Houston Offshore Accident Lawyer

Offshore workers who suffer serious injuries while on the job in the Gulf Coast need a Houston offshore accident lawyer to fight for them in a court of law. If you or a loved one were injured in an offshore accident, you are not alone. Injuries due to dangerous conditions on oil rigs and offshore platforms are all too common for offshore workers. To ensure that victims and their families receive the justice they deserve, it is imperative that anyone involved in an offshore accident speak with a trusted personal injury lawyer before accepting compensation from an employer.

You should not have to risk your life to provide for your family. The offshore accident lawyers at Grimes & Fertitta are aggressive, compassionate, and experienced in the complexities of maritime and admiralty law — and are just a phone call away.

Common types of offshore accidents

Working for an oil company is dangerous. Being an offshore worker in the oil and gas industry comes with the hazards inherent to heavy machinery, flammable liquids and gas, and toxic chemicals. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has strict guidelines put in place that attempt to reduce the high rate at which offshore workers are exposed to dangerous conditions.

Some of the more common oil rig accidents on offshore platforms include:

• Accidents caused by improperly trained heavy machinery operators
• Explosions or fires due to uncontrolled flammable substances
• Exposure to uncontrolled toxic materials
• Transportation accidents due to operator negligence or equipment failure
• Disorganized tools or materials causing slips and falls
• Disorganized tools or materials falling and striking workers

If you were injured offshore, you need to contact an offshore injury lawyer as soon as possible. These accidents are usually the cause of negligence on behalf of a person or entity, which may entitle you to more than the narrow damage parameters of worker’s compensation, which do not account for pain and suffering, mental anguish, or wrongful death.

We know that the oil and gas industry isn’t just dangerous for offshore workers. If you or a loved one work ashore, and have been the victim of a pipeline or plant explosion, a plant explosion lawyer from Grimes & Fertitta can help you seek justice.

Common injuries from offshore accidents

The nature of your injury is just as crucial to the case as how the injury came about. Whether you were injured because of equipment failure, crew negligence, or organizational apathy, your life will be impacted just the same. Some workplace injury examples from offshore platforms include:

• Back injuries
• Head injuries from falling heavy equipment and tools
• Broken bones and lost limbs from heavy machinery
• Burns and lung damage from fires and explosions
• Toxic exposure due to hazardous materials

OSHA and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report that over 4,000 injuries are sustained in the oil field every year — and these are just the reported injuries. Accidents and injuries are lurking around every corner of an oil rig. Don’t let yourself become a victim of negligence after risking your life for your employer, call a Houston offshore accident lawyer and fight for what you deserve.

Damages in an offshore accident

Although Texas offers its workers “no-fault” worker’s compensation, worker’s compensation does not cover most of the damages that are often sought in a personal injury lawsuit. You can think of worker’s compensation as a settlement, it often looks like the right move, but can limit you from getting what you truly deserve. There are many types of damages that can be pursued by workplace injury attorneys in a personal injury lawsuit, including:

Special compensatory damages

Special compensatory damages are often the only things being accounted for in a worker’s compensation settlement.

• Medical expenses resulting from the accident
• Personal property damage or loss
• Loss of past and future wages

General compensatory damages

• Pain and suffering, which includes mental and physical conditions that you will be impacted by in the long term
• Mental anguish, like depression or PTSD, resulting from the accident
• Physical impairment or disfigurement that will prevent you from functioning at the level that you did before the accident

Wrongful death damages

A wrongful death claim in Texas includes not just the missing monetary contributions of the deceased but can also include:

• Funeral expenses
• Loss of financial contribution
• Loss of companionship

Punitive damages

Punitive damages are intended to dissuade the party at fault from behaving in the same manner in the future and are much less common in personal injury cases.