As the “Energy Capital of the World” and the nation’s top oil and natural gas producer, oilfields dot the landscape in Houston and throughout the Lone Star State. These operations employ roughly 450,000 Texans—and though working out on the oilfields can be lucrative, it’s also inherently hazardous.
From heavy machinery incidents to fires and explosions to well blowouts, workers face wide-ranging risks. Sadly, accidents are not only common, but they often lead to catastrophic injuries, leaving victims grappling with mounting medical expenses, reduced or lost earning capacity, and an uncertain future.
If another party’s negligence caused a land-based oilfield accident that severely injured you or killed your loved one, you could be entitled to compensation for losses you’ve incurred due to these devastating events. Unfortunately, oilfield injury and wrongful death claims involve complex legal concepts and complicated litigation that can make recovering the damages you deserve challenging.
Read on to learn how to preserve your right to pursue an oilfield accident recovery and how Terry & Thweatt, P.C.’s highly skilled Houston trial lawyers can help you.
The Path to Preserving Your Right to Recovery
The immediate aftermath of a land-based oil or gas accident can be a whirlwind for victims and their families. The following steps are essential to protecting your legal rights.
Seek Medical Attention
Prioritize your health and safety by seeking immediate medical attention, even if your injuries appear relatively minor. Some injuries cause delayed symptoms, making a prompt medical evaluation vital. Additionally, documenting your injuries through medical records is critical to the outcome of your claim.
Report the Accident
Notify your immediate supervisor or employer as soon as possible, following your company’s established procedures for reporting workplace accidents and injuries. Request a copy of any incident report for your records.
Preserve Evidence
Leave tools, equipment, and machinery in the location and condition they were at the time of the onshore oilfield accident, as this evidence can be crucial to determining liability. Take photos or videos of your injuries, involved equipment, hazardous conditions, and whatever else you deem relevant. Get contact information from witnesses in case you need an attorney to reach out to them for a statement.
Decline Requests for Recorded Statements
Beware of insurance adjusters or company representatives who contact you immediately after an oilfield accident to request a recorded statement. Not only are you not required to give this statement, but if you do, it could be used against you later in the claims process. Don’t risk it; decline to provide a statement without legal counsel.
Gather Information
Write down the following information about the accident:
- Date, time, and location
- Weather conditions
- Names and contact information of all parties involved
- Names and contact information of any witnesses
- A description of how the injury or accident occurred
- Any safety violations or hazardous conditions observed
Consult an Adept Onshore Oilfield Accident Lawyer
Talk to a Texas injury attorney with a record of successfully resolving oilfield accident claims as soon as you can. Consulting a lawyer is vital to understanding the strength of your case and protecting your right to compensation.
Houston Oilfield Injury Trial Lawyers Joe Terry and Lee Thweatt Are Committed to Outworking the Opposition in Every Case
Looking for fierce and fearless legal counsel you can trust? Your search stops here. No one fights harder for injured oilfield workers than Terry & Thweatt, P.C.
Since 2008, accomplished Houston trial lawyers Joe Terry and Lee Thweatt have helped countless roughnecks, derrickmen, drillers, welders and fabricators, pumpers, electricians, heavy equipment operators, and other land-based oilfield workers navigate the civil court process to recover fair damages. Depending on the details of your case your recovery might include compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages and loss of earning capacity
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional anguish
- Scarring or disfigurement
- Permanent disability
- Other related losses