Oil platforms are among the most high-risk places for explosions and fires, despite being surrounded by open water. Indeed, the fact that oil rigs are located out on the open water can make the risk of serious injury from oil rig explosion accidents even greater, particularly during periods of extreme weather and poor sea conditions. Add in the fact that oil rig workers frequently face difficult working conditions, such as shifts more than 12 hours long, and the risk of injury grows exponentially.

In An Oil Rig Explosion Accident?

If you’ve been hurt during an oil rig explosion, you deserve compensation for your injuries. Following an injury resulting from an oil explosion, you can face long-term financial strains due to hospitalization charges, long-term rehabilitation and in-home care costs, lost wages and lowered earning capability, future medical complications, and counseling and rehabilitation costs. An attorney who is experienced in handling oil rig explosion accidents can help safeguard your legal rights and ensure that you and your family are provided for as you look to rebuild and move forward.

The heavy machinery equipment used on oil rigs is essential in carrying out day-to-day operations, but a single spark emanating from such machinery is all it takes to ignite a widespread, catastrophic fire. It’s no wonder that Forbes Magazine ranked working aboard an oil rig among the ten worst jobs in the country in 2010. OSHA has reached a similar conclusion, noting that those in the oil and gas industry face a seven-times greater risk of an on-the-job fatality than any other industry in the country.

Understanding Your Rights Under the Maritime Law

You do have rights if you have been injured in an oil rig explosion. The Federal Maritime Law and The Jones Act, in particular, seek to protect those who work at sea, including on an oil rig. Under such law, your employer is responsible for possible negligence and for protecting your safety, and you are entitled to all medical expenses (both current and future); compensation for lost wages (both current and future); damages for pain, suffering, and disfigurement; and the costs associated with retraining for another line of work. The law understands the extreme and unusual physical requirements that offshore oil rig workers face and is designed to compensate those who are injured while working on an oil rig.

Keep in mind that the law can be complicated. The Jones Act provides more comprehensive protection for those working on floating oil rigs and jack-up rigs than is provided under general maritime law for those working on fixed oil rig platforms. That’s why it’s so critical that you reach out to our skilled attorneys experienced in oil rig explosion accidents as soon as possible following your injury.

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