Oil and Gas Industry Injuries
Often, clients come to us after suffering injuries on jack-up drilling rigs and oil platforms, diver injuries, and helicopter injuries, in addition to those who were hurt on a boat, ship, or other vessel. There are four very important things you must know if you were injured offshore working with an oil and gas company or in a supporting role:
- Most lawyers do not have any experience at all representing offshore oil and gas workers. These claims are highly specialized, complicated, and expensive. You need to make certain that the lawyer you hire has experience with these types of claims.
- Your claim may fall under one of four different legal remedies. They are the Jones Act, general maritime law, the Longshore and Harbor Worker’s Compensation Act, and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. Each set of laws is very different and has special rules and restrictions. It takes an experienced offshore lawyer to help you navigate your way to the best possible recovery.
- You are generally entitled to medical care if you are injured offshore in the oil and gas fields, regardless of who was at fault. And you aren’t necessarily required to go to company doctors.
- If you suffered a serious injury, you may be entitled to appropriate and fair compensation. And unlike many state-based laws where the compensation is completely inadequate—like worker’s compensation—offshore oil and gas injury claims generally entitle the injured party to much more reasonable and fair compensation.