Oilfield Accident Lawyers

What Compensation Can an Oilfield Injury Attorney Help You Secure?

What your oilfield injury claim may be worth depends on the type of injury sustained, the cause of the accident, your specific losses, and any pain and suffering you and your family experienced as a result of your injuries. Your outcome also depends on the quality of your legal representation — you need an attorney with proven skills in litigating oil and gas industry claims.

At Pierce Skrabanek, we can help you obtain compensation for:

• Medical costs like emergency transport, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, and follow-up appointments with specialists
• Lost wages for work missed, terminated employment, and the loss of job-related benefits like retirement funds and health insurance 
• Pain and suffering which may include the physical agony of your injuries, as well as the mental and emotional toll of conditions like PTSD, depression, and anxiety
• Punitive damages may be available if your employer’s negligence was particularly reckless or brazen — these are “punishment” fees a judge or jury may charge to teach a lesson
• Wrongful death expenses for surviving family members, funds which may cover funeral costs, loss of income, and the emotional loss of a person’s unique companionship

Some of the compensation we work to obtain for you may include temporary or permanent disability coverage, property damage, and other forms of losses such as the disruption of marriage health (consortium). 

The oilfield attorneys at Pierce Skrabanek understand the financial, emotional, and physical stress that a severe accident can cause. We will fight hard to obtain the maximum recovery for you, and we will do this work with no upfront cost. We only collect a fee if we win compensation for you first. Contact us at (832) 690-7000 for a no-risk, no-obligation, fully confidential consultation.

What Are the 5 Most Common Injuries Handled by Oilfield Accident Lawyers? 

The five most common oilfield injuries our law firm handles are:

1. Head and orthopedic injuries: Skull, brain, neck, and spine injuries are some of the most grievous a person can experience, and require significant expense to treat. Those expenses are for your employer or their insurance to cover; the burden does not belong to you or your family.
2. Burns: Oil and gas are mined for their combustible qualities, which means the risk of fires and explosions is high and should be guarded against by employers. Every burn or blast suffered is an injury that should have been prevented.
3. Amputations and lacerations: The equipment used to drill for oil is often comprised of heavy moving parts that can quickly and mercilessly maim workers. All preventative measures should be in place to minimize direct human contact with these dangerous mechanisms. 
4. Poisonings: Oil and gas can cause toxic exposure by leaking into the soil, water, or air. Coming into close contact with these substances can lead to poisonings or compromise a worker’s decision-making abilities while on the job.
5. Ear and eye damage: Chemicals, fire, explosions, and the noise of industrial machines all pose a risk to the vision and hearing of workers in oilfields. Goggles and ear plugs should be in functioning shape and provided as a normal part of protective gear along with helmets, gloves, and steel-toed boots.

Slip and fall injuries are common in oilfield and offshore oil rig jobs. Transport and machinery malfunctions, fire and pipeline blowouts, and leaks or spills of toxic materials are an ever-present danger. These known hazards should be accounted for in building out a safe work environment. A failure to maintain safety could be considered negligent under the law.

A failure to provide and maintain safety could mean the company you work for is liable for your injury costs. Contact Pierce Skrabanek at (832) 690-7000 to discuss your options for holding them accountable.

Oil and Gas Injury Statistics

According to the Journal of Petroleum Technology (JPT), this is the recent data regarding injuries and fatalities in the fuel extraction, oil, and gas industries: 

• There has been an increase in both fatalities (up 36%) and injuries (up 10%) in post-pandemic years since 2020.
• These increases may be associated with a corresponding 5% increase in work hours reported.
• For fatalities, the activity which caused the most deaths was listed as “Transport—Land” (35%).
• Other fatal injuries were caused by incidents under the category of  “Maintenance, Inspection, Testing” (25%)
• Of the injuries that resulted in at least one lost workday, 20% were categorized as “slips and trips (at same height)” and 18% attributed to “struck by (not dropped object).” 

Your attorney can use data like this to solidify your case and attribute liability for your injuries to the proper parties. Oilfield accident injuries often require extensive medical care, surgeries, and physical therapy that can ruin finances and inhibit your ability to recover. 

Having the right attorney at your side through this process can make a major difference in your quality of life going forward as you begin the healing process.

The state of Texas, where Pierce Skrabanek is headquartered, leads the nation in oil and gas extraction fatalities according to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). With over 400 active rotary drilling rigs in the state, Texas workers suffer over 70% of national oil industry deaths.