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May 19, 2023
- Oil Rig Accident
- Oilfield
- Workplace Injury
- By Cesar Ornelas
Workplace Injury – Oil Field Accidents
There are reports that oil and gas extraction account for 75% oil field accidents. The fatality rate for the mining industry, including oil extraction, is approximately 11.4 per 100,000 workers, which is 300% of the national average.
Texas Oil Field Accidents
In August 2018, seven people were injured after a series of explosions occurred in Midland County, Texas. The incident shut down five oil lines. Both Kinder Morgan, INC. and another oil company, Navitas Midstream Partners LLC, had pipelines damaged in the accident. The cause of the explosions is still unknown.
In 2017, the state’s five top oil and gas regions experience an increase in injuries (7.422) and fatalities (1,614). These may have been the result of poor working conditions and tired oil rig drivers. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, several factors influence these figures, including weather, road conditions, speeding and driver inattention.
New Mexico Oil Field Accidents
In July 2016 at a San Juan County, New Mexico oil field, flames erupted, a visible reminder of the dangers inherent in working in the fossil fuel industry. The fire occurred at a WPX Energy fracking site, setting off explosions that closed Highway 550 and temporarily dislocated 55 families. Miraculously, no injuries were reported.
In June 2018, a fatal tank battery fire killed an oilfield worker at New Mexico’s Permian Basin. The fire occurred at 1:00 p.m. at a WPX Energy facility in Loving. The entire site was engulfed when local agencies arrived on the scene.
Typical Injuries in Oil Field Industry
The following injuries are common for workers in the oil field of Texas and New Mexico:
- Head and brain injuries: traumatic brain injuries, concussions, skull and facial fractures
- Neck and back injuries: spinal cord injuries, pinched nerves, severed spinal cords, broken vertebrae, whiplash, and herniated or ruptured discs.
- Bone injuries: Broken or shattered bones, hairline fractures, and dislocated bones.
- Limb and extremity: partial or total amputation, crushed limbs, and damage to extremities.
- Soft tissue injuries: tearing of tendons, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
How Cesar Ornelas Law Can Help
If you or a loved one have been injured in an oil field accident in Texas or New Mexico, our team here at Cesar Ornelas Law is here to help. Workers suffering from these injuries might be entitled to compensation from their employees. An oil field accident attorney can help you figure on what compensation you deserve for your injuries. If you are a driver in the oil industry and feel that poor working conditions are responsible for an accident you caused while on the job, contact an oil field accident attorney to discuss your case.
Don’t rely on your employer or the insurance company to tell you your rights. Turn to a law firm that works in your best interests. Cesar Ornelas will examine your injuries and the details of your case to give you an honest review of your case. Trust Cesar to get you the compensation you deserve so you can get your life back on track. Contact us now!
Originally from Kyle, Texas, Mr. Ornelas is a first-generation college graduate and a first-generation attorney.
Licensed in Texas, Cesar Ornelas’s nationwide practice is entirely contingency fee-based and consists of a wide variety of catastrophic personal injury and death cases. He has represented countless victims of catastrophic accidents across the United States.
