It’s no secret that oil rigs are dangerous places to work. Injuries on oil rigs are manifold and might include burns, being crushed or maimed by machinery, falls, injuries from lifting heavy objects, and other accidents.
Workers on oil rigs who are involved in a workplace accident suffer many different personal injuries, including concussions, head or traumatic brain injuries, back or spinal injuries, internal injuries, and in the most severe cases, even catastrophic injuries or death.
If you’ve been injured while working on an oil rig, you are entitled to medical care and treatment and may be able to recover compensation for the financial losses you have incurred. It is important; however, that you take certain steps to protect your legal rights and ensure you receive the care you need.
What Steps Should You Take After an Oil Rig Accident?
If you’ve been invoiced in an accident on an Oil Rig, there are several steps you’ll need to take to help speed your recovery and potential compensation.
Get to Safety
First, get to a safe place, check yourself and any other victims for injuries, and call the authorities. Getting to safety and taking stock of your injuries is paramount, as is calling for help. It is possible that you are suffering from injuries that are not readily visible or ascertainable, and taking the time to check for them can make a big difference in your recovery. The authorities will conduct an investigation of the scene and the conditions that led up to the accident.
Document Everything
Document the accident and take photos of your own. It is important to preserve evidence in your case and to have a clear understanding of what happened. Take pictures of the scene, any personal injuries, and any issues that suggest hazardous or unsafe working conditions. Also, write down your account of what happened as soon as possible, and ask any witnesses to do the same, so that you can have documentation of what they observed.
Seek Medical Attention
Even if you don’t think your injuries are serious, some medical issues don’t manifest until much later, so it is important to get checked out, whether it be going to emergency care or receiving care at the scene from emergency medical personnel. After the accident, continue to seek out medical care from your trusted providers — it is important that you get the testing, treatments, and care you need to get better.
Notify Your Employer
Notify your employer of your injuries. Even if the accident is readily apparent to your employer, it is important that you let them know exactly what happened and that you were injured. If you fail to notify your workplace of your injuries, not only do you risk discipline as an employee, but you also may lose out on your right to recover compensation.
Secure Legal Help
Contact an experienced personal injury lawyer to discuss your legal rights and options. An attorney who handles oil rig claims can be extremely helpful. They will investigate the facts of your accident, assess the full value of your damages, and help you preserve important evidence in your case. They will also negotiate on your behalf with the employer, any other parties, and the insurance companies involved.
Why Do You Need An Attorney After an Oil Rig Accident?
Navigating the complexities of the legal system while also working with the insurance companies involved can quickly turn into a nightmare for laypeople. Negotiations can often be one-sided without the help of a knowledgeable attorney. After all, the goal of the other parties and their insurance companies will be to pay out as little as possible in compensation to you.
With your attorney’s help, file a claim with the appropriate parties. The types of claims that may be available to you might vary. They may include a claim for negligence against the party who is responsible for the accident, a claim against those liable for any malfunctioning or dangerous equipment or machinery, as well as a worker’s compensation claim to help you recoup compensation for injuries suffered at work.
You may also need to file a claim with the insurance companies involved. This can prove stressful and complicated, and you may find it difficult to go up against large insurance companies. Consulting with an experienced oil rig injury attorney is essential, so that you can go over your potential claim options and make sure you are filing the correct claims against the correct parties in the correct venue.
How Can Johnson Garcia Help After Your Oil Rig Accident?
Oil rig accident claims can be complex, raising various questions of liability and damages, particularly when insurance companies are involved. The attorneys at Johnson Garcia have more than 35 years of experience in helping victims of even the most severe workplace injuries obtain sizable settlements and resolve their claims. If you’ve been injured on an oil rig at work, call our Houston-based legal team at Johnson Garcia. If the other party or their insurance company is not negotiating fairly, the personal injury attorneys at Johnson Garcia will file a lawsuit on your behalf and take your case to trial, if needed. We can be reached by phone at 832-844-6700.
