If you were injured in an oil rig explosion or an oil and gas drilling accident at work, you may be eligible for significant compensation. When a death occurs, family members may be able to file an explosion wrongful death lawsuit.
Oil rig and drilling work ranks as one of the most dangerous jobs in the U.S. Data from the CDC shows that workers in the oil and gas extraction industry are seven times more likely to die on the job than the average worker. The risk of injury and death is even higher when oil and gas companies fail to provide proper safety training or the job site lacks safe machinery and equipment.
Can I Sue for a Work Explosion?
Yes, if you were burned in an explosion at work, you may be able to sue the property owner, the operator, a third-party contractor, an equipment manufacturer, and any other companies whose negligence caused your injuries.
In most workplace injury cases, you will have a workers’ compensation claim against your employer. Unfortunately, workers’ compensation insurance rarely provides full compensation. When a third-party company is involved, such as the manufacturer of defective equipment, you may have a personal injury claim, which allows you to sue for damages that are not covered by worker’s compensation.
When you work with our burn injury legal team, we immediately start an independent investigation to find these third-party companies. Our gas explosion lawyers have the experience and resources to go up against large oil and gas companies. Led by attorney Eric Hageman, our legal team has won hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients, including a significant recovery for a woman who was burned in a gas explosion at work.
Contact Eric today and find out how you can get compensation and justice
1-888-377-8900 (Toll-Free) | attorneys@pritzerlaw.com
Recent News: Oil and Gas Rig Explosions and Drilling Accidents
Oil Rig Explosion in North Dakota Injures 3 Black Hawk Energy Workers
September 2, 2022 – Three Blackhawk Energy workers were injured in an oil rig explosion in Mountrail County. At the time of the blast, a crew was working on a workover oil rig owned by Chord Energy. The three burn victims were transported to the burn unit at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, MN. Investigators from OSHA, the companies, and state regulatory authorities are looking into the cause of the oil rig explosion.
Oklahoma Oil and Gas Drilling Rig Explosion Kills 5
January 24, 2018 – Five workers died after an oil and gas drilling rig near Quinton, OK exploded. Twenty-two people were working at the well site, which was being drilled for Red Mountain Energy by Patterson-UTI. Seventeen people escaped. The bodies of five men were found in a rig floor office room referred to as the “dog house.” They were identified as Roger Cunningham, Josh Ray, Cody Risk, Matt Smith, and Parker Waldridge.
According to an Associated Press report, Patterson-UTI has a long history of fatal accidents. Over the past decade, 10 workers have died at drilling sites in Colorado, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and Texas. During the same time period, Patterson-UTI had more than 140 safety violations.
Clovelly Oil Rig Explosion in Louisiana Injures 7, Kills 1
October 15, 2017 – Seven people were injured and one died after an oil rig owned by Clovelly Oil exploded in Louisiana. The following crew members were on a transfer platform when the rig exploded:
- Devin Billiot (27) of Houma, LA
- James Bordelon (62) of Laplace, LA
- Cody Boudreaux (23) of Chauvin, LA
- Lawrence Dufrene (45) of Marrero, LA
- Alvin Kembrel (55) of Belle Chasse, LA
- Timothy Morrison (44) of Katy, TX
- Brent Neil (52) of Houma, LA
- Paul Pfister (52) of Mandeville, LA
Bordelon underwent surgery at University Medical Center (UMC) in New Orleans. Kembrel and Dufrene were in serious condition at Baton Rouge General Hospital. Sadly, Morrison died in the explosion. Search and rescue found his body on the shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain five days later.
Five Workers Injured in Kansas Oil Rig Explosion
December 12, 2016 – Five Murfin Drilling workers were injured when an oil rig in Kansas exploded. The Wallace County Sheriff’s Office says the workers were performing a drill stem test when gas leaked out of a pipe fitting. Investigators believe an electrical problem caused the gas to ignite. OSHA data shows that Murfin Drilling has been cited for safety violations seven times over the past decade, including a fatal incident on a Kansas job site in 2008.