Offshore work is one of the most dangerous occupations someone can find. It’s been dramatized on movies and TV, it’s been talked about in the news, and with good reason – oil rig work requires constantly putting your life on the line and facing potential accidents, damage, and hazards both on the rig and from the ocean surrounding you.
Getting injured on an oil rig can cost you your health, your stability, and even your ability to continue earning wages, and there are a lot of potential causes of these injuries. But whatever might have happened, oil rig workers in the Gulf Coast are still protected by maritime law and are entitled to seek compensation for any injury or loss they suffer while working.
What Are Some Common Causes Of Oil Rig Injuries?
Oil rig work is inherently dangerous. The machinery is heavy-duty and requires intense training to operate, the conditions on the ocean are frequently hazardous, and any breakdown in the machinery can lead to massive problems and even destruction.
The constant state of expansion in the oil industry doesn’t make things any easier. As oil rigs increase in number and spread out into even more dangerous territories, the risks increase right along with it. In many cases, these injuries were found to be caused by employer negligence, or an offshore company not doing as much as it should have to protect its workers. These businesses are in it to make money and not protect their workers, which can often lead to negligence and accident through carelessness. Some of these accidents can include:
- Co-employee negligence
- Equipment malfunction
- Inadequate equipment
- Inadequate manpower
- Improper work procedures
- Inclement weather
- Fire
- Crushing accident
- Explosion
- Slip and fall accident
- Failure to provide a safe place to work
What Are My Options If I Am Injured While Working On An Oil Rig?
If you are hurt working on an oil rig, then you need to contact a maritime injury attorney immediately. Only by working with an experienced maritime lawyer like O’Bryan Law can you work to receive the full compensation you’re entitled to for your injuries.
Don’t let the oil companies take more from you than they already have. Contact us today for a free consultation.
