Working in the oil and gas industry involves a different set of skills than the routine office desk job. Workers are subjected to extreme temperatures, dangerous equipment, and must trust that their coworkers have been appropriately trained. If you or a loved one have received a back injury while working on an oil and gas rig, you may be entitled to receive compensation for your injuries.

Back injuries are common throughout the oil and gas industry since workers are expected to do ongoing manual labor involving moving heavy objects, operating machinery, and constantly being on their feet for more than 12-hour shifts. This type of work can quickly take a toll on the body, leading to back strain, ongoing back injuries, and difficulty completing the tasks. Workers who are subjected to this type of injury could find themselves unable to do routine parts of their job after receiving a back injury, thereby requiring days or even weeks off of work. For workers who send money home to their families, the loss of even one paycheck could be detrimental. If the working conditions caused the severe injuries, then the worker should be held responsible to either alleviate the injury-causing conditions or properly train employees to avoid injuries.

Filing a claim for injuries can be tricky; and therefore, an experienced attorney should be consulted to determine what laws cover this type of injury.

If you have been injured in an accident during your time as a worker on an oil rig or in the oil and gas industry, you have several options after an accident. If you are a full-time employee, your accident may be covered under the state worker’s compensation laws. In Texas, employers decide whether they want to provide worker’s compensation insurance coverage and must notify you of their decision. If your employer provides worker’s compensation insurance coverage, you will be able to file a claim if you meet the correct criteria, including employee status, circumstances of the accident, and length of time between the injury and the time of the claim.

If the injury occurred on an off-shore oil rig, your injury may be covered under certain federal statutes, such as the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act or the Outer Continental Shelf Act.

In certain circumstances, a claim for damages may be brought outside of state or federal worker’s compensation laws, through a personal injury claim. In any of these cases, an attorney will carefully examine the facts of your case to determine the most appropriate method and assist in calculating the full amount of damages you are entitled to receive.

If you or a loved one have received a back injury in an oil and gas related accident, do not hesitate to contact the Malley Law Firm. Tony Malley has years of experience in assisting his clients with their claims after a devastating accident involving the oil and gas industry leads to severe injuries. Contact our Houston or Beaumont offices today for your initial free consultation.