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Oil Field Injury

OIL FIELD INJURY ATTORNEY

Personal Injury Law Firm Offices in Tyler & Longview, TX and Shreveport, LA

Our attorneys are powerful advocates for individuals and the families of individuals who have been injured or killed as the result of the negligent or wrongful conduct of another person or organization.

We understand the impact an unexpected personal injury can cause in a person's life - lost wages, medical bills and pain and suffering that impacts both injured individuals and their families. We take the time to listen, assess and analyze each case to ensure that our clients receive effective compensation for all the wrongs they have suffered.

Plaintiff personal injury and wrongful death cases can be difficult. Insurance companies are interested in minimizing their exposure when a serious injury or death has occurred. They hire attorneys whose job it is to make sure you recover as little as possible for the injury you have suffered. We understand how insurance companies and lawyers on the other side think. We know their tactics. Our experience in severe injury cases enables us to protect the rights, health, and safety of you and your family.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fatality rate for oil and gas workers in the U.S. was about seven times the average for all occupations. Working in the oil and gas drilling industry can be one of the most dangerous jobs there is. If you have been injured in an oilfield accident, the attorneys at The Monsour Law Firm can help.

GET A COMPLIMENTARY CASE REVIEW

The Monsour Law Firm will represent you with the diligence and determination you deserve. We will provide a complimentary case review and recommend a course of action to help you receive the correct compensation for your injuries and financial losses. We can help.​

Schedule A Free Consultation

WHAT TYPES OF ACCIDENTS FREQUENTLY OCCUR IN OIL FIELDS?

Oil field accidents are often catastrophic and include:

  • Well blowouts
  • Fires
  • Rig collapses
  • Compressor station and well drilling injuries
  • Equipment failures
  • Frac tank accidents
  • Chemical spills
  • Explosions
  • Electrocutions

WHAT ARE SOME TYPICAL OIL FIELD INJURIES?

Oil field injuries are often serious and can lead to permanent or partial disability and death. Typical injuries include burns, electrocutions, broken spinal cords and necks, head injuries, lost arms and legs, and damage from toxic chemicals.

WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO OIL FIELD ACCIDENTS?

Many factors contribute to the dangers of working in the oilfields including:

Unsafe working conditions - Oilfield workers must contend with heavy, moving machinery, pipes, and chains, work on elevated platforms on the rig, and deal with hazardous weather conditions. They are often forced to work for long periods of time without adequate rest, and forced to ignore established safety standards in order to keep the drilling rig operating at a fast and high profit rate.

Untrained subcontractors and worker inexperience - According to OSHA's Industry Profile statistics, the majority of people hurt at oil and gas well drilling sites have been on the job less than 11 months.

Poor safety standards -Requirements for reporting injuries are vague and subject to interpretation by operators and leaseholders. The government requires the reporting of serious injuries, but the term "serious" was never defined. The increased use of subcontractors has created uncertainty over legitimate authority and decision-making, and confusion over safety procedures. Government agencies responsible for enforcing the rules rarely dole out tough penalties.

Equipment failures - Oil field equipment failures occur because of metal fatigue improper use, inadequate maintenance, overstress, corrosion, , welding failures, and manufacturing and design defects.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY RIGHTS IF I HAVE HAD AN OILFIELD INJURY?

The Monsour Law Firm attorneys handle injury, negligence, wrongful death or other claims from oilfield accidents. We understand the laws, regulations, medical issues, and contributing factors that are involved. When you have the unlimited resources of the oil industry opposing you, it is essential that you have a law firm with the experience and expertise to represent your interests effectively. The Monsour Law Firm is determined to bring your case to a successful resolution. We will provide a complimentary case review and recommend a course of action to help you receive the correct compensation for your injuries and financial losses. We can help.

PREVIOUS OIL FIELD INJURY SUCCESS CASES:

BOP STACK LIFTS

Our client was hired to perform a BOP nipple up operation. The drilling company that had hired him failed to cover the mouse hole when it was not in use. A recent rain had filled the mouse hole with water and covered the rig with mud. The water and mud made the mouse hole almost impossible to see. As our client was moving equipment from the trucks, he stepped into the concealed hole. He was severely injured, requiring surgery. The case settled for a confidential amount.

WELL BLOWOUTS

Our client worked as derrick man on an oil rig. During drilling, the flow line between the drilling rig and the flow tank filled up with oil-based mud. The line got so full it over-pressured and separated at the mud tanks. Oil-based mud spewed out at high pressures. When the line separated, it separated with enough force that it ripped electrical lines, causing an electrical spark. The spark ignited the oil-based mud in an inferno. Our client was caught in the fire and burned over 60% of his body, including his face.

