cases. If you want to keep your right to sue as a Texas oil worker, it is vital that you reject workers’ compensation coverage when you start your job and talk to an attorney immediately to ensure you protect your right to sue.
When you are covered by workers’ compensation, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit against third parties, such as the manufacturer of a defective product or a negligent coworker. You may also be entitled to sue if your employer caused you intentional harm. When you use workers’ comp., the damages you receive for lost wages and medical expenses are often reduced.
If you reject workers’ compensation, you may be entitled to sue for the full cost of any medical expenses or lost wages you suffer because of a workplace accident. This can help you get full coverage for the extensive medical expenses you might face, as well as wages you lose while recovering from your injuries. If your injury stops you from returning to work, or if you lost a loved one in an oil drilling accident, lost wage damages may help support your family on an ongoing basis.
If you were injured in an accident, pain and suffering damages may be the most substantial part of your case. This compensation is only available in a lawsuit and will not be paid through insurance or workers’ comp., so talk to a lawyer about filing a lawsuit for your injuries today.
Dallas Oil Worker Injury Attorney Offering Free Consultations
After suffering an on-the-job accident at an oil field in the Dallas area, or anywhere in Texas, it is vital that you speak with an attorney about your options for receiving the compensation you and your family need for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. To set up a free consultation on your case, contact the Dallas oil field injury attorneys at The Queenan Law Firm today. Our number is (817) 476-1797.