Oilfield Work and Danger

The oil and gas drilling, production, and refining industry takes place on a number of diverse and dangerous work environments. In San Antonio, oilfield work and danger make up a significant amount of worksite injuries that take place daily. Oil and gas drilling can occur in a variety of locations, but the two most common are in a field with a pump jack or on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. In the case of an oilrig, production can in some cases happen onsite, but most production facilities are far removed from the drilling sites, located instead in the factory or warehouse district of a metropolitan area. Refineries can also be located just about anywhere, but most are built relatively close to a production facility. However, just because some of these sites are less visible than others does not mean that they pose less of a risk for oil and gas accidents.

Various aspects of the industry such as drilling exploration, well completion, field operations, transportation, storage, and refining operations are among the most dangerous workplaces in the world. Every year, thousands of oilfield accidents result in injuries. Often the injuries sustained are very serious, sometimes to the point of being life changing. Due to the increasing popularity of this type of employment, our attorneys have become expert at determining the factors that contributed to the accident, who is primarily responsible for preventing those conditions, and the areas of San Antonio law that apply to the situation. Oilfield work and danger is as serious as it is legally complex, which is why you should contact a lawyer at Carabin Shaw as soon as you or someone you know has been in a work-related accident.

Most workers who are injured in an oilfield/oil rig accident are entitled to collect workers' compensation for lost wages and medical expenses. In San Antonio, a standard workers' compensation insurance package also includes a provision for increased support in situations where the extent of the damage sustained by the employee will severely impact the employee's ability to return to work in a reasonable time frame. As you may have guessed, this is not often spelled out in detail when you sign up, but our workers' compensation attorneys have looked at enough of these policies to know how to read between the lines to the fine print details. We have also successfully argued for a broader definition of severe injuries and reasonable time frame to the benefit of our clients.

In many cases, workers who have suffered from oilfield work and danger are also entitled to compensation through a personal injury claim against third parties. Often there are third parties who may have contributed to the accident, such as an independent contractor (logging companies, fracking companies, rig movers, wire line operators) or equipment manufacturer. Though one of these third parties may not appear to be involved in the immediate aftermath of an accident, our lawyers have found that in more San Antonio area cases than not, they played some contributing role in creating the conditions that led to a worksite hazard. If you have suffered a serious injury due to the negligence of a third-party, or even if you are unsure of any third party involvement, you may be entitled to compensation from them for your lost income, medical costs, and pain and suffering.

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an oilfield related accident, it is strongly urged that you speak with our San Antonio oilfield aaccident attorneys as soon as possible. Our knowledgeable and experienced lawyers will be able to discuss your legal options in an easy to understand manner.