The Permian Basin is one of the largest and top-producing oil fields in the United States and the world. Situated in West Texas and Southeast New Mexico, the Permian Basin is a valuable source of oil and natural gas. Drilling in the Permian Basin has increased in the last few decades and remained steady. Experts say that drilling for oil and natural gas in the region could continue for years to come.
Permian Basin Oil Field Injury Accidents
With the flurry of drilling activity in the Permian Basin, oil field accidents in the region are on the rise. In fact, the Houston Chronicle reports that oil and natural gas drilling may be the most dangerous profession in Texas. Oil field injury accidents are a common problem. An accident can be devastating to the victim and their family.
Responding to a Permian Basin Oil Field Injury Accident
When an oil field accident occurs, the accident victim and their family often lack the resources that they need to respond to the accident appropriately. The victim’s employer may try to steer the victim towards workers’ compensation, but the workers’ compensation system has limitations that may not adequately compensate the losses of the accident victim. Without the help of experienced oil field injury lawyers, it can be impossible to know how to respond to an accident in the Permian Basin oil field.
Causes of Accidents in the Permian Basin Oil Fields
Very few accidents in the oil field and natural gas drilling profession are truly accidents. Most often, an oil field accident can be traced back to the negligence, recklessness or intentional behavior of one or more parties. Tracing the accident back to the cause is an essential step for a victim to receive appropriate compensation after an accident in the Permian Basin oil fields.
Companies who employ people to work in the Permian Basin oil fields have a legal obligation to work carefully. Employers must ensure that their operations are run with reasonable care and safety measures. The standard that applies to Permian Basin oil field drilling companies is the standard of what a reasonable and careful drilling company would do in the same situation. When an accident occurs, it may be the result of failure to exercise reasonable care. Some of the causes of oil field accidents are the following:
- Using heavy machinery inappropriately or without the proper safeguards
- Rigs that are not secured
- Failing to maintain infrastructure during work
- Working with inadequate tools and machinery
- Failing to inspect tools and machinery to notice defects
- Working without providing employees the appropriate safety equipment
- Outdated safety equipment
- Failing to train how to use safety equipment
- Hazardous chemical explosions from not properly securing chemicals
- Signage or labeling errors that lead to mistakes
- Requiring workers to continue for unreasonable periods without adequate rest
- Asking workers to perform tasks without proper training
- Refusing to take action when workers report concerns
- Equipment that is defective or poorly designed
Most oil field accidents can be traced back to the actions or even inaction of one or more parties. Even if you aren’t aware of the cause of the accident, you can work with an oil field accident attorney to investigate and determine the cause of the accident. Uncovering the cause of the accident may not be easy, but an experienced attorney for oil field accidents knows how to use the legal system to conduct an independent investigation and gather evidence.
Permian Basin Oil Field Accident Attorneys
When an oil field accident occurs, an experienced Permian Basin oil field accident attorney can help you respond appropriately. While workers’ compensation is one avenue that may provide you welcome relief without requiring you to prove fault or negligence, other legal options may be available that may also be appropriate. In the case of an oil field accident, there are often third-party contractors and other entities that are involved in the events leading to the accident.
You may qualify to bring a negligence action against the responsible company or party for the accident. A negligence action allows for a wide range of tort-related damages. The primary difference between workers’ compensation and a negligence action is that a negligence action allows you to claim compensation for non-economic damages like physical pain, mental injuries and emotional suffering. The compensation that you may receive in a negligence action may be much greater than what you might receive in a workers’ compensation action.
How a Lawyer for Permian Basin Oil Field Accidents Can Help You
When you’re hurt in an oil field accident, having a qualified attorney that handles oil field accidents on your side is critical to ensuring that you respond to the accident appropriately and get the relief that you deserve. Having experienced counsel represent you can help you fight back against those responsible trying to confuse the issues or taking steps to mislead you. It can help you do everything that you can and should do to get the compensation that you deserve.
Your attorney can help you take the necessary steps to demand the preservation of evidence. They can help you work quickly to identify witnesses and gather testimony soon after the accident while witnesses can remember the details. There may be key details that seem unimportant now that may actually be critical to the claim later on.
When you have an experienced attorney working for you, and with you, you don’t have to worry about having direct contact with the responsible party. You don’t have to worry if you’re going to say the wrong thing because your attorney speaks on your behalf whether you’re talking with the other party or going before a judge in court. Your counsel handles the whole case for you to ensure that you take the necessary steps to get the result that you deserve.
Working With an Experienced Permian Basin Injury Attorney
Your time to bring a claim after an oil field injury is limited. It’s important to speak with an experienced attorney as soon as you can to begin working on your case. There may be multiple ways that you need to make reports and take steps to pursue compensation. If you’re hurt in a Permian Basin injury accident, don’t wait to take action. Help is only a phone call away. A Permian Basin oil field injury lawyer can help you work quickly with a plan to help you get the compensation that you deserve.
