The offshore oil rig industry is vital for the local job market, the United States energy sector, and the national economy. Unfortunately, oil rig workers face many risks while completing their job duties. You can turn to a New Orleans oil rig accident lawyer for help if you sustain injuries.
A New Orleans maritime injury lawyer can offer solutions to bring you fair compensation for all of your losses. An experienced attorney from our team at Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers can assist with all your legal needs. We can apply more than three decades of combined experience to your claim.
You can find out more by calling or completing our online contact form.
Can You Get Compensation After an Oil Rig Injury?
Federal and state legislation provides maritime workers, such as those working on oil rigs, the legal right to pursue damages from employers after suffering injuries in an offshore accident. Depending on their unique circumstances, maritime workers, crew, and seamen have different options for taking legal action.
A New Orleans personal injury lawyer can explain all of your options.
The most well-known statute is the Jones Act, also commonly called the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. According to 46 United States Code of Laws § 688, the Jones Act allows injured oil rig crew members to recover damages from their employers, including money to pay for:
Current and Future Medical Expenses
Maritime accidents on an oil rig can result in catastrophic injuries, including concussions, neck and back injuries, broken bones, burns, and drowning. An oil rig accident injury attorney in New Orleans can help injured workers sustain money to pay for their:
- Emergency care and transport back to shore and a medical facility
- Time in a hospital
- Medical tests and all required procedures
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Medications
You can learn more about the money available to pay for medical bills caused by severe injuries with a personal injury law firm dedicated to meeting your needs.
Lost Wages
An offshore injury attorney may help you get the money you need to cover the wages you lost while recovering from an oil rig accident. In some cases, you may experience a disability due to the severity of your injuries.
In this case, your maritime injury attorney may help you get funds to cover your lost wage–earning capacity. You can get legal representation to increase your odds of securing fair damages for these losses.
You may also receive payment for your vocational retraining costs in some cases.
Pain and Suffering
Oil rig workers injured on the job often face long-term mental anguish and emotional suffering. Your personal injury attorney can calculate the value of these non-economic losses and include them in your Jones Act claim. You can get help during this challenging time by contacting our firm today.
Benefits of Hiring an Oil Rig Accident Lawyer
An experienced oil rig injury lawyer has the training and experience to guide workers through their claims and successfully secure compensation. A lawyer could also investigate the option of filing suit directly against the employer.
We believe that you deserve professional legal help from a personal injury law firm if you sustained injuries as an offshore worker on an oil rig. Find out more by reaching out to our legal team today. We provide a risk-free initial consultation.
Our team at Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers has over 30 years of combined legal experience and has brought our clients over $100 million in compensation. You can check out our case results to learn more about specific cases we’ve handled.
Lawyers Help on a Contingency Fee Basis
You don’t have to worry about paying legal fees when you hire us to help after an oil rig accident. We work on a contingency fee basis and only take payment for these fees after we bring you compensation.
The Minimum Oil Rig Safety Requirements
Every oil rig site must meet minimum safety standards, or the employers will face penalties, including steep fines. These safety standards include:
- Extensive and ongoing employee training to ensure all workers understand the most recent protocols
- The required safety gear for all employees while working on the vessel or rig
- Adequate lighting and handrails for walkways and steps
- Daily safety inspections
- Proper storage of hazardous material
- Random employee drug and alcohol testing
When employers fail to follow safety protocols and crew members suffer injuries while working on oil rigs, federal statutes allow offshore workers to seek compensation from their employer in a negligence claim.
Our legal team can assess your situation and determine if you have a valid case.
Hazards and Risks of Working on Oil Rigs
Even in the best circumstances, crew members face many risks while performing their duties. Many of the hazards that present severe risks to crew members come about when employers fail to comply with the minimum oil rig safety requirements, including:
- Employers failing to provide sufficient training to workers for equipment operation
- Slips, trips, and falls on the deck or cathead
- Falling objects
- Toxic fumes and explosions
- Pipe tongs and hazardous grating
- Cable breaks
An oil rig accident attorney in New Orleans could investigate the incident by requesting records and speaking to witnesses so as to determine the cause of the accident and identify the responsible parties.
Call Us for Help After an Accident on an Oil Rig
Working on an oil rig is among the most dangerous jobs in the U.S.; much of it is done here in New Orleans. When you sustain injuries while working on a crew, you have options for covering medical care, lost wages, and other expenses while you rest and recover at home.
Although you may have access to benefits, the legal system can prove difficult to navigate on your own. Fortunately, you can reach out to a personal injury law firm for personalized attention and legal advice.
Even a minor error could cause significant delays, so call Scott Vicknair Injury Lawyers to review your options. Our New Orleans oil rig accident lawyers will provide sound legal advice, represent you in negotiations, and will not charge payment for their services unless you win your case.
