Manual labor can be dangerous and sometimes even deadly. In Texas, oil and gas drilling is life. It is one of the more common and most compensated jobs that someone can do. With that high paying job come risks. Oil field work injuries are more prone to occur. Accidents are common and sometimes those accidents turn into disasters. We all remember the BP offshore catastrophe in 2010. So how common are workplace accidents at oil and gas drilling sites? What is done to prevent this? And what do you do if you or a loved one is involved in a workplace accident?
Common Causes of Workplace Injuries
First, we will tackle what causes the injuries to employees at a worksite. Because people are working with heavy machinery and highly explosive chemicals and gases, employers attempt to implement extensive training to minimize these accidents. But most of the time, injuries happen due to the negligent actions or mistakes made by other people at the job site. While it is almost impossible to prevent all accidents, the ones you can try to stop are the careless and/or reckless actions by employers and other co-workers. According to an article by Fuelfix, 80% of offshore accidents are preventable as they occur due to human error. “Four of every five major offshore accidents are caused by human errors, highlighting the need to make safety the backbone of any offshore company’s corporate culture, an Anadarko Petroleum executive said Monday.
“You can’t fix stupid,” said Jim Raney, director of engineering and technology at Anadarko. “What’s the answer? A culture of safety. It has to be through leadership and supported through procedures — a safety management system.”
What You Should Do If You Are Injured On The Job?
If you are hurt at work, what should you do? The answer depends on several factors but the first thing you must do is report the accident to your supervisor. You want to make sure the event is well documented. This may be difficult sometimes as some employees do not want to be seen as “complaining”. However, if you are seriously hurt, reporting the event is the only way that any help will be offered to you.
Sometimes your accident may not be caused by your employer but instead by a third party. For instance, perhaps you are hurt by another company while you’re working. While you would still file a claim with your employer, your rights may be different. The laws vary with what you can do whether it just be a workers compensation issue or if a third party is at fault.
CONTACT HERRMAN & HERRMAN IF YOU HAVE BEEN INJURED IN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF ACCIDENTS:
We can help you if you have been harmed by the following:
- Car accidents – Our lawyers have extensive experience handling car accident cases. We will work to identify the party or parties at fault for the crash and build a case to demonstrate persuasively how the parties caused the accident and your injuries. We will seek fair and full compensation through a negotiated settlement or at trial if necessary.
- Truck accidents – Thousands of large commercial trucks travel the roads of Texas every single day. Unfortunately, careless truck drivers and trucking companies disregarding safety put innocent people at risk of serious injuries. If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, let our experienced Texas personal injury lawyers stand up to the trucking companies and insurers on your behalf.
- Motorcycle accidents – Motorcycle riders often suffer grievous injuries in crashes caused by other motorists. Too many motorcycle accidents in Corpus Christi are caused by careless drivers who don’t look for motorcycle riders or violate their right of way. Our personal injury lawyers will work to cut through the bias and stigma against motorcycle riders. Our goal is to seek the financial compensation that you’ll need to recover from a serious motorcycle accident and injuries such as bone fractures, road rash, or traumatic brain injury.
- Product liability – Product manufacturers have a legal obligation to make products that are safe for their intended uses and to warn consumers of any risks that may come with the product. When products have design or manufacturing defects or undisclosed dangers, the product manufacturer may be legally responsible for injuries suffered by consumers. Our attorneys can help you evaluate whether you have a valid product liability claim.
- Brain injury – Brain injuries can leave accident victims with disabilities that leave them unable to work or perform many tasks of daily living. Seeking compensation for a brain injury in an accident often proves incredibly complex. The brain injury survivor may seek compensation for anticipated future medical care and the medical care already provided. Our personal injury lawyers can help you through the difficult recovery process following a brain injury and will fight to make sure you have the resources you need.
- Spinal injury – Spinal cord injuries could cost millions of dollars of care over the course of the victim’s lifetime, especially when those injuries result in partial or complete paralysis, such as paraplegia or quadriplegia. If you or your loved one has suffered a spinal cord injury, you deserve compassionate legal representation. Our attorney can help you determine whether you may be entitled to claim compensation for your injury and expenses related to living with the disability, such as making a home more accessible.
- Wrongful death – If you have lost a loved one due to the negligent or reckless actions of another party, your family deserves to seek accountability and compensation from those at fault for the wrongful death. Our caring and dedicated attorneys can help guide you and your family through this difficult and painful time and seek justice for your loved one.
