Lubbock Oil Field Accident Attorney

Over the years, our West Texas city, Lubbock, has experienced significant growth as a place for oil and gas production. In 2012, media outlets spoke of many companies applying for drilling permits in Lubbock County, and currently, there may be as many as 16 of them with active wells.

While these operations can bring a lot of growth into an area, they often carry along with them the risk of injuries and deaths among workers and area residents. Each Lubbock oilfield accident lawyer knows this all too well, as we’re often the ones who victims like these reach out to when they’re hurt or lose a loved one far too soon.

If you’ve been injured in an oil field accident in Lubbock, Texas, the law may entitle you to recover compensation for your losses, like medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. At Barrera Law Group LLC, we have the experience you need to assist you in navigating the legal process so you can recover the damages you deserve. So, contact us for a consultation to discuss your case. It won’t cost you anything.

Common Causes of Injuries on Lubbock Oil Fields

In reading resources published by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and our personal experience In working with injured workers over the years, we’ve found that these are some of the most common ways in which they get hurt or lose their lives in oilfields in Lubbock, Texas:

• When moving heavy pipes on the job site
• In slip and fall incidents
• When their rig collapses
• By electrocution
• Involvement in truck accidents, such as ones between two vehicles or struck-by incidents
• From working in tight spaces and being exposed to hazardous chemicals and their toxic fumes
• Defective machinery usage or equipment failure issues
• Explosions and fires

How To Build a Strong Injury Claim After an Oilfield Accident in West Texas

Each of the ways that oilfield workers get hurt can leave them with significant injuries, making it necessary to recover compensation to pay for the bills they incur.

It’s important that you understand that oil and gas producers have obligations to keep oil fields safe. This responsibility is referred to as their duty of care. This is the same expectation of manufacturers producing machinery or heavy equipment used on these work sites. Vendors, area residents, and others must do the same when operating vehicles.

Provided you can pinpoint who breached their duty of care and show that you’ve sustained harm and losses, you have the makings of a valid claim.

In our experience handling cases like yours, the following parties are most commonly named as defendants in cases like yours:

• Oil companies
• Owners of oil fields
• Truck drivers
• Heavy equipment operators or a rental facility
• Drillers and oil pumpers
• Maintenance companies
• Machinery manufacturers and operators

Identifying what issues went wrong leading to a person’s injuries or death, which is critical for determining liability, isn’t always immediately apparent. While it’s possible to do this initially from the outset, other times, personal injury lawyers like ours must take additional steps, including:

• Securing all relevant evidence. This often includes tracking down eyewitnesses and taking their depositions.
• Bringing a reconstructionist or expert witness in to identify if some kind of occupational safety violation caused the end result. The testimony these parties can provide if a case goes to trial can be invaluable as well.

The complexities that can arise when sorting out liability and building a strong case that commands compensation are why a Lubbock oilfield accident lawyer plays a significant role. Contact us for help instead of attempting to take on oil and gas companies on your own.

Types of Compensation You Can Recover as an Injured Oilfield Worker

Texas personal injury law allows injury victims to file insurance claims or lawsuits to recover compensation for their accident-related losses, which could include economic and noneconomic damages, such as:

• Current medical bills and future medical expenses
• Occupational or physical therapy
• Lost wages and future lost earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Medications
• Medical devices
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Depending on your employment status and type of injury, such as whether it’s permanently disabling, you may also be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits or even Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Social Security Disability (SSD).

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to determining how much compensation you may be eligible to receive. Factors such as the extent of your injuries and the amount of your associated losses can affect how much you might be able to secure a settlement in your oilfield injury case. You can expect our attorneys to calculate your current and future costs and fight aggressively to ensure you get the maximum amount you’re due.

Benefits of Hiring a Lubbock Oilfield Accident Attorney

When looking for a lawyer to represent you after you’ve suffered a serious injury on an oil field, the best choice is legal counsel should have the following:

• Knowledge: It’s necessary for your legal representative to have an extensive knowledge of Texas personal injury law and the regulatory environment surrounding oil and gas extraction.
• Experience: Your lawyer needs to have experience compiling evidence necessary to identify causation in these oil field accident cases and connecting the injuries they caused to the succession of events that occurred.
• Resources: The attorney you hire needs to have industry-related contacts they can call upon for investigative support or expert witnesses to lend their expertise as to how injury incidents like yours occurred.
• Negotiation skills: Many lawyers aim to settle their clients’ cases out of court to keep costs low. Doing this can require extensive negotiation with insurance adjusters representing defendants. Thus, any lawyer you hire to handle your oil field injury case must be a skilled negotiator. This can be done to avoid a costly trial.
• Willingness to go to trial: Not all defendants will reach the same conclusions regarding liability for the oilfield accident that you and your attorney do, nor will they be willing to offer fair compensation if they do. Thus, going to trial may be necessary. It’s important that your legal representative is an experienced trial lawyer in case escalating the matter becomes necessary to secure the compensation you deserve.

Get Help After Suffering Injuries on an Oil Field in Lubbock, TX

Here at Barrera Law Group, we’re committed to providing our clients with not only aggressive representation but also personalized attention along the way. We treat you with empathy and are keen to communicate with you every step of the way, from the initial moment you reach out to us to schedule your free initial consultation.

The window during which you can file a workplace injury claim in Texas is very small. Also, the longer you wait to begin compiling evidence in your case, the harder it may be to do so. This is why it’s important to reach out to a Lubbock oilfield accident lawyer as soon as possible for assistance. This is your best option to ensure you meet important deadlines necessary to preserve your rights. So contact us to schedule a free consultation to discuss the serious oilfield accident that injured you today.