Houston Oil Rig Accident Lawyer

Oil rigs perform vital functions for modern society, but whether offshore or on land, these immense and complicated structures have many moving parts which can malfunction or facilitate a severe injury or death. When you were harmed by an oil rig accident, state law may entitle you to pursue legal damages to address your losses.

Many workers have chosen to work with a Houston oil rig accident lawyer at our firm. We provide personalized and unparalleled support and advocacy to those hurt by explosions, slips and falls, crashes, mechanical failures, and chemical spills involving oil machinery. Our experienced maritime injury attorneys are unafraid to go up against oil companies if it means helping our clients get their lives back.

What Causes Accidents Involving Oil Rigs?

Megastructures built to drill oil often have many components working together to complete their task. For example, offshore equipment often has multiple platforms, ladders, and other structures so workers can do their jobs on-site. But bad weather that produces thunder, lightning, high winds, and choppy seas can result in adverse events like explosions or slips and falls.

Mechanical failures might also lead to malfunctions that harm workers. Other causes of oil rig accidents involve a continuum of human error, from welding mistakes to miscommunication and a failure to follow safety procedures. Likewise, poor planning and careless decisions may be to blame, such as if management uses inferior and cheap materials instead of durable components that may cost a little more.

Oil rig accidents are sometimes responsible for a loss of life, something Houston attorneys are all too familiar with. A worker could die because of malfunctioning equipment or explosions. Workers who survive may carry lifelong scars or impairments because of the incident.

Filing a Lawsuit for an Accident Involving an Oil Rig

People injured while on or near an oil rig may be entitled to compensation under state, federal, and local laws. How they accomplish this depends on the specific type of claim they are making and where the incident occurred. For example, ordinary workers’ compensation may not cover offshore oil rig accidents, nor are all Texas employers required to carry this type of policy.

If the person is eligible to bring a workers’ compensation claim, they might not have to prove any fault on the part of the company they work for. But those bringing other types of lawsuits (such as a personal injury or product liability action) would have to establish that someone else caused the incident. In that case, those potentially at fault for the incident may be the worker’s employer or a third party, such as a contractor or manufacturer.

Because oil rig accident claims are often complex and fact-dependent, many people choose to work with an experienced Houston attorney. Work accidents lawyers use their extensive knowledge of the applicable laws to craft a legal strategy that maximizes their chance of prevailing. They could also attempt to negotiate a fair settlement, potentially reducing the time their client spends in court to get a financial award.

Call a Houston Attorney for Help After an Oil Rig Accident

If you lost a leg, suffered severe burns, or contracted a serious illness because of an oil rig accident, you have the option to bring a lawsuit against the person or business that caused the incident. Instead of handling this task yourself, consider working with an experienced lawyer.

Our legal team provides timely and compassionate advocacy to those hurt in harmful oilfield incidents on land or at sea. We understand the nuances of these cases and are prepared to put in the work to strive for a successful outcome. Contact a Houston oil rig accident lawyer today to set up an initial consultation.