What Can An Oil Field Injury Attorney Do?
It can be a difficult decision to pursue legal action against your employer or another liable party when you are injured on the job. Workplace injury lawyers are specifically trained to help that decision be an easy one so that you receive what you deserve. However, the oil industry is another story altogether. Oil field workers can be up to 7 times more likely to suffer a fatality on the job than other professions. That’s why oil field accident attorneys dedicate their time to knowing every single thing about the oil industry. Being based in San Antonio, the experts at Cesar Ornelas Law have intimate knowledge of every aspect of the oil industry – including the aftermath of an oil field or rig accident. We can help you in some very specific ways to make the entire process easier for you.
Oil Field Company
No matter who was actually at fault for your injury, your employer is likely not going to want to take responsibility and payout for their mistakes. In fact, some employees have been terminated when their employer discovered the legal action being taken against them. This is illegal and is just one of the things that our team of attorneys can protect you from when it comes to confronting your employer. Also, your company may have its own insurance or board that is actively trying to discredit you on top of your own insurance company. Not a single person will be looking out for your best interest – except your lawyers at Cesar Ornelas Law.
Worker’s Compensation
One important thing to remember is that if your Texas employer has worker’s compensation, you cannot legally sue them for any more damages. Worker’s compensation is basically a company’s way of ensuring you can’t sue them. Suing in court is likely to get you more compensatory damages, but worker’s compensation has the first claim on you as an employee.
Third-Party Liability
If your company does provide compensation, there are still situations where you can sue other parties for damages. If a co-worker was personally responsible for your injuries, you could choose to sue them individually for their negligence or actions. If your injuries were caused by equipment failure, there is a possibility that you could sue the manufacturer or company responsible for maintaining the equipment – as long as it’s not the company you are employed by. A trained lawyer will be able to help you determine if these courses of action are feasible for your case.
No Worker’s Compensation
If you work on an on-shore oil rig or field, your employer is not required by law to pay into worker’s compensation by the state of Texas. In some ways this could be good news because you can sue your employer for much more than worker’s compensation would be worth. Even better, the law tends to favor the employees who are not covered by worker’s compensation because they want every company to provide it to their workers. Texas even prohibits the defending company from using common laws defenses to try and get themselves out of the hot seat.
Injured On The Job In The Oil Field Industry?
There are multiple layers of the law when dealing with an oil field accident case, and our team at Cesar Ornelas Law wants you to be protected and receive all the compensation you deserve. When you need to take legal action against an oil company, depend on our team of oil field accident attorneys to help you navigate the tricky legal waters you face. Hiring an oil field accident lawyer could provide you with the income you need to get back on your feet. Contact us today for a free consultation.