Have you or a loved one been seriously injured or killed in an oil field accident? If so, you should contact us immediately. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and we can help.
Schmidt & Clark, LLP is dedicated to protecting the rights of the American oil field worker and is one of the only firms willing to handle this type of complex litigation throughout the entire United States.
Update: Surge in U.S. Oil Production Marked by Increase in Workplace Injuries
August 20, 2018 – The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasted last week in its monthly report that U.S. crude oil production will average 10.7 million barrels per day (b/d) for the remainder of 2018, up from 9.4 million b/d in 2017, and will average 11.7 million b/d in 2019. These numbers are staggering when considering U.S. oil production was less than 4 million barrels per day a decade ago.
Unfortunately, workplace accidents at U.S. drilling sites have resulted in a growing number of oil worker injuries, to the point where these incidents are “affecting not just workers but also shareholders as litigation grows at a rapid clip against the companies involved,” according to Barani Krishnan, senior writer/editor at Investing.com.
Oil Field Injury Overview
Oil field workers understand that they work in an extremely rewarding, yet dangerous work environment. The industry they’re employed in is motivated by high prices and the need to drill and/or maintain current production volumes. Unfortunately, these factors lead to many workers being seriously injured or killed as a result of an oil field accident or injury.
These injuries may be caused by employers requiring their workers to work double shifts or long hours without adequate breaks. They can also be caused by third-party contractors and/or general employer negligence.
Types of Cases We Handle
Many oil field operators or employers within this industry will often tell their employees that their only option for compensation in the event of an oil field accident is by filing a worker’s compensation claim.
It is important to understand that worker’s compensation may not be you’re only option to receiving the compensation you deserve.
Types of Oil Field Accidents
Below is a brief list of the more common types of oil field accidents:
- Falls from rigs and equipment
- Equipment failures and/or defective products
- Oil truck accident
- Frac tank mishaps
- Well blowouts
- Explosions and fires
- Toxic chemical spills
- Toxic gas inhalation
Types of Oil Field Injuries
Below is a brief list of the more common types of oil field injuries:
- Head injuries including brain injury
- Neck and back injuries including spinal cord injury
- Broken bones
- Severe burns
- Electrocution
Oil Field Accident Statistics
The recent explosion of the oil and gas industries has been accompanied by one of the highest injury rates of all occupations, according to a May 2017 E&E News analysis of workplace injury data. By many criteria, oil field workers have the highest injury rate in the U.S., the researchers found.
Data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) suggests that severe injuries among oil workers is in line with the industry’s high number of worker deaths.
“It’s not at all surprising,” said former OSHA chief David Michaels. “It’s consistent with the very high fatality rate.”
The severe oil worker injuries — defined as those causing hospitalization or loss of a body part — ranged from major burns sustained in explosions to injured hips from falling in the office lobby. The most commonly reported injury was amputation, most often fingers and fingertips. Next was fractures, mostly of the legs.
What Causes Oil Field Injuries?
According to the OSHA statistics cited above, the most common cause of injury among oil workers was getting a finger or other body part caught in equipment. Fires and explosions were the 4th most common cause of serious injury, after falls and being struck by objects.
2 Men Injured in Oklahoma Oil Field Explosion
April 3, 2018 – A pair of oilfield workers in Wewoka, Oklahoma, were injured on Monday when an oil and gas pumping unit exploded near U.S. 270 and State Highway 56. The pumping unit was being installed at about 4pm when the oil rig explosion occurred, said Kevin Greene, Fire Chief of Wewoka.
5 Workers Missing, Feared Dead in Oklahoma Oil Rig Explosion
January 22, 2018 – Five people were reported missing and presumed dead on Monday after a massive explosion tore through an Oklahoma oil drilling rig, sending plumes of black smoke into the air and effectively totaling the rig, according to emergency officials. The explosion occurred west of Quinton, Oklahoma, about 100 miles southeast of Tulsa.
Do I Have a Lawsuit?
Schmidt & Clark, LLP is dedicated to protecting the rights of the American oil field worker and is one of the only firms willing to handle this type of complex litigation throughout the entire United States.
Again, if you or a loved one been seriously injured or killed in an oil field accident, you should contact us immediately by using the form below or calling us toll free 24 hrs/day by dialing (866) 588-0600.
To contact us for a free review of your potential case, please fill out the form below or call us toll free 24 hrs/day by dialing: 