Oilfields are high-risk work environments. Accidents can happen, and if they do, catastrophic injuries can result. Aside from the physical harm you can sustain, you can also suffer psychological injuries that lower your quality of life.
Take a closer look below at the types of psychological injuries you can experience in an oilfield accident.
Understanding Psychological Injuries After an Accident
After living through or witnessing a traumatic incident, it’s possible to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is a mental health condition that can cause a variety of symptoms, such as intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, negative changes in mood or thinking, sleeping problems, and many other issues.
PTSD can cause you to avoid anything related to the traumatic event, so getting back to work in the oilfield may become difficult or impossible. All too often, PTSD symptoms and the way they impact your life can also be exacerbated by anxiety and depression.
Depression is a disorder that can result in persistent feelings of sadness and a lack of interest in things you once loved. Anxiety, another mental health condition, is a response to worry, fear, or unease, triggering the body’s fight-or-flight response.
Although anxiety can be a normal response to certain situations, if it interferes with daily life or becomes persistent, you may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.
Factors That May Increase Your Risk of Developing Psychological Injuries
Not everyone who goes through a traumatic event will develop PTSD or any other psychological injury. Many people recover naturally from the event or sustain only temporary distress, but others require assistance to get through the trauma.
Certain factors can impact your chances of developing a psychological injury. The severity and type of trauma, as well as whether you have support from family and friends, will make a difference. People who suffer severe injuries and those who are more isolated and don’t have a support system can have a higher risk of developing these conditions.
Can You File a Claim for a Psychological Injury in Texas?
If you have developed a psychological injury from being in an oilfield accident, you may be eligible to receive compensation, but your options depend on the circumstances of your accident.
Most oilfield workers are employees, so they might qualify for workers’ compensation after suffering a workplace injury if their employer is a subscriber. If your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance, you usually can’t file a personal injury claim against them.
If available, workers’ comp can provide coverage for medical care and wage-replacement benefits. You will have to be officially diagnosed with the condition by a mental health professional and provide proof of how severely the condition affects your life. Additionally, you will have to prove that the injury occurred in the workplace.
If the injury you sustained occurred because of a third party, like a subcontractor, then you may also be able to pursue a personal injury claim against them. These legal actions allow you to obtain compensation for the physical and emotional distress you have experienced.
Contact a Houston Oilfield Accident Lawyer at Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP for Legal Help
Being in an accident in an oilfield can leave you with physical and emotional injuries that prevent you from working and living your life as you used to. Through a workers’ compensation or personal injury claim, you can receive the financial support you need to address your medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses.
To have the best chance to recover what you need, it’s important to hire an experienced attorney to help you. They can negotiate aggressively with insurance companies and, if needed, take the case to court so that you can receive what you deserve for what you’ve suffered.
For more information, contact a Houston oilfield accident lawyer at Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP for a free consultation about your situation and your right to compensation.
Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP