Any explosion can lead to catastrophic injuries for victims. Oil rig explosions tend to be particularly severe and often result in tremendous injury or death for victims. For an oil rig worker, an explosion is the most dangerous incident that can occur. Unfortunately, oil platforms are high-risk areas for explosions and they are often caused by an employer’s negligence.
If you or someone you care about has been injured and needs help from an oil rig explosion attorney, contact the Doan Law Firm today. Our team is ready to investigate what happened so we can secure any compensation you may be entitled to.
In the aftermath of an oil rig explosion injury, you need to turn to an explosion attorney that has a deep understanding of the emotions and concerns victims and their families experience. You can count on the Doan Law Firm to be by your side.
Your attorney will be responsible for investigating every aspect of your case. This includes:
There are various causes of oil rig explosions. Those who work on oil rigs operate with or near heavy machinery and combustible substances on a daily basis. Because these oil rigs are in unpredictable environments (rough seas and weather), all it takes is a single mistake, machinery defect, or an untrained person to cause a serious explosion.
Some of the most common hazards that can lead to oil rig explosions include:
There are various types of injuries that can occur in an oil rig explosion, including those caused by the explosion itself as well as injuries caused by secondary explosion effects.
An explosion usually results in a pressure wave that can cause extensive damage to any gas-filled structures inside the human body. The injuries caused by an explosion wave can include:
Additionally, injuries can be caused by the human body impacting objects due to the force of the explosion as well as by debris flying through the air. These injuries can include:
Finally, there are several injuries, illnesses, and diseases that can be the result of an explosion or due to exacerbation of existing medical conditions after the explosion. These injuries can include:
The most important part of the process of recovering compensation after an oil rig explosion is determining liability. In these cases, there can be one or more parties responsible for what happened.
Oil rig owners or operators could be held liable for explosion incidents. In most cases, companies will claim that an explosion was a freak accident and that nobody was to blame. Unfortunately, it is often the case that companies push profits over safety, jeopardizing the lives of everyone on an oil rig. Employers have a duty to ensure that their employees have a safe working environment. This includes their responsibility for inspecting and maintaining all equipment onboard the vessel. If they fail to do so, worn and faulty equipment could lead to a catastrophic explosion.
Safety standards and protocols are of the utmost importance on an oil rig. Employers must ensure that every worker understands the safety protocols and that they regularly receive training updates.
There may be times when equipment used on an oil rig came from the manufacturer defective. If this is the case, the company or manufacturer that sold the faulty product could be held liable in the event an explosion occurs.
Oil rig explosions will likely be treated differently than most workers’ compensation claims. In many cases, you may be required to use the Jones Act to secure compensation. This law applies to any seaman who is employed on a vessel on a navigable waterway in the US, was contributing to the vessel’s function, and was connected to the vessel substantially at the time of their injury.
If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an oil rig explosion, contact the Doan Law Firm immediately. Our knowledgeable and experienced team is ready to get to work investigating every aspect of what happened in order to ensure you receive the compensation you are entitled to. This can include:
When you need an oil rig explosion attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by calling 1 (800) 349-0000.