Drilling for oil is dangerous work that requires the use of heavy equipment, high-speed machinery, lifting of pipe and equipment, pressurizing the well, pipes and vessels and the use of combustibles. Most oilfield accidents are caused by catastrophic equipment failure, faulty communication between the various operators and inadequately trained employees, inadequate safeguards, lack of safety meetings, rushed work environment and violations of safety policies and procedures. At every turn and in every phase of work in the oil field, there are opportunities for small mistakes that have enormous consequences. If a drilling rig is not rigged properly, if the drilling rig has worn out or defective equipment, careless employees, incorrectly installed or improperly maintained tools or riggings or if a rig is operated by workers who are overworked, fatigued, intoxicated, rushed, inexperienced or poorly trained, it can result in rig accidents with severe injuries and deaths.

Oilrig Accidents on the Rise in the Oil Patch

Toolpushers, drillers, roughnecks, roustabouts, and others in the oil field deserve a safe place to work. When an oil rig drilling accident occurs because of conditions that are unsafe or preventable, or because of defective or poorly maintained equipment, or as a result of negligent acts of parties involved in the operations being conducted at the drill site, laws in this country entitle the injured worker to compensation.

It takes the skill and knowledge of an experienced oilfield accident attorney to successfully evaluate and handle the claims of workers who are injured in oil rig drilling accidents. Care must be taken to determine just who at an oil rig is responsible for causing an accident. Third parties such as a contractor, subcontractor, company man, drilling rig owner or even a co-employee may be responsible for safety lapses that directly leads to a injury accident. In certain accidents, the defectively designed or manufactured piece of equipment or tool may be at fault in causing a catastrophic accident. In those cases, a product liability lawsuit / third party negligence claim may be in order. While every oil field accident is different from the next, sadly simple common acts of negligence, carelessness or omissions in safety occur time and time again. It is for these reasons that legal claims and lawsuits are needed not only to compensate the injured party or surviving family members, but to also serve as a lesson or deterrent to others to prevent similar tragedies in the future.