Undefeated Maritime Lawyers
Working on an offshore oil rig is more dangerous than just about any other job in the oil and gas industry. From the unforgiving seas to the high-pressure machinery, even the most experienced workers face significant risks around the clock. Safety lapses, inadequate training, and unexpected weather events can quickly turn a routine day into a life-altering disaster.
Yet, many of the most common offshore oil rig injuries are entirely preventable. These injuries often result from a combination of insufficient training and a failure to follow established safety protocols, leading to catastrophic consequences.
If you or a loved one were injured while working offshore, our undefeated maritime injury attorneys are here to protect your rights and seek justice. Read on to learn more about the injuries we frequently encounter and how we can help you secure the compensation needed to rebuild your future.
The Leading Causes of Offshore Injuries
Offshore and maritime workers face unique challenges and hazards that can lead to significant injuries or worse. According to Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), at least 199 injuries occurred on offshore oil rigs in 2022. However, it is widely understood that the real number is much higher due to underreporting and inconsistencies in the tracking system.
While the specific causes can vary depending on the type of work and the location, some of the most common causes of injury and death among offshore and maritime workers include:
1. Falls
Falls are among the most common offshore injuries, especially on elevated platforms, rigs, or ships. Slippery decks, uneven surfaces, and the constant motion of vessels increase the risk. Falls result in a range of injuries, from minor bruises to more severe fractures and head injuries that may require lifelong treatment.
However, the most severe fall-related injuries offshore are frequently due to inadequate fall protection measures or improper use of safety equipment. For instance, according to BSEE data, one worker on a Gulf of Mexico rig operated by Shell stepped off the edge of a blowout preventer’s upper platform while securing nuts and bolts, striking his lower back on the skid base below and sustaining spinal injuries, including two fractures. The most basic safety measures, such as the proper use of self-closing swing gates and tie-offs, could have prevented the fall in the first place.
2. Burns
The risk of fires and oil rig explosions is ever-present in offshore drilling and the transportation of flammable materials. Nearly 20% of all offshore incidents reported by BSEE in 2022 involved fires, often leading to burn injuries that can require extensive medical treatment and leave victims permanently impaired.
Burn injuries are not only physically and financially devastating, they can also have lasting emotional and psychological consequences, including post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.
3. Machinery & Equipment Accidents
Offshore and maritime work involves heavy machinery, swinging lines, and dangerous equipment that workers must navigate every time they step foot on a platform or drillship. Not only are they at risk of coming into contact with equipment, but of being struck by falling or swinging objects.
Numerous accidents reported offshore last year involved workers being caught, pinched, or cut by equipment or objects ranging from electrical snakes to crane slings. In numerous instances, workers had teeth cracked or damaged after being struck by or coming into contact with equipment, such as when a release of stored energy resulted in a flange striking one contractor in the face during a task involving high-pressure gas lift inlet piping.
Additionally, malfunctions of equipment critical to drilling or maritime operations can have severe consequences, resulting in a fatal blowout on drilling rigs or engine failures on vessels.
4. Chemical Exposure
Exposure to hazardous chemicals and substances, such as oil and toxic gases, is a significant risk for offshore workers. These exposures can lead to chemical burns, respiratory issues, and long-term health problems, or even prove fatal.
Hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) can be especially lethal, and for every senseless death, there are numerous close calls. In one incident reported last year, two offshore workers noticed a “sour rotten egg smell” while uncapping a tote tank and quickly putting back the cap. They were lucky to walk away. Breathing in hydrogen sulfide gas at concentrations greater than 500 ppm can render a worker unconscious. And a single breath at 1,000 ppm will result in the immediate loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest, and death.
5. Lifting Injuries
Handling heavy loads and equipment without proper lifting techniques or equipment can result in back injuries, strains, and musculoskeletal disorders. The physical demands of offshore work, combined with challenging conditions, make these injuries particularly prevalent. An astounding 333 lifting incidents were reported to the BSEE in 2022, resulting in strains, sprains, muscle tears and more injuries.
Additional Hazards
Other leading causes of offshore injuries include:
- Fatigue: Long shifts and irregular hours contribute to worker fatigue, increasing the likelihood of mistakes and accidents.
- Collisions: Vessel-platform collisions or helicopter crashes can result in injuries.
- Extreme Weather: Harsh offshore environments, including rough seas and extreme temperatures, can lead to accidents, exacerbate existing conditions, or increase the risk of incidents like falls or struck-by injuries.
