CALL (800) 863-5312 TODAY TO speak with our Dallas oil field injury lawyers
Zinda Law Group is well aware of the risks that Texas oil and gas workers face every time they go into work. We have represented many workers who have inexcusably been injured as a result of these risks, and who have suffered both physically and financially. If you or a loved one have been injured while working on an oil field, call (800) 863-5312 to speak with one of our experienced Dallas oil field injury lawyers.
Our oil field injury lawyers are dedicated to helping you recover financially, which is why we offer 100% free case consultations. If we think we can help you, we will refuse to let our services set you back any further by extending to you our No Win, No Fee Guarantee. That means that unless we win your case, you don’t pay us anything.
WHY ARE OIL FIELDS DANGEROUS?
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that 663 oil field workers were killed between 2007 and 2012, and an analysis done by the Houston Chronicle discovered that approximately 40% of these fatalities took place in Texas. This shocking statistic of course begs the question: What makes oil fields so dangerous?
Oil and gas extraction is so dangerous because it involves many different types of hazards. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), some of the most common hazards on Texas oil fields are these:
John (Jack) Zinda
Founder / CEO
Over 100 years of combined experience representing injured victims across the country.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationVehicle Collisions
Although this may surprise many, roughly 4 out of every 10 workers killed on an oil field job were killed as a result of a highway vehicle transaction on the way to the job site. Because of the remote location of oil and gas fields, workers need to be transported long distances to get to the site. Considering the equipment that the workers travel with and the hazards on board, even minor accidents on the road can be fatal.
Neil Solomon
Partner
Real results matter. We do not get paid unless we win your case.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationStruck-By/Caught-In/Caught-Between Hazards
This is the second most common cause of oil and gas field injuries. There are many different circumstances under which a worker may be exposed to a struck-by/caught-in/caught-between hazard. For example, workers are sometimes struck by falling equipment or caught in high-pressure lines.
Jason Aldridge
Attorney
Standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ready to answer in your time of need.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationExplosions and Fires
Oil fields have a heavy presence of flammable vapors or gases which can easily be ignited and result in fatal explosions or fires. Some of the gases present can include vapors and hydrogen sulfide, which can be released by the trucks, equipment, or wells on site. Different sources of ignition can include electrical energy sources, open flames, cigarettes, open flames, hot surfaces, frictional heat, or even lightning.
Cole Gumm
Attorney
We are here to ensure you won’t have to face this difficult time alone.
Available 24 / 7|Free ConsultationFalls from Elevated Surfaces
Another common cause of oil field worker injuries is falling off platforms or elevated equipment. Unfortunately, having to climb up ladders is one of the many risks present on an oil field.
Ergonomic Hazards
Ergonomic hazards are risk factors that cause wear and tear on the body and can result in injuries. Oil field workers oftentimes have to perform tasks which have great risk of ergonomic-related injuries, such as:
- lifting heavy equipment
- bending down or reaching overhead
- pushing heavy loads
- performing repetitive tasks
- working in unusual body postures
Unlike the other hazards of an oil field, injuries caused by these actions are not always obvious right away. However, if left untreated, these kinds of injuries can truly become debilitating.
Defective High-Pressure Lines and Equipment
Some oil field workers need to work with compressed gases or high-pressure lines. If these lines have internal erosion that has gone unnoticed, they can ultimately leak or burst, which can cause very dangerous consequences.
Hazardous Energies
If the necessary energy equipment is not designed, installed, or maintained properly, then oil field workers may be exposed to different types of hazardous energies, such as electrical, mechanical, or hydraulic. The injuries that result from this kind of exposure can be extremely serious or even fatal.
Machine Hazards
Oil fields require a wide variety of equipment. This equipment can include:
- top drives,
- drawworks,
- compressors,
- catheads,
- hoist blocks,
- and much, much more.
Working with so many different types of machines presents different kinds of hazards. For example, oil workers are at risk of getting struck by or caught between machines or are at risk of serious injury if a machine is defective in its design or production.
Insufficient Planning or Prevention
It is clear that oil fields are extremely dangerous workplace environments, which is why it is so important that the employing oil companies do their due diligence and make sure that the field is as safe as possible. This includes:
- being aware of all of the risks,
- complying with federal regulations,
- ensuring equipment is working properly,
- providing enough protective equipment,
- properly training and overseeing oil workers,
- and much more.
When an oil company fails to properly safety plan or take safety preventative measures, that company is putting all of its workers at serious risk of harm. Proving that the company was negligent in meeting any of these responsibilities will take someone who can investigate thoroughly. Fortunately, Zinda Law Group oil field injury attorneys are well equipped to do so.
We have covered just a few of the reasons for why oil fields are so dangerous, but there are many other causes of injuries that may not be listed here. If the cause of your injury or your loved one’s injury was something not on this list entirely, or you are not sure what the cause was, don’t let that stop you from calling one of our Dallas oil field injury lawyers today.
IF YOU WERE INJURED IN AN OIL FIELD ACCIDENT, DALLAS PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS CAN HELP YOU FILE YOUR CLAIM
If you have been injured in an oil field accident, you are probably wondering what the best route is to take to pursue the compensation that you deserve for your injuries. Generally, injured oil field workers have two options: they can either file a personal injury lawsuit or they can file a workers compensation claim.
What options you have will depend heavily on the circumstances of your case, which is why it is so important to retain a Dallas personal injury lawyer. Our experienced lawyers can investigate the circumstances of your case and help you recover the maximum amount of compensation possible.