The Monsour attorneys, assisted by seasoned oilfield experts, discovered that the rig in question had moved just before the explosion. The operator moved the rig 100 feet from one hole to another. In a cost-saving measure, the operator decided to move the rig but leave backyard - including the mud tanks. The flow line had to be extended from 10 feet to 110 feet so it would reach the mud tanks. The long, flat flow line presented problems moving the drilling fluids and cuttings into the mud tanks. The operator installed a rotating head during a very early phase of the drilling to help move fluids and cuttings the length of the flow line.

There was a kick, and a sudden surge of fluid filled the flow line. Because the rotating head had been installed too early, there was nowhere for the fluid to go. The flow line backed up and over-pressured, causing the line to separate and start the explosion.

The Monsour attorneys learned that the company responsible for the flow line idea had hired a roughneck turned welder to design its 100 foot, flat flow line. The company should have hired an engineer to design the flow line. The welder failed to put a pressure relief valve into the flow line. Without a pressure relief valve, the system backed up instead of bleeding off pressure. Once the design flaw was uncovered, the company settled for a confidential amount.

RIG MOVES

Our client was a swamper hired to help move drilling rigs with a pole truck. During a night move, our client was helping to move a set of stairs when a forklift ran over his leg and crushed it. The broken leg required surgery, including plates and screws, to fix it. Our client was off work for months.

The forklift driver's employer initially denied that the accident ever happened. The Monsour attorneys tracked down receipts and paperwork proving that the injury had happened exactly the way our client described. When the company realized it could not deny that our client had been hurt, it settled for a confidential amount.

FRACING EXPLOSION

Our clients were part of a fracing crew. As the fracing crew primed its pumps to prepare for the next stage of the operation, a pinhole leak was reported from the low pressure side of the manifold. Four men went to investigate. Before the problem could be assessed, the end of the manifold exploded, killing one man and injuring two others. Investigation revealed that the manufacturer of the manifold had failed to weld the endplate to the manifold properly. The manufacturer settled for a confidential amount.

FORKLIFT INJURY

Forklifts and powered industrial trucks are heavy industrial machinery that require training, skill, and attention to operate correctly. Failure to properly train employees on forklift use or failure to follow forklift safety rules can result injury or even death.

One of our clients was doing his job when a poorly trained, inattentive forklift driver dropped a load of material and shoved it against the back of our client's foot. The material trapped our client's foot against a wall. He had to remove his foot and go to the hospital. Our client was diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles' tendon and had to have the tendon surgically reconstructed. The case settled for a confidential amount.

EQUIPMENT FAILURE

Our client was lowering the guardrails on top of a frac tank so he could move the tank to another location. The railings snapped at their hinges. The broken railing fell over the side of the frac tank and took our client with it. Our client fell from the top of the twelve foot frac tank. The fall broke his foot and injured his back. This caused permanent injury, and the client is no longer able to work.

The Monsour attorneys talked to design engineers, who determined that the hinges on the frac tank were never designed according to industry standards. The tank's designer then admitted he had never even looked at the industry standards when designing his guardrails. Once it was certain that the guardrail design did not meet industry standards, the company settled for a confidential amount.

EXPLOSIONS

A welder was welding in a confined space. When he sparked his torch, the natural gas from his welding equipment ignited, causing an explosion. The welder barely survived. The welder suffered burns to 60% of his body and is unable to work for the rest of his life. Later, investigators discovered the natural gas hose had a small leak, but the burned welder could not smell the leak because the natural gas had no odor. Natural gas is supposed to have odor added to it as a safety feature.

The Monsour attorneys went through thousands of pages of documents trying to figure out why the natural gas had no odor. The Monsour attorneys found that one company was lying and hiding documents. The attorneys then secured a court order for the company to turn over the missing documents. Once they had all the documents, the Monsour attorneys were able to prove that the company responsible for adding odor to the natural gas had simply forgotten to add the odor for months on end. As a result, the injured worker could not detect the gas leak with his nose. The company responsible for odorizing the gas then settled the case for a confidential amount.

GET A COMPLIMENTARY CASE REVIEW

The Monsour Law Firm will represent you with the diligence and determination you deserve. We will provide a complimentary case review and recommend a course of action to help you receive the correct compensation for your injuries and financial losses. We can help.​

Schedule Appointment