The oil and gas industry dominates the Texas landscape. The oil and gas sector employs inshore and offshore workers to operate a wide variety of equipment that prepares crude oil for shipment to a refinery. However, working on an oil rig is one of the most dangerous professions in Texas.

Blowouts occur on land-based oil wells and offshore oil rigs. These incidents can lead to serious injuries and burns, which are often fatal. Likewise, defective and poorly maintained equipment can also lead to wrongful death and personal injuries. Additionally, working on rigs and derricks leaves you with the risk of falls from great heights. If you work in the drilling industry, you are likely all too familiar with these risks.

As an offshore oil rig worker, your employer might expect you to work twelve-hour days for up to two weeks at a time. You work this schedule with the knowledge that any number of things can go wrong at a moment’s notice. This exhausting schedule is hard enough, not to mention the other inherent dangers you regularly fact.

Oftentimes, oil workers must handle combustible materials as cranes swing overhead. There is heavy machinery all around you. Regulations require your employer to provide you with safe working conditions of course. For good reason, hard hats and steel-toed shoes are mandatory workwear. However, navigating the deck of an oil rig can quickly move from dangerous to disastrous.

As Houston oil rig accident attorneys, we understand that accidents are not common. However, when they do occur, it is easy for them to become catastrophic. While your team may avert large disasters, small accidents and personal injuries can be just as devastating. Maritime workers are at an increased risk of many injuries.

• Falls from derricks, platforms, unguarded heights, slippery stairs, unsecured ladders, and hoists
• Sparks from equipment that ignite flammable liquids and trigger explosions
• Appendages caught in machinery
• Well blowouts, fires, and explosions
• Being crushed by cargo or heavy equipment
• Equipment failing due to poor maintenance
• Being striking by swinging cables, pipes, or casing

As Houston offshore oil rig accident attorneys, we understand how catastrophic and life-threatening these injuries can be. On an oil rig, even a small accident can cause a serious injury.

• Severe burns
• Drownings or near-drownings
• Crush injuries
• Broken bones
• Internal organ damage
• Loss of limb
• Back injuries
• Head trauma

Oftentimes, the type and severity of injuries depend on the type of accident and the conditions of the work environment. The type of work done, equipment used, and gear worn can have a significant impact on your condition following an incident.

If you are injured while working on an oil rig, remember that you have the right to medical treatment from the doctor and medical facility of your choice. Additionally, you have the right to report your injury and seek benefits or compensation. Moreover, you have the right to do so without the fear of retaliation such as termination or demotion.

You have the right to stay off the job until your doctor clears you to return to work. When your employer or another party causes your injury, you also have the right to seek damages for your lost income, treatment, ongoing care, and possibly more. At The Cobos Law Firm, our Houston offshore oil rig accident attorneys fight to protect the rights of workers like you. Above all, we fight to ensure you have what you need to recover and return to a fulfilling life.

The attorneys at The Cobos Law Firm have years of experience providing legal representation for offshore workers. With the broad spectrum of potential accidents on offshore rigs as well as oil fields, there are numerous possible accidents.

Collisions in Transit

For job-related deaths among oil and gas workers, traffic accidents rank at the top. Oftentimes, these accidents occur as the company transports equipment and workers to the remote worksites.

Fires & Explosions

As Houston oil rig accident attorneys, we know how dangerous these sites can be. Both onshore and offshore worksites involve flammable gases and vapors. These can ignite easily for an array of reasons.

• • Hot surfaces
  • Open flames
  • Static
  • Friction heat
  • Lit cigarettes

Moreover, these explosions and fires often occur as the result of a high-pressure line bursting or leaking. As an offshore worker, it is the duty of your employer to maintain a safe work environment. When they do not, call on our Houston oil rig accident attorneys.

Ergonomic Hazards at the Worksite

Whether you work in an oilfield or on an offshore rig, it often involves a lot of movement. The strain of repeated movements can take a great toll on the body.

• • Bending
  • Lifting heavy objects
  • Pulling
  • Pushing
  • Reaching overhead
  • Twisting

These motions can lead to serious injuries, especially if you’re forced to work while in recovery.

Equipment Hazards

Offshore drilling rigs utilize a great deal of heavy machinery. These sites often require workers to work on or around a broad range of equipment, including derricks, rotating wellhead equipment, cables, pipes, and high-pressure lines. When managers ignore safety regulations, it can lead workers into dangerous situations.

Whether struck by, caught in the middle of, or caught between heavy pieces of equipment, regulations are meant to protect you. When your employer ignores your safety, you have the right to hold them accountable. Call on our Houston offshore oil rig accident attorneys for a free case evaluation.

Falls & Slipping

Offshore oil rigs tend to require workers to function on elevated surfaces. Oftentimes, these surfaces easily become slick, resulting in serious injuries or even death. Fall prevention equipment should be in place to ensure the safety of offshore workers. Unfortunately, many of these workers suffer from slip and falls due to slick surfaces on the job site.

An oil rig explosion is arguably the worst possible oil rig accident. Such explosions caused some of the most catastrophic maritime accidents throughout history. Moreover, there are hundreds of minor explosions throughout history that led to great suffering amongst roughnecks and offshore oil workers.

Unfortunately, the truth of these explosions is that the companies often pressure their workers to stay loyal to the company. In doing so, few victims are likely to seek legal help from oil rig accident attorneys like ours.

However, you should never feel more loyal to a company than you do to your own health and the health of your colleagues. In the past, maritime companies treated workers on-site to incorrectly diagnose their conditions. In turn, they covered up their responsibility and liability to their workers.

It is crucial that you understand your rights and hold accountable the people who caused your injuries. When someone else’s negligence causes you injury and trauma, you have the right to seek damages.

Call our oil rig accident attorneys at The Cobos Law Firm today to discuss the details of your case.

As Houston-based offshore oil rig accident lawyers, we understand the difficulties you face as an injured offshore worker in Texas. However, as your advocate, we fight tirelessly to pursue your best interests.

For example, when your employer subscribes to the workers’ compensation program in Texas, you have the option to file a claim. This claim may help to cover medical benefits as well as lost wages. Potentially, these benefits could cover any medical expenses related to your work injury.

However, when the party at fault is not an employer or coworker, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim against them. Personal injury claims have the potential for compensation beyond workers’ compensation claims because they might include damages for your pain and suffering.

Moreover, the unfortunate reality is that many oil and gas companies do not participate in the workers’ compensation system in Texas. If this is the case, you may have the option to pursue a personal injury lawsuit. Oil rig accident attorneys at The Cobos Law Firm offer free case evaluations to help offshore workers understand their options.

At The Cobos Law Firm, our Houston oil rig accident attorneys devote themselves to helping the victims of accidents. We work tirelessly to help you attain the financial compensation that you deserve. When no one holds companies accountable, they continue to forgo safety precautions, leaving others in harm’s way.

Have you suffered a severe burn, limb loss, skull fracture, or another offshore injury? Our personal injury attorneys can help you understand your rights. When you suffer any type of injury on an offshore oil rig, our law firm looks out for your best interests.

When an accident leaves a worker injured, they suffer far more than physical damage. From lost wages to mental damages, our personal injury lawyers help find workers compensation that reflects the continued loss they suffer.

Call us today to schedule a free consultation. Let our legal team show you how our strategic mindset helps us win cases and attain monetary compensation for our clients. We work on a contingency basis. This means that you don’t pay us unless we win. Call now for a free case evaluation.