Additionally, the frequency of incidents requiring evacuation, such as loss of facility power or vessel collision near-misses, highlights the persistent dangers faced by offshore workers. At least 108 such events were reported last year, a number that likely underestimates the true extent of these risks.
Most Common Offshore Injuries
From catastrophic accidents to daily wear and tear, offshore workers frequently suffer severe injuries that can change their lives forever.
The most common offshore injuries we see include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Burn injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bone & fractures
- Amputation
- Nerve damage
- Eye injuries
- Vision or hearing loss
- Concussions
- Cuts or lacerations
- Heat-related illness or hypothermia
- Respiratory injuries due to chemical exposure
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a family member
Offshore drillers and other maritime companies have a legal and ethical duty to ensure the safety and well-being of their workers. When an employers’ failure to abide by federal and state safety regulations and industry standards causes your family harm, Zehl & Associates knows exactly how to hold them accountable for their negligence.
Our Undefeated Maritime Injury Lawyers have used the Jones Act, among other maritime laws, to recover record-breaking verdicts and settlements on behalf of injured offshore workers and their families.
We stand by you every step of the way, making sure you have access to the top medical treatment for your injuries and 24/7 support from our team, so you can focus on what matters most.
What to Do If You Were Injured in an Offshore Accident
When another’s reckless actions cause you harm, you have the right to seek full compensation for your injuries and losses. But you must act as soon as possible to protect your rights because the company will act even quicker, hiring a team of high-powered attorneys and doing everything they can to avoid responsibility and pay you as little as possible.
Follow these steps protect your rights:
- Immediately report any injuries to your supervisor so that an official report may be written.
- Request medical attention from your supervisor. Remember, you are not required to see the company doctor.
- DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING until you have consulted with an experienced maritime attorney. Other than the incident report itself, you are not required to sign or record any statements whatsoever. Any admissions about the accident can and will be used against you by your employer.
- Note the names and contact information of any witnesses, as well as the time and date the incident occurred.
- If you’re physically able, take pictures of the accident scene and anything that may have caused your injury.
- If your employer does not immediately begin paying maintenance and cure as required, contact an experienced offshore injury lawyer.
- Do not discuss settlement or accepting any money from your employer until you have consulted a maritime lawyer and fully understand the true extent of your injuries and how much money it will actually take to cover your needs, both now and in the future.
If you don’t take action immediately, chances are you and your family will never receive full compensation for all of your injuries and losses.
Contact us right away to discuss your legal options. Our top-rated offshore accident attorneys know exactly how to protect your physical, emotional, and financial well-being and secure your family’s future.
Billions Won: How Zehl & Associates Can Help if You Were Injured Offshore
Injured maritime workers and their families are often left to pick up the pieces on their own. Despite your employer’s assurances that they will “take care of you” or “make things right,” their insurance adjusters are only concerned with one thing: saving money by paying you as little as possible, no matter the actual extent of your injuries and losses.
At Zehl & Associates, we have the resources, experience, and knowledge to stand up to the biggest maritime and oil and gas companies in the world and not only win, but set records.
Once hired, we stop at nothing to recover the maximum compensation and offer the unwavering support our clients deserve:
- We ensure you receive the best medical treatment possible, including access to the top doctors and specialists in the country to treat your injuries. And we make sure your medical bills and reasonable living expenses are covered while your case is pending.
- We assemble a team of the best and brightest attorneys, safety experts, and engineers to independently investigate your accident and not only show what happened, but prove how it could have been prevented.
- We NEVER settle for less than full compensation. When our opponents fail to offer a substantial settlement, we take them to trial, where we hold them fully accountable and remain undefeated.
As a result, our success goes above and beyond the courtroom. Among our track record: We successfully represented five of the workers who were seriously injured onboard the Deepwater Horizon rig, winning highly favorable, confidential settlements on their behalf. We recently secured $90 million, the largest settlement for a burn victim in U.S. history, as well as $30 million on behalf a Jones Act seaman.
Undefeated Houston Maritime Attorneys: Call 1-888-603-3636 for a Free Consult
With Billions won, our maritime lawyers have recovered the largest, record-setting verdicts and settlements for injured offshore workers across Texas, Louisiana, and the United States. Whether your claim falls under the Jones Act, DOHSA, or General Maritime Laws, our legal team will devote whatever resources are necessary to ensure that you and your family receive the maximum compensation possible.
If you or a loved one were injured offshore, call 1-888-603-3636 or fill out the form for your free case review.
Our top priority is getting you all of the information you need to make the best decision for your family.
All consultations are free, and you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.