Tyler Oil Field Accident Attorney

For the more than 100,000 residents of Tyler, most of them prefer that our eastern Texas city continues to be known as the hub for rose cultivation rather than what it’s become more of in recent years: an oil and gas extractors’ playground. The fracking industry, as it’s called, has brought a lot of extra traffic, noise, and other added disturbances and potential dangers to life and limb into the area. In terms of the latter, almost any Tyler oilfield accident lawyer can attest to this, as we regularly help victims hold parties liable for hurting them or causing their loss of life.

Here at Barrera Law Group LLC, we want to support you if you were hurt as a worker on one of these oil and gas extraction job sites or if you lost a family member employed at one. We can also help you if you happen to live or were traveling in the area when someone involved in this industry did something that left you injured, ill, or harmed in some other way. Fill out one of our free consultation forms on this page or call the number on the top right-hand corner of your screen to speak with an attorney about your legal rights today.

Types of Oilfield Accidents We Have Experience Helping With

Many risks can potentially endanger the lives of workers and others on or near oil fields. Per the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OHSA) and conversations with prospective clients that reach out to our legal team for assistance after they’ve been hurt, some of the most pressing dangers workers face include:

• By tripping and falling from slippery platforms
• When defective equipment malfunctions resulting in limbs being caught in machinery or explosions occurring
• Struck-by injuries, such as when a heavy pipe falls atop a worker’s head, knocking them unconscious
• In a transportation accident, whether it’s when heavy machinery collides with them or they’re involved in a crash with another vehicle when entering or exiting the oil field

Of course, there are many other ways workers and area residents get hurt, and we handle those, too, which is why we encourage you to reach out to discuss your injury or loved one’s deadly incident and your rights following it.

Injuries Often Sustained by Those Hurt in Tyler, TX Oil Fields

Our experience includes helping those who’ve suffered catastrophic injuries such as the following:

• Spinal cord damage leading to paralysis
• Internal organ damage with internal bleeding
• Hearing loss
• Broken bones
• Loss of vision
• Traumatic brain injuries

We also represent the surviving family members of deceased oil and gas workers in their filing of wrongful death claims.

Legal Options Available to You After an Oilfield Accident in Tyler, TX

Not everyone who gets hurt on an oil field will be eligible to take legal action to recover compensation for their injuries. To illustrate this point, take into account the following two examples:

• Workers’ compensation coverage will typically cover any work-related injuries or illnesses, but it doesn’t cover employees who get hurt while engaging in horseplay
• In Texas, we have a modified comparative fault system in place, which precludes personal injury victims 51% or more liable for their accident from recovering compensation for their injuries

As you can likely tell from that last example, proving negligence occurred and determining liability for it is a critical component to determining if an oil and gas industry victim has any legal options and, if so, what they are. It’s not something that’s necessarily clear from the outset without launching an investigation into what caused the incident and whose actions contributed to its occurrence.

Also, not every person who can take legal action will have the same options available to them.

Your burden of proof may be different depending on whether you’re filing an injury or wrongful death claim, which is why it can be helpful to consult with a legal representative to ensure you’re eligible to pursue certain types of legal options.

Who Is Liable for an Injury or Wrongful Death Occurring on an Oil Field?

There’s not one straightforward answer for who is liable for these incidents. That being said, a list of potential defendants could include:

• The property owner (which could be an oil producer or landowner they rent from)
• An oil and gas industry employer
• A security company (that failed to adequately secure the premises)
• A machine, heavy equipment, tool, or parts manufacturer
• A motorist
• An independent contractor (or subcontractor)

Remember how we said earlier that not everyone hurt in an oil and gas accident has the same options for suing different players in the industry? Your relationship (or lack thereof) with the company responsible for drilling the well or managing extraction operations from it will dictate who you may be able to hold accountable for the harm it caused you.

To better understand this, take the following examples into account:

• You get hurt on the job and work directly for the employer: They’ll likely have workers’ compensation coverage you can file a claim with or be self-insured, in which case you might be able to file a civil lawsuit against them to recover your damages.
• You are a contractor hurt while using machinery on an oil and gas worksite: This may allow you to file a third-party claim against the product manufacturer if you were using it per specifications and it harmed you.
• A trespasser got past security and created an environmental risk affecting your health and safety as a nearby resident: You may have a valid reason to pursue a civil lawsuit against the oil and gas company for inadequately securing the premises.

So, as you can tell, there are defendants you can pursue for damages, depending on their role in causing oil and gas extraction disasters. This is why it’s imperative to speak with an attorney about your unique case so that they can review your unique situation and help you determine who’s liable for the harm you suffered. From there, they can tell you what your legal options are.

A conversation with a Tyler oilfield accident lawyer can be extremely beneficial in helping you understand liability in your case. So, schedule your free consultation with our legal team at Barrera Law Group today.