Houston Oil Rig Accident Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in an oil rig accident off the coast of Houston, Texas, don’t hesitate to call Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers. Our Houston oil rig accident lawyers are here to help you get the money you need to get better and move forward with your life. Contact us at 713-500 5000.
Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers is a trusted advocate for injured oil workers and families in Houston and throughout the state of Texas. Our team of award-winning trial attorneys has over 45 years of collective experience and an unrivaled ability to take on tough cases and win big results.
We’ve helped clients recover tens of millions of dollars in monetary awards from oil companies, employers, insurance providers, and other tough adversaries. Now, we’re here to make a difference in your life, too. Call our law office in Houston, TX, to set a time for a free case evaluation with a Houston oil rig accident attorney.
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How Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After an Accident on an Oil Rig in Houston, TX
What caused your oil rig accident? Who’s at fault? How do you recover compensation? What if you’re blamed for the accident on the rig? How much is your oil rig accident case worth?
It’s normal to have a lot of questions after you’re injured on an oil rig in Houston, TX. However, you shouldn’t have to struggle to find the answers on your own – especially when you’ll be taking on a powerful employer, oil company, or insurance provider.
That’s where our personal Injury lawyer in Houston, TX can help.
At Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers, we’re recognized for excellence in personal injury litigation by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, The National Trial Lawyers, Expertise.com, Avvo, and the Multi-Million Dollars Advocate Forum. As award-winning trial attorneys, we’re known for taking on powerful corporations and giving our clients every opportunity to get the justice they deserve after life-changing accidents.
Expect nothing less when you ask for our help after an oil rig accident in Houston.
We will:
- Launch an independent investigation into your oil rig accident
- Gather important pieces of evidence that will help us build a strong legal claim for damages
- Hire experts in the oil extraction industry and other specialties to weigh in as we build your case
- Determine all of your potential legal options for pursuing compensation
- Interview eyewitnesses and depose parties to your case
- Seek a substantial settlement offer during negotiations with your employer, the insurance company, and other parties
- Reject lowball offers and take your oil rig accident case to a Houston, TX, jury, if necessary
Don’t settle for less than you deserve. Make the most of your oil rig accident case by trusting Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers to fight for you.
We represent injured oil rig workers in Texas on a contingency fee basis. Pay absolutely nothing unless we win compensation for you.
Call our Houston law office to get started. There is no charge for your first case evaluation with our Houston oil rig accident attorneys.
How Common Are Oil Rig Accidents?
Every year, hundreds of people are injured in offshore oil rig accidents. According to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), 164 offshore injuries were reported in 2021. The following year, offshore injuries rose by 21.3 percent when 199 workers were injured on offshore rigs.
Oil rig accidents can also be fatal. In fact, offshore oil rig workers are seven times more likely to die in a work-related accident than workers in other industries.
What Causes Most Oil Rig Accidents?
The oil and gas extraction industry is subject to strict federal safety regulations. Despite this, oil companies are known for prioritizing profits over workplace safety and ignoring important safety protocols.
Cutting corners puts oil rig workers squarely in harm’s way.
Some of the most common causes of oil rig accidents, injuries, and deaths include:
- Toxic exposure
- Fires and explosions
- Inadequate training
- Negligent hiring
- Blowouts
- Failing to provide workers with appropriate safety equipment
- Transportation accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Corroded pipes and valves
- Damaged cables and tongs
- Defective equipment
- Negligent equipment maintenance
- Improper storage of flammable materials
- Inadequate pressure control systems
Most of these factors are within an oil company’s control. Failing to provide a safe work environment for oil rig workers is negligent. When an accident results, the oil company (and other parties) can potentially be liable for a worker’s injuries or wrongful death.
Oil Rig Accidents Can Cause Serious Injuries
No matter what type of oil rig accident happens, workers can suffer serious, debilitating, catastrophic injuries.
At Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent oil rig workers and families who’ve suffered:
- Amputation
- Burn injuries
- Nerve damage
- Degloving injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Back injuries
- Thoracic injuries
- Paralysis injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Neck injuries
- Concussion injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Chest injuries
- Eye injuries
- Wrongful death
Once you’ve made it to shore, seek prompt medical care at the closest hospital to you in Houston. Then, call Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers to discuss your situation and discover how our top-rated oil rig accident attorneys can help you fight for a substantial monetary award.
How Can I Recover Compensation After an Oil Rig Accident in Houston, Texas?
Oil rig workers may be protected by Texas state law and/or federal maritime law. As a result, you may have multiple options for recovering compensation after an accident on an oil rig off the coast of Houston.
File a Claim Under the Jones Act
The Jones Act, or the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, helps injured seamen recover compensation when they’re injured on navigable vessels. While oil rigs are typically not classified as navigable vessels, there are some times when oil workers may qualify to seek maintenance and cure for their medical expenses and lost wages under the Jones Act.
Seek Benefits Under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
The Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act (LHWCA) provides benefits for traditional maritime workers who don’t qualify for benefits under the Jones Act – including shipbuilders and harbor workers. The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act extends LHWCA eligibility to anyone who is injured or killed while working on a fixed structure within three miles of the United States’ coastline – like oil rigs.
This allows oil rig workers to get LHWCA benefits for:
- Current and future lost wages
- Medical expenses
- Vocational rehabilitation
Families may also qualify for death benefits if an oil rig worker is killed on the job or dies because of an occupational illness or disease.
File a Claim For Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Employers aren’t required to carry workers’ compensation benefits in the state of Texas. However, some oil companies choose to opt into a workers’ compensation insurance system to protect employees and limit liability when there’s an accident on an oil rig.
Workers’ compensation can be a lifeline to an injured oil rig worker by providing benefits for medical treatment, temporary disability, permanent disability, and death.
Seek Damages in an Oil Rig Accident Lawsuit
If workers’ compensation doesn’t cover your employer or if another party is responsible for your oil rig accident, you can potentially seek damages through a civil personal injury lawsuit in Texas state court.
Personal injury lawsuits give you the opportunity to seek economic damages and non-economic damages for:
- Current and future medical bills
- Lost wages and disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Funeral expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disfigurement
- Embarrassment
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
Punitive damages can also potentially be awarded if an oil rig lawsuit makes it to a jury in Harris County. In these situations, an oil company or manufacturer can be ordered to pay punitive damages if there’s compelling evidence of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
How Long Do I Have to Pursue Compensation After an Oil Rig Accident in Texas?
It depends on what type of legal claim you file after your oil rig accident in Houston.
State and federal laws have different time limits for seeking damages, including the following:
- Jones Act: three years
- Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act: three years
- Texas Workers’ Compensation: one year
- Personal Injury Lawsuit: two years
You must file your legal claim before the applicable statute of limitations runs out. Once time expires, you forfeit the right to seek much-needed compensation for any injuries, costs, or suffering related to your Texas oil rig accident.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Houston Oil Rig Accident Lawyer
Focus on getting better. Leave your oil rig accident claim to the award-winning legal team at Attorney Brian White Personal Injury Lawyers.
Our Houston oil rig accident lawyers have over 45 years of experience handling complex legal disputes. As recognized leaders in personal injury law, we’ve helped injured workers and families win millions from oil companies, insurance providers, manufacturers, and government agencies.
Now, we’re here to help you make the most of your fight for compensation after an oil rig accident in Houston, too.
Call our Houston, TX, law office to get started. Your first consultation is free.