Filing a Workers Compensation Claim
Whether you can file a workers compensation claim will depend on whether your employer carries workers compensation insurance. In Texas it is not always required, which means that your employer may not have the insurance. If they do, then you generally have to pursue compensation through that route, although there are some exceptions.
One positive aspect of workers compensation is that it does not matter if you played a part in causing the accident, you can still recover financially. The downside, however, is that you only get compensated for specific damages, such as your medical bills and the lost income from a certain period of time. Unlike with personal injury lawsuits, you cannot recover for your pain and suffering no matter how much you might have struggled.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim Which May Lead to a Lawsuit
If your employer did not have workers compensation insurance at the time of the accident, then you can sue them, typically for negligence. You may be able to sue even if the company does have workers compensation insurance, although it will depend on the circumstances. For example, if the cause of your injury was a defective product, then you can sue the manufacturer. Further, if another third-party caused the accident—such as another driver on the road while you were on your way to the oil field—then you can sue that driver.
Personal injury lawsuits come in many different shapes and sizes. You may have a personal injury lawsuit against the manufacturer of the equipment that caused your injury, or you may have one against your employer if, for example, they negligently maintained the oil field. Once you tell your story to your oil field injury lawyer, they will be better able to determine what kind of lawsuit you may be able to bring and what kind of compensation you may be able to receive as a result.
Why do I need a Dallas injury lawyer near me?
Hiring an experienced Dallas oil field injury lawyer is extremely important if you want to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. An experienced lawyer, like the oil field injury lawyers at Zinda Law Group, can:
1. Investigate Your Claim
One of the most important aspects of a personal injury case is figuring out exactly what caused the accident and who should be held responsible. At Zinda Law Group, we have a team of investigators who are dedicated to figuring out these important questions for you. Ensuring that you are suing the right person and asserting the right claim is essential to your likelihood of success in the case.
2. Negotiate On Your Behalf
If you do end up filing a lawsuit, your Dallas personal injury lawyer can negotiate with the defendant’s attorney to reach a settlement agreement that you are comfortable with. This is not necessarily an easy task. Your attorney will first write a demand letter to the defendant’s lawyer, which will request a certain amount of compensation and detail why you are entitled to it.
Then, the attorneys will negotiate back and forth. If your attorney obtains a settlement agreement you are comfortable with, then you don’t have to step foot in a courtroom at all. Thus, it is imperative that you have a strong negotiator advocating for you.
3. Prove Your Case in Court
If negotiations aren’t successful, then you need to have an attorney who is experienced enough to prove your case to a judge or jury in court. Even before trial begins, your attorney will need to file the complaint, navigate a lengthy process called discovery, and then litigate any pre-trial motions necessary. It isn’t until after all of these steps that trial actually begins and your lawyer needs to prove your claim.
Every case has different legal claims, and each claim has different elements that your attorney must each prove to the judge or jury. For example, the most common claim is negligence, which has four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. To win your case, your attorney needs to prove each one of those elements to the jury.
4. Maximize the Amount of Compensation Awarded
In addition to proving the elements to the jury, your Dallas oil field injury lawyer must also prove that you are entitled to the compensation you are claiming. The type of damages that you are entitled to will depend in part on the type of claim you bring.
For negligence lawsuits, plaintiffs are generally entitled to two types of damages: economic and non-economic. Economic damages refers to compensation for things like your medical bills or the days you lost wages from missing work, whereas non-economic damages refer to immaterial things like pain and suffering. The more experienced the oil field injury lawyer, the more damages they will be able to successfully plead and prove to the jury.
Some damages—exemplary damages for example—can only be awarded in certain circumstances. At Zinda Law Group, our Dallas personal injury lawyers know when additional damages may be available. Furthermore, because we have succeeded in doing it numerous times already, we know how to get them awarded in court.
5. Make You a Priority and Keep You Informed Throughout the Process
We understand that some attorneys out there will take on your case and then fail to call you back or inform you of important developments. At Zinda Law Group, we pride ourselves on having empathetic and communicative attorneys who want to do their best to make this process as easy as possible for you. Our attorneys will keep you consistently informed on the progression of your case and will take the time to answer every and any question that you may have. This is about your livelihood, and we understand that.
These are just a few of the many reasons for why it is so important to have a dedicated and experienced Dallas personal injury lawyer on your team. As you seriously consider whether to file a claim, keep in mind, in Texas the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is only two years. This means that you have only two years from the day of your injury to file your lawsuit in court.
Although this may seem like a lengthy period of time, there is a lot that goes on in a case before it is ready to file. Thus, the earlier you call your injury attorney the better.
Call our Dallas oil field injury lawyers at ZINDA LAW GROUP TODAY TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS FINANCIAL RECOVERY
At Zinda Law Group, we are so incredibly sorry for the hardships you have had to navigate through because of your oil field accident. Our community and our country benefits greatly from your hard work, which is why we promise to take your injuries seriously and do everything in our power to help you overcome them.
We also understand that a part of your struggle has likely been financial. Whether it is medical bills or lost wages from taking time off work, you may be struggling to catch up. That is why we offer 100% free case consultations and a no No Win, No Fee Guarantee.
Our No Win, No Fee Guarantee assures you that if we aren’t successful in getting you the compensation you deserve, then you don’t have to pay us for our representation. So don’t wait; call us today at (800) 863-5312 to take advantage of this offer and to take the first step on your road to recovery.
Meetings with attorneys are available by appointment only.
Jason Aldridge
Attorney
We have successfully represented clients in a wide variety of cases across the country.
Available 24 / 7|Free Consultation
