Were you injured in an oil rig explosion in Houston, Texas, or the surrounding area? Oil rig explosions can cause devastating injuries, permanent disabilities, and significant financial hardships for workers and their families. If your injuries resulted from unsafe working conditions, defective equipment, or another party’s negligence, you may be entitled to substantial compensation.
At Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP, our experienced Houston oil rig explosion lawyers are committed to holding negligent parties accountable and helping injured workers pursue the compensation they deserve. Contact us today at (713) 230-2200 for a free consultation to discuss your case and explore your legal options.
Why Choose Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP for Your Oil Rig Explosion Case in Houston, TX?
Oilfield accident cases involve complex maritime laws, federal safety regulations, and large corporate entities. They demand law firms with extensive experience and resources that can take the case all the way.
Williams Hart & Boundas can level the playing field for you.
Here’s what sets our Houston personal injury lawyers apart:
- 40 years of experience representing workers and families harmed by the energy industry’s failures.
- A record of landmark results, including $24 billion for clients nationwide.
- Recognized for excellence by Texas Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers in America, among others.
- No fees unless we win. We handle every oilfield explosion case on a contingency fee basis.
Contact our Houston oilfield accident attorneys for a free consultation to learn more about your rights.
What Causes Oil Rig Explosions in Texas?
Industrial explosions typically happen when operators bypass safety protocols or equipment fails. In other words, they are typically preventable and based on negligence of some kind.
Our attorneys regularly investigate common causes, including:
- Well blowouts that can trigger sudden and dangerous ignitions of gas and oil.
- Equipment failure, such as poorly maintained valves, pipes, or heavy machinery rupturing under high pressure.
- Improper welding near volatile fumes without proper precautions.
- Damaged or faulty wiring that can ignite flammable vapors present on the rig.
- Improper storage or mixing of volatile fluids that trigger chemical fires.
- Safety violations related to inadequate employee training and skipped inspections.
Rig explosions cause severe injuries, such as catastrophic burns, spinal trauma, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, hearing loss, and toxic chemical exposure. Many result in the wrongful death of multiple workers.
Who Can Be Held Liable for Oil Rig Explosions in Texas?
Multiple entities may share financial liability in an oilfield disaster. Each one can be held liable for their portion of negligence.
Examples include:
- Platform operators responsible for overall facility safety and maintenance
- Drilling contractors whose personnel or equipment contributed to the hazard
- Equipment manufacturers liable for defective machinery or faulty safety devices
- Third-party vendors performing specialized services on site
Identifying all negligent parties significantly increases the potential compensation available for injured workers.
What Damages Can You Recover After a Houston Oilfield Injury?
An oil rig explosion can cause life-altering harm, destroy your career, and disrupt every part of your daily routine. Financial compensation should address the entire picture of your losses.
Injured victims can seek full recovery for damages, including:
- Medical care
- Lost income
- Diminished future earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Psychological trauma
- Permanent scarring or physical disfigurement
- Loss of life enjoyment
In wrongful death cases, surviving relatives may pursue funeral expenses, loss of financial support, companionship, and pre-death pain endured by a deceased worker. An experienced attorney collaborates with experts in multiple fields to calculate all your damages accurately.
Shared Fault in Texas Oilfield Explosion Cases
After an explosion, companies often try to blame workers to avoid paying claims.
How fault affects your payout depends on whether the accident happened on land or offshore:
- Onshore (Texas Law): Under Texas modified comparative fault laws, you can still recover compensation as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Your payout is reduced by your percentage of responsibility. If you are found to be more than 50% at fault, you cannot recover damages.
- Offshore (Maritime Law): If you were hurt on a vessel or offshore rig, federal maritime law may apply. It does not cut you off at 50%. You can still recover compensation even if you share fault, though your payout will be reduced accordingly.
Explosions are almost never caused by a single worker. They usually happen because of cut corners, poor maintenance, or skipped safety checks. Our attorneys work to hold the real negligent parties accountable and prevent companies from pinning their failures on you.
How Long Do You Have to File an Oilfield Accident Case?
Filing deadlines in oilfield explosion cases are not uniform. If your injury happened on navigable waters or involved offshore operations, federal maritime law may apply. If the accident happened on land or at a refinery, Texas state law usually gives you a two-year window to initiate legal action.
In some cases, both laws might apply, so determining the right deadline requires consulting with an attorney who knows how to calculate the window.
Contact a Houston Oil Rig Explosion Attorney for a Free Consultation
You have rights if you were injured in an oil rig explosion. An experienced attorney can help you protect those rights and pursue accountability from all the parties who contributed to the incident.
Williams Hart & Boundas, LLP has spent 40 years fighting for injured workers. We have the resources and trial experience required to pursue full compensation for your injuries. Call today for a free case evaluation with a Houston oil rig explosion attorney.