A worker was tragically killed this week when an explosion erupted at an oilfield outside Attica, Kansas.
A second worker survived but was severely burned in the incident.
Kansas Oilfield Workers Were Welding a Heat Treater
The July 19th explosion occurred around 12:30 p.m. at a well site roughly 7 miles from Attica.
According to the Harper County Sherriff’s Department, the workers were welding on a heat treater, a piece of equipment used in the oil and gas industry to separate crude oil and water. For reasons that remain unclear, gas built up in the heater and somehow ignited.
A 57-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.
A second man, 27, was airlifted to Ascension Via Christi Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas, where he is being treated for burns. No other information on his condition has been made available.
So far, authorities in Harper County have not identified the owner of the well site or the victims’ employer.
Tuesday’s explosion remains under investigation.
What to Do After an Oilfield Accident or Explosion
If you or a loved one were injured, severely burned, or tragically killed while working in an oilfield, you can’t depend on your employer and their insurance company to “take care of you” or “make things right.”
Time is not on your side. What you do in the days and weeks that follow will determine whether you’re fully and fairly compensated for all your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain or limited to a small amount of workers’ compensation benefits that won’t come close to covering all of your injuries and losses.
- Notify Your Employer ASAP: You must notify your supervisor immediately, even if you don’t think your injuries are serious. Timely notification will ensure you receive your mandated worker’s compensation benefits, provide documentation of the work-related nature of your injuries, and show that you took them seriously.
- Demand Immediate Medical Care of Your Choice: No matter how severe your injuries are, getting checked out at the emergency room or nearby urgent care center is essential. You have a right to demand to see the doctor of your choice and are under no obligation to see the doctors and medical providers chosen by your employer or its insurer. In fact, it’s in your best interest not to do so.
- Write Down Everything You Can Remember: Once your immediate needs have been addressed, take some time to write a detailed account of the accident or explosion, including the names and contact information of any witnesses. Record every detail you can remember, even those that might seem trivial.
- Don’t Give a Recorded Statement: You should never, under any circumstances, agree to provide a formal statement for the insurance company, sign anything, or accept any money other than your regular paycheck before speaking with an experienced oilfield injury lawyer who’s successfully represented injured oilfield workers and their families against the largest oil and gas companies in the world.
- Avoid Discussion of the Accident or Your Injuries: Until your case is resolved, limit discussion of your accident and injuries to your spouse and your attorney. Never mention anything about your case on social media or discuss it with coworkers, friends, and extended family.
- Comply with Your Doctor’s Recommendations: If you fail to follow your treatment plan or miss medical and therapy appointments, you’ll give your employer and its insurance company an opportunity to challenge your credibility, dispute the seriousness of your injuries, and question your commitment to your recovery.
- Don’t Count on Workers’ Compensation: Unfortunately, workers’ compensation doesn’t come close to replacing the weekly wages many oilfield workers typically earn. It also DOESN’T compensate you for your future medical expenses, pain and suffering, physical impairment, mental anguish, or any of the other damages you can recover in a personal injury lawsuit.
- Speak with an Experienced Oilfield Explosion Attorney: You should never attempt to negotiate with the oilfield company or its insurance company on your own. They’re only interested in delaying your claim to avoid paying you and your family the compensation you truly deserve. The longer this process drags on, the chances that you’ll be fully compensated will continue to decrease, while the likelihood that you’ll walk away with nothing increases.
Contact Our Undefeated Oilfield Explosion Lawyers: Call 1-888-603-3636 or Click Here for a Free Consultation.
Our Undefeated Oilfield Accident Lawyers have won Billions – including the #1 Largest Oilfield Accident Burn Settlement in U.S. History and the #1 Largest Oilfield Accident Settlement in History – for thousands of workers and families across the United States.
If you or a loved one were injured in the deadly Kansas oilfield explosion on July 18, 2022, call 1-888-603-3636, use the “chat” button on our homepage, or click here to send us a confidential email through our “Contact Us” form.
Our Oilfield Accident Attorneys will answer all of you your questions, explain your rights, and provide all the information you need to decide what’s best for you and your family.
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