Oil field injuries can have multiple causes that include:
- Truck accidents
- Pipeline explosions
- Gas compressor station explosions and fires
- Rig blowouts
- Rig collapses
- Fires and explosions
- Equipment failure
- Exposure to toxic fumes
- Falls from rigs and other equipment
- Contractor negligence or recklessness
Working in an oil field often has all the risks of working on a construction site — working with heavy equipment, moving heavy pieces of pipeline and other construction materials — but with the additional increased risk of fire, exposure to toxic fumes, and explosions.
As noted in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2011 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, the relative risk of working in the private mining industry (which includes oil and gas extraction as well as traditional mineral mining) varies pretty wildly from year to year. This is probably because relatively few people work in the industry, but single accidents can result in multiple injuries and deaths.
Many people injured on-the-job in oil fields can pursue third parties for financial liability for their injuries in addition to traditional workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation, while effective at preventing acute financial distress among injured or disabled workers, rarely fully compensates injured oil field workers for their pain and suffering. However, where your injury results from defective machinery and equipment or from other third-party negligence, you may have the option of pursuing additional compensation. As soon as you can after an oil field injury, you should speak with an Oklahoma personal injury lawyer with experience defending the rights of oil field injury victims. A seasoned oil field accident attorney can help you get the medical coverage and compensation you deserve to fully recover from your accident.