Oil field accident injury claims follow explosions, fires, crushing incidents and falls at drilling and well service sites. Workers and families may seek compensation from the employers, contractors or equipment makers involved.
No named case, MDL or class action covers oilfield injuries, so each claim depends on its own facts. OSHA lists vehicle accidents, falls, fires and explosions among the hazards that can kill oil and gas workers.
Plaintiff’s attorneys announced a $9.5 million settlement on April 6, 2010 for a worker crushed in Wise County, Texas.
- Case or litigation name: No single case; individual oilfield injury claims
- Defendants: None named
- Court and docket number, when available: No filed case
- MDL number, judge, and case count, when an MDL exists: No MDL
- Filing date: No filing yet
- Main allegations: Not stated; no single complaint applies, and the claims differ by case, employer and site
- Products or people involved: Oilfield workers, including drilling, servicing and support crews
Table Of Contents
Latest Oil Field Accident Injury Lawsuit Updates
January 23, 2018: Five Rig Workers Die in Oklahoma Gas Well Explosion
CNN reported that the remains of five rig workers were found after a gas well explosion. The blast was near Quinton, Oklahoma, the day before [1]. OSHA opened a federal investigation.
It happened on January 22, 2018 in Pittsburg County. Seventeen other workers escaped, and one was flown to a Tulsa hospital. Authorities said the cause was unclear, and no fault has been alleged.
April 6, 2010: Attorneys Report $9.5 Million Texas Oilfield Settlement
A press release from the plaintiff’s attorneys reported a $9.5 million settlement of a Texas oilfield accident lawsuit [2].
Larry Mullins, Jr. was crushed on July 17, 2008 during a rig move in Wise County, Texas. The release reports crushed hips, pelvis and other internal injuries.
June 12, 2007: CSB Issues Partridge-Raleigh Explosion Case Study
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) issued a case study on the June 5, 2006 Partridge-Raleigh explosion at an oilfield in Mississippi [3]. It recommended more OSHA inspections of oil and gas production facilities.
CSB found that unsafe work practices were the cause of the accident. Three contractors died and one suffered serious injuries.
What Is Oil and Gas Extraction?
According to OSHA’s oil and gas extraction page, over 450,000 workers worked in oil and gas extraction and its support industries in 2011 [4].
These workers carry out the many industrial processes needed to drill and service a well. The processes frequently require specialized equipment and specialized work crews.
Who May Be Affected?
OSHA lists hazards that can result in fatalities for oil and gas workers. They include vehicle accidents, falls, explosions and fires, confined spaces and chemical exposures. Struck-by, caught-in and caught-between events are on the list too.
The workers involved drill and service wells, often in specialized crews. Families of workers killed on the job may also be affected.
Claims can involve employers, contractors or equipment makers, depending on the facts. A legal review looks at your job, your injury and the site, and no review can promise eligibility.
Reported Injuries or Damages
OSHA reports that 489 workers in oil and gas extraction were killed on the job from 2013 to 2017. OSHA severe injury reports are required from employers for every work-related severe injury [5].
OSHA defines a severe injury as an amputation, in-patient hospitalization or loss of an eye. The requirement began on January 1, 2015.
After the Partridge-Raleigh explosion, OSHA cited Stringer’s for 13 serious safety violations, according to the same CSB case study. Citations and incident reports are regulator records and not court findings.
Evidence to Preserve
Keeping these records can help a lawyer review what happened:
- Medical records and bills that show the injury, the treatment you received and what it cost.
- Photographs of the scene, the equipment involved and your injuries, taken as soon as it is safe.
- The employer’s incident report and any OSHA severe injury report filed after the accident.
- Names and contact details for coworkers and other witnesses who saw what happened.
- Pay stubs and employment or contractor records that show who you worked for and where.
- Training records and safety documents that show what instruction and equipment the crew had.
- Messages and letters with employers, insurers and contractors about the accident or your claim.
Filing Deadlines
Filing deadlines for oilfield accident and wrongful death claims come from state law. The deadline varies with where the worker lives and works and when the injury happened.
Missing a deadline can end a claim even when the facts are strong, so talk to a lawyer promptly after an injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Sue After an Oil Field Accident?
You may be able to sue after an oil field accident, depending on the facts. The Wise County suit in the reported Texas settlement named Fowler Transportation, Ltd. The worker was employed by Nabors Drilling USA, LP on an EnCana Oil & Gas (USA), Inc. lease.
Who Reports a Severe Injury at an Oilfield to OSHA?
Employers report a severe injury at an oilfield to OSHA within 24 hours, and a death within 8 hours. OSHA’s published severe injury data covers federal OSHA jurisdiction only and leaves out OSHA-approved State Plan states.
What Does the Research Say About Oil Field Accidents?
Research on oil field accidents includes a CSB study of the Partridge-Raleigh explosion. CSB traced it to welding sparks that lit vapor venting from a tank. OSHA’s 489-death count comes from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.
Who Owned the Oklahoma Gas Well Where Five Workers Died?
The owner of the Oklahoma gas well where five workers died is Red Mountain Operating. Patterson-UTI Energy drilled it and said three of the five were its employees, according to CNN.
References
- https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/23/us/oklahoma-gas-well-victims/index.html
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/95-million-settlement-reached-in-texas-oilfield-injury-lawsuit-89994077.html
- https://www.csb.gov/csb-issues-case-study-on-fatal-partridge-raleigh-oilfield-explosion-in-mississippi-recommends-osha-program-to-inspect-oil-and-gas-production-facilities/
- https://www.osha.gov/oil-and-gas-extraction
- https://www.osha.gov/severeinjury