Oil workers often spend long periods of time away from their family as they work to support their spouses and children. Losing a loved one to an accident on an oil rig can be traumatic, completely disrupting your family and your financial security.
If you lost a loved one to an accident on an oil rig in the Galveston area, talk to an attorney today. Our lawyers represent the families of both oil workers for land rigs and offshore oil rigs. To discuss your potential case and the claim you might be entitled to file, contact the Galveston oil rig wrongful death lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm today. Our number is (817) 476-1797.
Filing a Claim for the Death of a Loved One in an Oil Rig Accident
If your spouse, child, or parent was killed in an oil rig accident, you should speak with a lawyer about filing a claim for their wrongful death. In Texas, spouses, children, and parents can file a lawsuit to collect compensation against the at-fault party or parties under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Sec. 71.002.
These cases can be filed for any death caused by “[a] wrongful act, neglect, carelessness, unskillfulness, or default,” with “default” referring to the fact that there is no response to the claim.
This lawsuit is typically filed by the parents, spouse, or children of the deceased, but the estate administrator (or “executor”) can file the action instead. Regardless of who files the action, the parents, spouse, and children are entitled to benefit from the lawsuit, meaning that they receive whatever damages are paid. These damages are decided for each person, meaning some of these individuals might suffer different levels of harm, which is reflected by higher damages often paid to a dependent child or a spouse.
In some cases, these cases are governed by workers’ compensation instead. If your family member died at work, Texas workers’ comp. might cover the accident instead of a lawsuit. However, if your loved one was killed on an offshore oil rig, you are likely able to file a lawsuit for wrongful death under maritime law.
Damages for Deadly Workplace Accidents on an Oil Rig
If your family member was killed, you can usually collect a few general areas of damages. First, you should be entitled to claim any damages your loved one would have faced had they survived the accident. Second, you can receive direct damages for the financial and emotional harm the death caused you.
If your loved one would have survived, they may have been entitled to claim damages for lost wages, medical expenses, and pain and suffering. Anything your loved one experienced or had to pay for at the end of their life can be compensated, such as their end of life medical care or the pain the accident caused. Their death does not absolve the at-fault party from responsibility, and you, as a surviving heir, might still be able to file for these damages.
The other damages you suffered personally can be paid directly to you. If you relied upon the deceased for support and income, you may be entitled to your share of their lost wages and support. This can include things like healthcare benefits in addition to monetary income. You can also claim damages for lost investments and inheritances the deceased would have continued to receive had they lived. The cost of burial and funeral expenses is also a common piece of the damages in a wrongful death lawsuit.
The other harms you suffered may not be so clear or easy to calculate from bills and financial records. The emotional harm of losing a loved one is unique to each person, but you can still claim these kinds of damages in court. The toll of losing companionship, advice and counsel, child care, and other benefits your loved one provided may also have an economic value the court can compensate you for.
Talk to an attorney about what your case might be worth and what other damages you may be entitled to claim in your wrongful death lawsuit.
Common Causes of Deadly Oil Rig Accidents
Many jobs on oil rigs have some of the highest injury and wrongful death rates compared to other professions. Workers on oil rigs are at risk of harm from the elements – heat stroke, dehydration, storms (for offshore rigs), etc. They also face risks from the immense pressure of oil pumps and pipes, plus the potential for serious injuries involving heavy machinery and moving parts. In some of the most dangerous accidents, fires or explosions caused by blowouts produce widespread injury and death. Any of these accidents, along with other simpler accidents, can be the cause of death for an oil rig worker.
Call Our Galveston Oil Worker Wrongful Death Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you lost a member of your family to a deadly oil rig accident, contact the Galveston oil rig wrongful death workers at The Queenan Law Firm today. Our attorneys have decades of experience handling wrongful death suits on behalf of survivors and family members of oil workers. To schedule a free, confidential consultation on your case, contact our law offices today at (817) 476-1797.