Oil field accidents are catastrophic events that can entirely upend the lives of the people affected. They can cause life-threatening injuries, overwhelming medical bills, and emotional stress and strain in their wake.
If you’ve been hurt in an oil field accident, quality legal representation is available to you. You don’t have to fight this battle alone.
If you’ve been hurt in a Texas oil field accident, the knowledgeable and skilled attorneys of Tate Law Offices, P.C., are ready to fight for the full compensation you’re owed. We can help you seek the workers’ compensation benefits and any third-party injury compensation that you need to protect your health and livelihood.
Give us a call today for a free, no-obligation case review.
Types of Accidents in Texas Oil Fields
Oil fields are dangerous workplaces, with workers forced to use and work near heavy machinery, complex equipment, and corrosive chemicals. Explosions and fires are a common threat to the safety of those working on the job site.
Some of the most common oil field accidents in Texas include:
- Well blowouts – Wells have control mechanisms to prevent blowouts, but there are many reasons why these can fail. Control mechanisms could be designed or manufactured poorly, but they can also fail from mistakes on the part of an installer or a worker.
- Equipment failure – Oil field workers many specialized tools and equipment. Unfortunately, even with proper training and supervision, accidents can and do happen. Equipment failure is often the result of manufacturing defects or user error.
- Explosions – Explosions can be sudden and catastrophic. They can result from well blowouts, loose wires sparking, and static electricity among other causes. Explosions often result in fires that can pose serious health hazards due to the impact of the blast, heat from the fires, and the resulting smoke that is produced.
- Toxicity exposure – Workers can be exposed to a number of dangerous substances, including hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide gas, on Texas oil fields. Working with storage tanks is particularly hazardous for exposure as workers have to take great care in opening hatches.
- Truck accidents – Heavy trucks move through Texas oil fields on a daily basis as they transport workers and supplies. Collisions can happen at any moment that trucks enter or exit sites when drivers don’t pay close enough attention to their surroundings.
Texas Oil Field Accident Statistics
The oil and gas industry leads the nation in severe injuries. Each year, roughly 4,000 workers are injured in oil fields across the country.
The oil and gas industry is steadily booming in the state of Texas, employing over 325,000 people. However, Texas is a leading state in oil field accidents, even when safety measures are in place.
In Texas, roughly 45 workers are killed in oil field accidents each year. According to the National Safety Council, 41 percent of all falling accidents in oil fields occurred in Texas, even though fall protection was required in 86% of cases.
Texas’ oil field death numbers peaked at 65 in 2012. That year, 79 people lost limbs, 92 were burned, 82 were crushed, and 675 suffered broken bones in oil work accidents reported to insurance companies.
Common Injuries in Texas Oil Field Accidents
Oil field accident injuries tend to be serious in nature and can require extensive medical care and rehabilitation. Examples of common oil field injuries in Texas include:
- Traumatic brain injuries – Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can result in lifelong complications such as impaired cognitive function, body and movement issues, and emotional problems
- Broken bones – Broken bones can happen in any part of the body that gets crushed by machinery, or in falls. They can require expensive surgeries and prolonged use of medical equipment.
- Neck and back injuries – Injuries of the neck and back (and particularly the spine and spinal cord) could result in nerve damage, broken vertebrae, whiplash, and even paralysis.
- Crushed or severed limbs – Severed limbs are completely life-altering and require extensive surgery and physical rehabilitation. In addition, crushed limbs can end up with nerve damage that results in temporary or permanent loss of function.
- Burns – First, second, and third-degree burns are all possibilities of contact with hot equipment or fire. Any level of burn can result in painful blistering and scarring.
Medical bills for this nature of injury can place extreme financial pressure on those affected. If you have sustained any of these or other catastrophic injuries on an oil field job, you may have the right to pursue justice and compensation.
Compensation Available for Injured Oil Field Workers in Texas
An experienced attorney can help you determine what types of compensation you may be eligible for in your oil field accident case.
Common types of oil field accident compensation include:
- Medical bills – Medical bill compensation can cover all current and future medical costs associated with your accident such as hospital bills, medication costs, and rehabilitation expenses.
- Lost wages – Lost wage compensation can cover any earnings you lose from time spent off of work after the accident.
- Permanent disability – Permanent disability compensation can cover expenses you can no longer afford because of a permanent injury that inhibits your earning potential.
- Pain and suffering – Pain and suffering compensation can be awarded as a general amount to account for any physical, mental, and emotional anguish you face after your accident.
The types and amount of compensation you’re entitled to will depend on the severity of your injuries and the impact they have had and will have on your life. Be sure to reach out to an experienced attorney to discuss the specifics of your situation.
Contact Tate Law Offices, P.C., for Help Today
At Tate Law Offices, P.C., we believe oil field injury victims deserve fair compensation for their suffering. We have what it takes to deliver for you. We are a top Texas choice for oil field injury victim representation. We don’t charge our clients a penny for our services unless we win their cases.
Contact us today for a free consultation. We are ready to speak with you now.
