Texas oil field workers have a high risk of on-the-job injury. If you are injured while working on an oil field or oil rig in Texas, you could face injuries that require intensive medical treatment and may make it impossible to return to work to support yourself and your family. If you or a loved one suffered injuries while working at an oil field in Texas, contact The Queenan Law Firm today.
Our Texas oil field injury lawyers represent injured workers and fight to get them the compensation they need to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. To schedule a free legal consultation to discuss your case, contact our law offices today at (817) 476-1797.
Suing for Injuries for Texas Oil Field Workers
When you face workplace injuries in Texas, there are two options for how you can file for compensation. When you start working at your job, you have 5 days to decide whether to accept or reject workers’ compensation coverage. If you accept the coverage, then you may have to file injury claims through workers’ compensation. If you reject the coverage, you retain your right to sue and can take your employer to court for injuries, potentially resulting in higher damages.
When you sue for injuries, you must prove that the defendant was somehow responsible for your injuries. Many oil field injuries are the result of dangerous or negligent workplace conditions. Many of these conditions are avoidable, and your employer may owe you and other employees a duty to prevent the kinds of harms that make up the most common workplace accidents. Some examples of the duties an oil field employer might owe you include the following:
- The duty to screen coworkers for drug and alcohol use on the job
- The duty to properly train you and your coworkers in a language they can understand
- The duty to provide workers with proper safety gear and OSHA-compliant workplaces
- The duty to maintain and replace heavy machinery and other equipment
- The duty to test and maintain blowout prevention devices and other emergency safety processes on the oil rig
- The duty to keep work areas safe from avoidable dangers
If your employer fails to uphold one of these duties and you are injured because of that breach of duty, your employer may be considered “negligent,” and they can be held responsible for the injuries you faced. This allows you to claim damages from them in court to help pay for the injuries you faced.
Damages for Oil Field Injuries in Texas
If you or a loved one was injured or a member of your family was killed in an accident on an oil rig, you may be entitled to substantial damages for the harm you and your family faced. The primary damages that you can claim in a personal injury lawsuit against an oil field employer typically include financial compensation for the monetary harm you suffered, but you can also claim damages for intangible harms.
Any medical expenses stemming from the accident and injury can usually be claimed in full in court. These damages can pay you back for the cost of any medical treatment related to the injury, including emergency medical transportation, medical imaging, and ongoing care like physical therapy and rehabilitation.
If you missed work because of the injury, you may be entitled to claim the full value of any lost wages you suffered. This can reimburse you for the wages you missed during your recovery period as well as ongoing wages you will miss if you injury interferes with your ability to work going forward.
You can also claim substantial damages for the pain and suffering you face. These intangible harms cannot be proved by pointing to medical bills or bank statements, but your testimony about how the injury affected your day-to-day tasks, the activities you previously enjoyed, and the changes to your quality of life can help prove how much these damages are worth.
You can also claim substantial damages if you lost a loved one to wrongful death in an oil field injury. If the employer was responsible for your loss, they may be liable to you for the cost of medical care, lost wages going forward, lost inheritances, lost companionship, pain and suffering at the end, and the cost of funeral and burial expenses. Talk to an attorney for help understanding what a wrongful death and survivorship case is worth in Texas.
Call Our Texas Oil Field Injury Lawyer for a Free Legal Consultation on Your Case
After sustaining serious injuries in an oil field accident, it is important to consider taking your case to court with the help of an experienced Texas oil field injury lawyer. The Queenan Law Firm’s personal injury attorneys represent the victims of workplace accidents on oil fields and represent their loved ones in injury and wrongful death lawsuits against their employers. For help understanding what your case is worth and how to proceed, call our law offices today to schedule a free legal consultation. Our number is (817) 476-1797.